[Jog-Tetsu] Jogging a full loop of the Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line

I am introducing my 'Jog-Tetsu' (Jogging the Railway) project, where I jog along railway lines. This time, it is the Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line, which I ran on January 3, 2026.

The mysterious racket-shaped property

I love maps, so when I have free time, I usually spend it looking at Google Maps or the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan maps. This habit goes back a long way; when I was a student, I would look at the map books used in geography class. Back then, ignoring my studies, I would obsess over unnatural terminal sections, like the Shiomibashi Line of the Nankai Koya Line or the section from Hikifune to Asakusa on the Tobu Isesaki Line, spending my days fantasizing about 'what it was like' there.Please also take a look at my Jog-Tetsu My Map.

One such intriguing property is the subject of this time, the Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line.A racket-shaped line is shown on the map, and I am curious about what kind of operation it has.The fact that the station name, which I assume is the starting station, is 'Yukarigaoka' and sounds strangely fancy also bothers me. Since Yukarigaoka Station is a Keisei Line station, I wondered if it was the 'Keisei Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line.' Years later, I looked it up online andlearned that it is a railway line operated by a real estate company called Yamaman.What kind of train is run by a real estate agent? Let's solve this long-standing mystery.

The first run of 2026

The date was January 3, 2026. The injury from my fall in Fujieda City is still fresh. The scab hasn't even dried yet.

But there is only one month left until the Ehime Marathon I am scheduled to run.If I don't get in a long run at this time, one month before, I won't be able to enjoy the Ehime Marathon.I am also influenced by the Hakone Ekiden I watched the day before. While thinking about all these things, I missed the time to leave the house, and as usual, it was a late start.

A town where you can live forever

I arrived by taking the Keisei Line. The station for the Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line is adjacent to the Keisei Line's Yukarigaoka Station. I descend from the pedestrian deck and start from in front of the Yamaman station.The scenery in front of the station already presents the appearance of a large-scale town, and I am convinced that it encompasses an entire railway line.

As far as I researched in advance, the development of the Yamaman Yukarigaoka New Town began in 1971, and they expanded the town while limiting residents so that the generations would not be biased.As a result, it seems to have become a modern town in line with the SDGs.

Since it is a line for accessing Yukarigaoka Station from various parts of the new town, the stations are within walking distance from anywhere in the town. The distance between stations is short, around 1km. This line opened in 1980, so I imagine it had a futuristic atmosphere at the time. Conversely, it feels retro now.

I have only run a little over 1km, but I have arrived at the second station. From here on, all Yukarigaoka Line trains proceed counter-clockwise.Although some stations are reached via a one-way detour, the distance between stations in those cases is only about 3.4km, so there is little time loss.

Despite being in the Tokyo commuter belt, detached houses stand out. The roads are wide, so there is no trouble using private cars. Yet, because they are properties near the station, the convenience is high. It is clear that a real estate company operating its own railway business has many benefits for the residents.

Joshidai Station is famous as a rare station name.Despite calling itself 'Women's University' (Joshidai), there is no university here.It is said that there was a plan for Wayo Women's University to relocate here when the suburban relocation of university campuses was popular, but that plan fell through. In the end, only a seminar house was built.

A big town, but rich in nature

The topography of Yukarigaoka is easy to understand around Chugakko Station. The racket-shaped form of the Yukarigaoka Line surrounds a valley, and the center is suitable for farmland because water management is easy.High sustainability can also be seen in terms of industry and the environment.

The area between Chugakko Station and Ino Station is a hill. You can clearly see the structure of the Yukarigaoka Line's AGT route.I imagined once again that it must have been a futuristic landscape when it was first built.

Near Ino Station, there is a farmhouse that seems to have been operating for a long time and a shrine for Koshin-sama.Yamaman's stance of not recklessly destroying the existing town can be seen.

The Yukarigaoka Line also features a station building integrated with an apartment complex, which is commonly seen in local suburban private railways. I like these types of integrated station buildings. It's a dream to be able to get to the station without getting wet in the rain, isn't it?

Yukarigaoka Minami Park has come into view. The elevated tracks of the Yukarigaoka Line have become part of the park's scenery, looking futuristic and cool. Yet, it still exudes a cozy atmosphere, likely because the town planning is centered around people.

The Jog-Tetsu of the Yukarigaoka Line ends at 5.4 km. Except for Ino Station, the station names were quite generic, and I couldn't discern their individual characteristics from the map. After actually visiting the sites, both had an atmosphere that seemed comfortable to live in, leaving a good impression.

Like the residents, let's head to Tokyo from here.

It was a satisfying run in terms of Jog-Tetsu, but it was lacking as an exercise. Let's head toward central Tokyo as it is. From here, Katsutadai Station is two stops away on the Keisei Line from Yukarigaoka Station. The Toyo Rapid Railway, which connects directly to the Tokyo Metro, departs from Katsutadai Station. I started to feel the vibe of doing a Jog-Tetsu on the Toyo Rapid Railway and heading toward Tokyo. To be continued.