[Fukuoka] A Rich and Elegant Night Train Journey | Seishun 18 Kippu Tour 2005 (Part 1) | 2005 Archive

When I can't easily go on a trip, I often browse websites featuring other people's travelogues. Among them, the most common generation is, as expected, university students who have plenty of time on their hands. They are running around here and there using the 18 Kippu or motorcycles.

For those of us past our thirties with time constraints, we cannot afford the kind of travel that is luxurious in time and physical stamina like university students. If so, we have no choice but to compete with weapons other than youth.
While I was struggling to think of such things, the words that the 'Brush Emperor' (Hitsu-o) suddenly uttered became the concept for this trip.

Adult charm—rich and elegant.

Yes, this is the only weapon left to us.

On Thursday evening after finishing work, I met up with the Brush Emperor at Nagoya Station and transferred to a rapid train bound for Kyoto at Maibara.

Originally, it should have departed immediately, but the train wouldn't start moving due to strong winds. At this rate, I might not make it in time for the Moonlight Kyushu that I was planning to take from Kyoto. I was quite anxious, but I managed to make the connection somehow.

However, there was no time left to buy a proper dinner. Come to think of it, this was the beginning of the trip's bad luck.

The Moonlight Kyushu waiting for departure at Kyoto Station. It is a special night rapid train between Kyoto and Hakata, and although you can ride it with a Seishun 18 Kippu, a separate reserved seat ticket is required because all seats are reserved. It is pulled by an

EF65 series 1000 unit. Same as the Moonlight Kochi I rode last year.

The passenger cars are the 14 series 200 unit that were used for the Spur train. These are cars remodeled for ski travelers, and the end of the train on the Kyoto side has an observation room, and it is a special specification equipped with a changing room and a large luggage storage area. And above all, what I am grateful for is that they are not the so-called


flip-back seats where the backrest cannot be fixed. With this, a good night's sleep tonight is practically guaranteed. ※ Seat details in past article

Observation room
Since all seats are reserved, it's not like they missed out on a seat, but a railway enthusiast has already settled into the observation room. A full-size version of the timetable is peeking out from his bag.

By the way, I also brought a timetable, but since it's a mini-size version, I am not a railway enthusiast.

The Brush Emperor relaxing on the train that has started moving. True to the concept of this trip, he is exuding a truly elegant atmosphere. If someone who didn't know the circumstances saw him, they would surely think that some aristocrat was enjoying a night train journey.

Pajamas are essential for the sleep of a working salaryman. Of course, leather shoes on his feet.

I decide to spend an elegant moment in the observation room. By the way, the middle-aged man on the left was eating two Waraji Katsu bento boxes.

Heading steadily west through the Tokaido where the light rain won't stop. A couple looking at the scenery obscured by rain, and the super rain-man who made the scenery obscured by rain, the Brush Emperor.

I have a railway enthusiast take a photo for us. When he returned the camera, I bumped into the guy on the left, but he didn't seem to care at all and just kept coming this way. Without noticing that the wrinkles between the guy's eyebrows were deepening by the second, he handed me the camera as if nothing had happened. I'm the one who asked him to take it, but it makes me nervous.

Preparing for tomorrow, I decide to return to my seat and sleep.

The young woman who took this photo started a fierce argument about an hour later with the man who sat next to her from a station along the way. Just when I thought it had finally quieted down, the man got excited again. We, being faint-hearted, were just nervous. I can't sleep...

However, biologically speaking, men cannot win against women. In the end, the man left a parting shot and got up from his seat and left.

This train has all reserved seats. Moreover, it is full today. The only places left for the man are the restroom or the observation room.

Once the battle between the dragon and tiger in the neighboring seats had ended and things had calmed down a bit, the middle-aged man behind me started complaining to the conductor about something.

"European trains don't sway this much!"

The conductor looked completely at a loss, having been presented with such an absurd comparison—like making my grandmother race Ben Johnson (not Bae Yong-joon) in a 100m dash. Later, I had a chance to talk to him, so I struck up a conversation.

"That must be tough." "Yes. But I knew I'd get complaints about it."

It seems the ride quality is so poor that even the conductor admits it.

Indeed, while I didn't pay much attention to the swaying at first, after riding for a long time, I realized it was getting excessive. Every time the train slowed down, there was a tremendous noise and my body would lurch forward.

I can't sleep...

Moreover, the seat heating was so hot it felt like I might get a low-temperature burn on my backside. I couldn't take it anymore and asked the conductor for help.

"Yes. But the cars are old, and I can't adjust it properly."

I can't sleep...

Around 5:30 AM, we arrived at Shimonoseki Station at the western tip of Honshu. I picked up some breakfast here.

It was called the "Shinsaku Bento". Of course, the name has absolutely nothing to do with the side dishes inside. I suppose if they sold it at Hagi Station, it would become the

"Shoin Bento".

Just past 6:00 AM, we arrived at our destination, Kokura Station. I immediately boarded the
monorail to head to the first destination of the day.

The first objective, of course, is the grooming essential for any man: a bath.

An elegant salaryman will go out of his way to take a bath, even if it means riding the monorail.

Next time, to the ruins of a fort where someone lives

<To be continued>