Hokuriku Railway, Noto Railway
One summer morning in 2022, before the sun had peeked over the horizon, I decided to leave Tokyo.
Summer means driving, though nobody decided that for me.Well, why not?
This year’s destination was Hokuriku, a sudden thought that crossed my mind.
Driving along the Kan-Etsu, Joetsu, and Hokuriku expressways, I sped towards the north.
The summer sky stretched high and blue, and my car sailed like a small boat across this vast ocean of blue.
Along the way, I had breakfast at Otayube SA. I tried Toyama Black Ramen for the first time.
Delicious! But I added too much pepper, but it made for a funny story.
The real purpose of this trip was to see the old Hokuriku Railway 6010 series Shirasagi train.
From Tokyo, it’s about eight hours to the Yamanaka Onsen Yuyake Health Village in Ishikawa Prefecture.
This hot spring area flourished postwar as a healing retreat, with the Hokuriku Railway Kanan Line bringing tourists from Kansai.
Shirasagi is a favorite of mine that often appears in my train layout presentations, which is why I came all the way from Kanto.
Finally, I met the Shirasagi I’d been longing to see!
I couldn’t help but shout, “Mom, look! The Shirasagi is old and worn!”
Though it was weather-beaten and in poor condition, it still looked cool, perhaps because of that headmark.
Hokuriku Railway’s insignia and the train number.
Built in 1963 at Nippon Sharyo’s Nagoya Main Factory, it's now sixty years old.
This appears to be the car number. The numbers on the 6061 and 6011 cars were labeled "1" and "2" respectively.
On the other side is car 6061. You’ve got a great look, don’t you?
This is truly a treasure left from the Showa era, and they just can’t make them like this anymore.
I’ve heard rumors of its dismantling, but I hope it can be preserved for future generations, though I’m sure it’s challenging to maintain.
Now, it’s time to go inside.
Today’s temperature is 35°C. Inside, there’s no air conditioning or even closed windows; it’s like a sauna.
Or maybe it’s even hotter.
I entered with determination through the door of car 6011.
Inside Shirasagi, it's warm... (scorching hot)
As I stepped in, I saw rows of reversible cross seats.
The seats were in a box seating style, reminiscent of how travelers in the past would chat as they journeyed, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
In old footage of the Oigawa Railway, the seats were also arranged facing each other.
When this debuted as a sightseeing train on the Hokuriku Kanan Line, it was called a "Romance Car," and I imagine the seats were then all forward-facing.
In footage from its Oigawa Railway days, the seat moquette was brown around its retirement, but it seems they changed it to this color when preserving it.
It was close to this red shade when it debuted.
There’s also a long seat. The passageway is wide, and there’s no connecting door.
This connecting corridor reminds me of the old Chiyoda Line 6000 series.
Back then, the corridors often had vomit stains on them.
Also, this photo is terribly blurry.
The circular handles on these hand straps are very small.
Looking around, I noticed a Mitsubishi fan on the ceiling.
This vintage fan seemed to slow down time, as if to say that time flows slowly here.
When I looked at the wall next to the seat, I saw a switch to control the fan.
Passengers back then could control their own breeze with this switch.
It’s time to approach the driver’s seat.
The instruments and controls looked well-preserved.
It felt as though the driver from back then might step back in and drive off again.
Then I noticed the vintage ticket machine from its Oigawa Railway days.
And at the climax of this story, the author himself made a surprise appearance, yelling, “You pig!”
There was a plaque inside the train matching the headmark’s design.
We can’t forget the most iconic feature of this model: the unique doors.
This is characteristic of the 6000 series and the Shirasagi model 6010 series.
The doors have glass panels in the lower sections.
As expected of a Nippon Sharyo design.
The Fuso Metal KS-33 bogies on car 6061. Originally, it used Nippon Sharyo D-16 bogies.
The Nippon Sharyo D-18 bogies on car 6011. It originally used Sumitomo Metal KS-30L bogies.
In the summer of Hokuriku, my next adventure takes me to the Noto Peninsula.
Standing by the inlet where they say Yoshitsune hid his boat, the wild waves of the Sea of Japan felt like they were washing away my worries.
But that wasn’t the true purpose of this trip.
Secretly, I was looking forward to encountering an iron steed known as the Panorama Diesel Car.
The Noto Railway Nanao Line was calling me to the next story.
Following the Nanao Line tracks, I set out to find that high-decker.
It’s summer, and beyond the tracks, the summer sun is shining brightly.
And so, I continue my journey through the summer.
The thought of meeting it excites me, and the smell of summer drifting through the car windows feels refreshing.
Finally, I arrived at Anamizu Station. Looking closely at the wall under the roof, I could see the letters for “Noto.”
The Nanao Line now only runs the 33.1 km journey from Nanao to Anamizu, but the line used to go further, all the way to Wajima.
From Anamizu Station, the Noto Line once ran to Taki-shima at the tip of the Noto Peninsula.
This railroad, too, fades into twilight. Time has an unrestrained way of bringing change.
As I entered the platform with a ticket, I let out a “Wow!” because the train I was looking for was there.
The Panorama Diesel Car “Noto Koiji-go,” model NT800.
It’s worn… but it’s cool!
Compared to its heavily weathered exterior, the interior looked relatively new.
Maybe it’s still used for something.
Looking at the salon seats, I found myself wishing I could travel leisurely in one of them.
The coloring of this diesel car reminds me of the French TGV. Maybe it wasn’t intended, though.
The Noto Railway logo, with its trendy modern font.
Behind the NT800, there was also a preserved NT100 diesel car.
Bonus: At Kaga Ryokan
Here comes the main event: food and drinks!
With delicious nodoguro and abalone paired with local sake like Yuuho, Kagatobi, and Kikuhime, I enjoyed drink after drink.
Ah, until I couldn’t even keep track of what I’d had.
But everything here is delicious, whatever you eat or drink.
Kagaya – it truly is the best.
Back to Railway Travel Index