Chichibu Railway, Seibu Railway
Seibu Railway's new limited express “LaView” made its grand debut on March 16, 2019, as the Seibu 001 series train.
The name "LaView" includes
L for "Luxury" in "Living,"
a for "Arrow-like" speed,
view for the large "View" from its windows
or so it’s said.
Seibu Railway's new flagship limited express was created as the successor to the Red Arrow, marking a bold new investment for the company.
And, surprisingly, it’s an acrostic poem!
When I first saw the concept design, it reminded me of a silver fish sausage (or perhaps an adult toy…), but seeing the actual train, the silver body shone with a quiet elegance.
The design and supervision were handled by architect Kazuyo Sejima.
Oh, so it was her after all! There really is a difference in Sejima's touch.(That’s Sejima-san, by the way)
This stylish silver, almost like that of a luxury car, isn't bare stainless steel but uses high-gloss metallic paint from Nippon Paint Co., “Super Bright No. 2000,” which is also used for aluminum car wheels.
Oh, that’s why it stands out! “Super Bright” truly lives up to its name.
The interior, as one might expect from Seibu's new limited express, is clean and luxurious.
It almost makes you ask, "Is this a Cassina showroom?"
The stylish interior was so sophisticated that I hesitated to pull out a Super Dry beer and sasakama fishcake from a convenience bag.
The train’s biggest selling point is the side windows that stretch from ceiling height to below the knees, offering an unparalleled sense of openness.
On sunny days, pleated curtains can be pulled from the side for shade. These long curtains are rare on trains.
It almost feels like you’re in a Sangetsu showroom.
The seats are a light, yellowish-green, like a fresh grassy color. The textile design inside was created by Yoko Ando.
Oh, so it was her after all! (The story continues…)
Arrival at Seibu-Chichibu. The station name sign is in a Ming-style font.
It seems that recently more stylish stations like Takanawa Gateway and Takao-sanguchi use Ming-style fonts, though this one oddly resembles something on a high-class Chinese restaurant menu.
Another strange drink spotted outside the station: sparkling rice malt amazake. Of course, I tried it.
Hmm... not quite what I expected; it’s... uniquely bad-tasting ☆
… Forgetting the drink, I headed to the Chichibu Railway's Ohanabatake Station, just a few minutes' walk from Seibu-Chichibu.
Four types of station name plates at Ohanabatake Station.
Seeing them lined up like this made me feel like my mind was in a flower field.
Now, time to board for Mitsumineguchi.
Arrival at Mitsumineguchi. In the storage track sits a former Toei 6000 series, now Chichibu Railway 5000 series.
This is the former Seibu New 101 series, now Chichibu Railway 6000 series, bearing the headmark of the "Express Gari-Gari-kun." Interesting!
The washing platform on the east side of the station.
While exploring the area around the station, I spotted the 7800 series pulling in. This used to be the Tokyu 8090 series on the Oimachi Line.
It's like a second-hand car heaven here.
The SL turntable park on the north side of the station.
The SL turntable. During Paleo Express service days, you can watch the train turn around up close.
Details of the turntable.
On the west side of the station is the Shirakawabashi bridge over the Arakawa River.
That day, a TV crew of about ten people was blocking the sidewalk filming.
What a nuisance.
One of the celebrities in the group acted really arrogant when the cameras weren’t rolling, which was unpleasant.
Despite my frustration…
… I enjoyed the view from the bridge. Autumn mountains are beautiful indeed.
After a bit of walking, I arrived at Niegawa-juku. "Nie" means "offering" and has a rather ominous look, but according to the dictionary, it simply refers to offerings to gods.
Thinking about it that way, it’s not eerie at all.
Niegawa-juku in Nagano flourished as a stop on the Nakasendo road, while Chichibu's Niegawa-juku prospered as a stopover for Mitsumine Shrine pilgrims.
However, little remains of its former glory.
... It’s quite satisfying to visit a place like this on a holiday, where there’s no crowd.
Someone’s here...
Someone’s here...
Someone’s here...
Someone’s even on the air conditioner...
The scene of a villager (scarecrow) being attacked by a rogue (scarecrow).
Scarecrows everywhere.
In an attempt to revive the village, Niegawa-juku started creating a “scarecrow village” in 2016.
To think they’d try to revive the village with scarecrows in 2016… amazing.
Now, over 60 scarecrows can be found all around the village.
There are other scarecrow villages in Tochigi, Hyogo, Tokushima, etc., but Niegawa-juku might be the closest scarecrow village to the city.
About Niegawa-juku.
Whenever you feel like taking a walk in the mountains or if you just can’t wait to see some scarecrows, definitely give this place a visit.
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