Train Cruise (The Cities,Mountains & Seas of Osaka & Wakayama)

[Music] train crews let's take a journey on some of them many trains that traverse the Japanese archipelago some things are unforgettable others will fill you with nostalgia and beautiful vistas will lift your heart unknown parts of Japan are waiting for you to discover at the end of the line in this episode we travel from the metropolis of Osaka down to the mountains and seas of wakayama prefecture we have a delightful encounter on an Osaka tram car [Music] some say we travel through rugged terrain to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mount Koya we walk through a dignified old graveyard well how long they've been here but you can feel the history we write a fun cat themed train Minda feline stationmaster and visit an old farming family so let's begin our journey to the cities mountains and seas of Osaka and waka ama and meet some friendly people along the way [Music] [Applause] Kansai International Airport the Gateway to western Japan and our traveller for this episode has just arrived hi I'm Chris Glen I'm an Australian but I've been living in Japan for about 24 years so about half my life here and one of the great things about living in Japan even after all this time is that no matter where you go or what have you trying to this bound to be something interesting and exciting to discover Chris's extensive career as a radio DJ in both Australia and Japan spans 30 years he has an avid interest in Japanese history and frequently visits castles around the country I haven't been to or suck all that much or particularly the wacky ma area so today we came to see what we can find that's new and exciting let's go on a train cruise the airport has direct access to the jr and nong khai stations Chris first heads to downtown Osaka on the nan Chi line this is fantastic have a look at that you know Japan has got its long history and a deep culture and yet there's so many futuristic things as well look at this looks like something out of 2001 a space obviously doesn't it look at that that looks like a giant robots coming roaring down the line at you isn't that beautiful though the repeat limited Express derives its name and pronunciation from the German word for rapid a fusion of planes and steam trains it's futuristic design looks like something out of a science fiction movie train fans nicknamed it's the iron mask from its front appearance it is almost like an aircraft isn't it look how cool is that that's great isn't it [Music] great is nothing wouldn't find this on trains than any other country I don't think here we go easier let's eat a nice and wide they're comfortable you almost feel like you got to put on a seat belt and ready for takeoff and our trip begins true to its name repeat dashes to the center of Osaka in about 30 minutes [Music] as we approach the city center Chris sees a distinctive landmark biga there's one of the the symbols of osaka vega is that stem cocoon it's this huge lookout tower Chris gets off at Shing Amamiya station for a better look oh there it is look at that that's quite magnificent isn't it really the tsutenkaku tower the symbol of Osaka was built in the hope for recovery after the destruction of World War two with financial help from the locals [Music] standing 103 meters tall it is the pride of Osaka [Music] there's not so many people here at this time of morning and yet some of the cafes are open and even some of the bars as well well I guess people get thirsty in the morning too don't they it's 8 a.m. but despite the early hour many of the district's drinking establishments are open for business Chris goes into one my Jose was ok mustard or steak you know in themself shinsekai has been a bustling shopping and amusement district since before the war laborers from around the country gathered in neighboring areas after World War two bolstering Japan's post-war economic recovery to meet nightshift workers needs an increased number of eateries began opening early for business this establishment is crowded and buzzing with conversation even this early in the day most of the loyal regulars come for the manager you can be a hero a territorial no naka de boules you're a hunter I did media Canada sugar oil took a joke ago in the student cheers Cheers she's a chi is popularly known for kushikatsu deep-fried skewered meat seafood and vegetables the ingredients are dipped in batter for added volume at around 100 yen per skewer it is popular with people from all walks of life push cuts are dunked in the restaurants special sauce but no double dipping is allowed yes delicious this is fantastic experience a facet of osakan life at a friendly japanese-style eatery hopping with life any time of day [Music] tsutenkaku has long watched over Osaka's prosperity but nearby abinell Haruka's now towers over it completed in 2014 this skyscraper stands at 300 meters tall there it is I've been O'Hara cos Japan's tools building at 11 is not amazing the elevators speeds from the 16th floor to the observation deck in less than a minute this is incredible this is fantastic and we've got the best weather ever for it as well look at that conditions are so clear that's fantastic Chris takes in the sweeping view of Greater Osaka and its neighboring prefectures [Music] you notice to see that the trains coming through just to train coming through behind that building over there looks like a toy train set doesn't it from up here you know the trains look small the cars look small the buildings look small it's it's like looking down on a huge GRA isn't it Chris that's a cute little train in the jumble of the city Oh just tell me you can see one of the little tram now