My First Train Trip

When I lived in Kyushu, every time I saw news about crowded trains, I used to think, "Why would anyone go out of their way to ride such a packed train?" and "I don't want to ride one even when I grow up."

That same person eventually moved to Tokyo for work, started a family, moved to the suburbs of Tokyo, and now commutes to the city center while being jostled in a crowded train. I am very grateful for the trains, as without them, the lifestyle of living in the countryside and commuting to the city center would not be possible. However, crowded trains are still tough, and it feels like a waste if you don't make good use of your commute time. I often read books for self-improvement, but there is also a part of me that enjoys gazing blankly at the scenery outside the window. Setting aside whether I am making effective use of my time...

I enjoy the small changes and discoveries, like wondering how long I can enjoy the beautiful view of Mt. Fuji from the Tsukuba Express on clear winter days, or noticing that a new house has been built over there. I even indulge in a sense of superiority, thinking that perhaps there are surprisingly many people on the train who don't know that you can see Mt. Fuji.

Ever since I was little, when riding in a vehicle, I preferred looking outside over sleeping. When my family went out by car, I would fully exercise my privileges as the spoiled youngest child to sit in the passenger seat, securing a spot where I could clearly see both the front and the sides.

Every year during the New Year holidays, we would drive from Oita City to the Usa area, where my mother's parents lived, so as a child, I might have enjoyed watching the changes in the towns along National Route 10. Furthermore, when passing through Tateishi Pass, my sister and I would test our luck to see if the siren would go off this time, and I would also offer prayers that we wouldn't cross paths with the activities of the motorcycle gangs during the New Year holidays (I think we called it the 'First Sunrise Run').
*Tateishi Pass Siren: A siren that sounds at regular intervals to prevent drowsy driving.

During the summer vacation of one of my elementary school years, I took a long trip by train for the first time. I believe this was my first time on a train. My two older sisters and I decided to take the train from Oita Station to Usa Station to visit my mother's parents' house, where we always used to go by car. I had always seen the trains running alongside National Route 10 while driving, and I had always wanted to ride one, so I was very happy when this trip was decided.

"Don't lose it," my sister said as she handed me the ticket, which I tucked into my pocket before boarding the train. Since it was a local train, I knelt on the long bench to position myself so I could see out the window. I think I stayed in this position for most of the trip.

Shortly after leaving Oita Station, the train passes through what could be called the highlight of this route, a path that goes around half of Beppu Bay, but I have absolutely no memory of that time.
It should have been packed with the charms of Oita—enjoying the magnificent ocean spreading out below after passing Nishi-Oita Station, racing through the city of Beppu, seeing the 'Sunflower' ferry floating on the sea if you're lucky, or the route overlooking the sea and Mt. Takasaki from the Hiji side (a place name in Oita)... but... Now that I am an adult, whenever I ride this line, I always take a seat on the side where I can see the ocean and fully enjoy the scenery from the train window.

What remains in my memory from childhood is the section where the train repeatedly passes through tunnels and over viaducts. I believe it is the section between Kitsuki Station and Nakayama-ga Station. At the time, I thought this section ran parallel to the familiar Route 10, but then a place would appear where the train crossed over Route 10 on a viaduct after exiting a tunnel, which was complex and mysterious to me as a train novice, and I couldn't understand at all what kind of route the train was taking. Looking back at it now, it's just that the Route 10 side is winding, but I think I just assumed that the train's route was strange because I believed at the time that cars were the standard.

The ticket I had tucked in my pocket didn't go anywhere, and I arrived safely at Usa Station, ending my first train trip.

There are various types of people in the genre called 'train otaku,' but I might be a 'railway scenery otaku.' In modern terms, would that be a 'color-tetsu' (scenery enthusiast)?... But I don't look at the scenery and take photos, nor do I look back at the routes to review the positional relationship with landmarks. I am simply enjoying the scenery as it changes moment by moment with my own eyes. However, having looked back on my childhood memories this time, I realized that there are some ordinary landscapes that are somehow etched into my memory, and I have been unconsciously doing something like checking those memories when I ride the train next time. I intend to continue my own search for interesting spots and enjoy my own style of train travel. Since I've started a Note, I would like to make an effort to capture a bit more of the scenery in photos. *The photos in this article are borrowed.