if we get on board one of those that'll take us somewhere interesting I'm sure let's see if we can get on board one of those the Han Chi tramway starts at 10 no G equalization the latest model called the Sakai tram was introduced in 2014 this is also pretty futuristic looking isn't it riding a tram like this you get to see the city pretty closely as well and we're sort of going through the area where people live so you get to see the average homes and places where they go shopping each day the streetcar makes its way down the middle of the road away from a banal Haruka's Honka tramway began operating in 1900 and has since become a popular mode of transport among locals [Music] Sun side underneath looking hair who you didn't your ski this guy ski naw see this Jinjin danger gasket Navajo la hora de nada Chinchin tension or contention in edit I want Tony Suja [Music] hunc I street cars are affectionately called ching ching densha this line has the oldest train cars operating on a regular schedule in Japan this model was manufactured in 1928 and has been running through the streets of Osaka for close to 90 years the reason for chin chin dentures nickname can be found on board [Music] career Tintin dents and I go to my massage sauna I took all the various the [Music] ding ding sound of the Bell is rendered as chin chin in Japanese so the train became known as the chin chin densha or ding ding train experience the past and present riding all their new train cars on the hunk a train way [Music] I got posted Chris visits Sumiyoshi Taisha one of us occurs leading shrines to pray for safety on his trip when you enter a shrine is always best about the shrine is said to have been founded in the 3rd century it holds a special place in the hearts of the locals and still attracts a steady stream of worshipers from around the region Chris strolls the grounds and see something interesting these people seem to be searching around for something within the stone fence [Music] the deities are believed to have descended on this side so it is considered sacred once you have the three stones together they have the power to make your prayers come true [Music] Chris and the boys search eagerly for the stone star shipping what couldn't under Khaitan in their cream on earth okay not the one put in any one night you put the dorset it don't want me to get that super neat skipper sakura-chan what up for me what a bit skip that hi there with some help from the boys Chris has all three stones [Music] the shrine maids will make them into an amulet for him hopefully this will bring us luck on this particular trip as well we'll see how it goes one of the little things that makes Japan special passing through the rural landscape we leave osaka behind and head for Mount Koya in what Kaiama prefecture here at Hashimoto station we board a special sightseeing train green and red looks good doesn't it and there's the sign how's that it's his tinker doesn't it [Music] thank you gently departs for Mount Koya a difference in altitude of 443 meters designed to ensure passengers enjoy a leisurely trip the windows are larger than usual to offer excellent views of the passing scenery and the seats are made from wood for a warm atmosphere [Music] people can also kick baths japanese-style to enjoy the view [Music] [Music] the train has a deck from which passengers can admire the landscape and breathe in the fresh mountain air always seem to be moving towards the mountains this thick area is quite nice actually it'd be great in summer in wings it's a little bit breezy a little bit cold but it's nice getting some fresh air anyway and just looking at the old houses and as we're moving up towards the mountains they're just the scenery is just changing so much bulletins your daughter's go [Music] from here the gradient gets steeper as the Train progresses up the mountainside [Music] and you can hear the noise of the engine and the wheels pushing this thing up the hill is that that squealing howling noise that you just hear a bit of it now but I've been told it's going to get even louder even stronger as we get higher off the hill here [Music] the train leaves through the rugged terrain towards Mount Koya or koyasan as it is called in Japanese we've arrived after a 40-minute ride on tanku we reach the last stop bringing us up that hill like that Tinku pity machi thank you there you go [Music] are we gonna make this one so we get on here let's be careful [Music] have a look at the angle this is on that's pretty steep this is just the train itself we are almost at the peak the swift cable car trip will take us up a further 328 meters in elevation this is unbelievable I've never ridden anything like this before but apparently it goes from about 10 up to 30 degrees on the incline it was scary but it's fun we have arrived at koyasan station 867 meters above sea level [Music] Koya son is a unesco world heritage site Kukai one of japan's most influential monks established this sacred area 1,200 years ago the more than 100 temples on the mountain have welcomed aesthetics and people who venerate King Kai for centuries the main approach to oku noises where Kukai is said to have passed into eternity is flanked by more than 200 thousand graves in a way it's a bit sad I mean we don't know whose graves they are or how long they've been here but you can feel the history [Music] people from all walks of life from monks and people of influence to average citizens have their remains here Chris comes across an unexpected grave you should have Mitsunari in 1600 the biggest samurai battle ever was fought at a place called psyche Gehenna now the country had broken up into two halves the East and the West now running the West was the guy who won Tokugawa Ieyasu he became children facing him was issued a Mitsunari for a Japanese history buff like Chris finding the grave of his favorite military commander from the warring States Period is very moving [Music] so to come here to get close to his memorial stone to me is special that's why I took a few moments just to pray for his soul he fought for Japan oh now this looks pretty special doesn't it temples operate lodgings for ascetics and pilgrims to Koya son Nanga Joey is one such temple accommodation which has a history of more than eight centuries [Music] this is Chris's room for the night those are highly criticized see what's a [Music] caucus of our session ID irska so it's diet alleles or Nando Turin or a cockeyed artists or these lodgings were once solely for monks and the faithful but now they open their doors to tourists to dinner is shoujing DOD a vegetarian cuisine that complies with Buddhist precepts bengi Joey is popular with foreign tourists and for good reason Kiyomi soy de is the 95 year old walking encyclopedia of Ranga join soy I graduated from a Tokyo University with a major in English she has put her language ability to good use giving lectures on Koo Chi and Koya sons history to the temples foreign guests for more than 70 years I'm so glad that I'm in the same room as though feeling the same prison sir yeah bless all the best and on which she lives many more years to come through soidiers efforts foreign tourists learn about the mystic charm of koyasan and become repeat visitors wanted to kill me Sunday on air I I believe you speak very good English quite a lot of English I think what do foreigners who come to koyasan what do they feel when they come here scenery yes is its factory yes yes and temples life right yes they stay well this is real cotton in Japan yes yes yes yes can also experience meditation and other aspects of monastic life at pilgrim lodgings just listening to nothing but your own breathing and the sounds of the spirituality of everybody in the room it together that again is something very very special and for that reason I'll be coming back here again sometime soon [Music] Chris decides to play it by ear today and go where the trains take him first he heads west looks like we've got pretty good conditions for our cruise today I'm not exactly sure where we're going but wherever we go I'm sure we're gonna find something pretty interesting anyway [Music] Chris gets off at waka ama station to change trains [Music] Oh believe it or not there's actually a station around here it might even be this station where cat is actually the stationmaster a cat as a stationmaster let's find out more gonna try it door Akito got nickel to you how much you got key tasks at all hey don't put any Moscow Nicholas go a real real cat apparently it's a real cat let's go see [Laughter] that train it's all decked out like a cat Chris's next train Tama densha has a feline theme where ever you look on board you'll see adorable cats Tama is one of the most popular names given to cats in Japan have a look inside it's not a train it's a big living room tama-chan seats [Music] oh and have a look down here behind this chair here see the shape of the cats just behind the let's eat here through to the next carrot [Music] let me try it's like a mobile library isn't it I'm not sure but this could actually be come a chance house it's really quite wonderful isn't it everywhere you look there's tama-chan little cats and telogen all over the place this would be pretty fun train - why don't you so Chris makes a detour to the last stop on the Keshia gala line to meet the feline stationmaster affectionately known as tomaten come on enjoy everybody must go - you get the thorgy I'd understand who's gonna kotappa that sugar why not mind ichi - tama daily not figure typical typical Santos to lose generators do Yamashita [Music] we arrived at kishi station the final stop on this line if you take a close look at the station building you will see that it resembles a cat but where is the feline stationmaster [Music] you're exhausted Matthew Thomas and Anita Michelle hi Scott neat imagine best stationmaster she clocks in for work five days a week and watches over the comings and goings at the station visitors can dress up in a station staff uniform for a commemorative photo [Music] kishi stations previous station master was a cat named Tama that was kept by the station kiosk staff due to his local popularity he was bestowed with the honorary title of stationmaster in 2007 after that myriads of visitors from around the country and even abroad came to meeting this line was operating in the red at the time but thanks to Tommy John and his widespread fame the number of passengers skyrocketed and he became the champion of the area he died in 2015 at the age of 16 he returned best ever tama-chan saved the key shego aligned from abolishment and the trains continue to serve locals today chris heads back to wakaya station then south along the coast [Music] here Chris is greeted with a totally different view that's pretty interesting isn't it all of the mountains have been terraced they've actually cut into the mountain so that they can grow fruit I'm not sure whether it's under in mica or whether it's oranges but they're quite large and they look pretty tasty don't they [Music] ah Dida is one of Japan's leading producers of Mikan a type of Mandarin that was first cultivated here more than four centuries ago the area has few planes so the farmers use the mountainsides for cultivating the orchards Chris cannot resist the temptation to look around so he gets off at the next station look at this week on only a hundred games that's about what one American dollar also got 100 yen Oh choose a bag of meat can and you're on your way once again where he was lunch anyway i canítö gonna draw you're a college chick you hope to be tax only canary Muslera kono machi no each one you men are talking the guest and worker tells Chris how to find the farmer who produced these makan isn't that a beautiful seal you've got the trees here the old house and then the terraces of fruit at the back there look ornate the way this car Pournami to us car this route let's give it a try anyway ah it's a little bit steep oops and slippery be careful the path to reach them is quite rugged [Music] this is quite an adventure is it I mean climbing up this very steep mountain with hardly any footholds here and steep drops down into the cliffs and surrounded by the the me can Chris meets eighth generation farmer Mitsuru hijita and his family [Music] Kaname Commodore let's go the steep slopes have good exposure to the Sun and the soil has good drainage so conditions are ideal they give Chris that freshly picked me Khan to taste talked about juicing I can't do this man hi forgive us hmm make sure she'd assume their kakuni so that they're in bed anaconda right so the Tori tomokawa Sammy more there Coronel gonna keep it a bit of a karate this battle Hawaii the Fujita's are busy every day during peak harvest season between November and January the entire family even the grandchildren help harvest the crop [Music] each crate of me conway's around 20 kilograms so lugging them is tough work but they have a great little helper down under sky one order to do this color there this engine powered miniature monorail slowly hauls the crates up the winding track to the truck in fact a larger makan train once operated in the auditor district the re de railway also popularly called the makan train began operation in 1915 to hold the local produce and lumber it enabled farmers to deliver fresh makaan across the country [Music] as times changed motorized vehicles became the main mode of delivery and the line was discontinued in 2002 the re dagawa Railway Park preserves and maintains a working train visitors can ride the train through the park and experience train travel of yesteryear back at the station Chris receives a bit of interesting information on the local fishing industry that's you all right yeah let's go oh well that's one step of the adventure let's see what we can find next and we're away Chris travels one stop to the station closest to the fishing port we're touching law is caught officer hey Peter Scottie Austin you seem to be in a big river mouth at the moment you can smell the the sea the saltiness he arrives at me no shima fishing port one of what I amaz largest gonna draw touch I get those Masuka touch your get this mustika touch your this guy this long shiny fish resembles a sword or touchy in Japanese and all is one way of saying fish hence the name tattooer or Cutlass fish it can grow up to 1 metre in length the city of body dies known for touch you will and the annual haul is about 950 tons the largest in Japan [Music] the fishermen leave port at 3:00 a.m. while it's still dark and returned in the late afternoon [Music] bishi here is a family enterprise and the women await their arrival this is the Tanaka family three generations make their living off the sea unloading is teamwork and they all skilfully work together in harmony they quickly load the catch onto the trailer and rush to the market as fast as they can this breed of fish spoils easily so they must make haste the brokers with rigorous eyes scrutinize catches for size and color and make their bids mrs. Tanaka gives Chris a treat touchy or sashimi don't touch your eaters car either hi [Music] since touchy will goes bad quickly this delicacy can only be enjoyed in this area he discover let's see awesome Tata got though we easy go there the meat has a a certain crispness to it is he very not a hard meat at all it's very soft but as fun this is nice very nice what you looked up at the windows local industries find families together a heartwarming sight in our EDA Wakayama Prefecture [Music] the last train we ride on our journey is the Kuroshio limited Express it is fitted with a viewing lounge from which passengers can admire the sea this is a great idea facing outwards to see the scenery instead of facing forwards like most trains and what beautiful scenery it is - we are almost at the end of our journey through Osaka and waka ama [Music] we arrive at our final destination she Tehama station located in a famous hot spring area here Chris goes to a hot spring that boasts a history of 1300 years the outdoor spring has a dynamic view overlooking the Pacific Ocean [Music] this is absolutely fantastic the seas roaring in here is sitting in a hot spring surrounded by mountains of nature this is beautiful and this train cruise has been absolutely fantastic there are so many great train lines and they'll take you to some wonderful places to meet some wonderful people and meeting people on this trip was fantastic those people work hard the train lines serve those people that's what really makes it come alive writing so many fascinating trades that's one of the great things about train travel here in Japan how did you enjoy our rail trip to City Mountain and see in Osaka and waka ama [Music] traveling by train is the perfect opportunity to meet the friendly locals [Music]

Channel: Find my Osaka Japan -Nankai Railway

Views: 29,772

Keywords: Nankai, rapi:t, Mt.Koya, Koya-san, Railway, Osaka, Wakayama, NHK, Kansai, Japan, Train, JR

Id: nCsEnOL3_OM

Length: 47min 0sec (2820 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 22 2016