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This morning's first sightseeing destination was the Wakasa Railway (若桜鉄道).
The original plan was to catch the 09:47 through service from Tottori
station, arrive at Wakasa (若桜) station at 10:37,
head back to Tottori for local cuisine at lunchtime, and then pick up
the hire car to begin our self-drive journey. However, as we had done
the laundry rather late the night before, we got up later than planned.
After breakfast, a glance at the time made it clear we had already
missed the original train. Since there was no way we were going to make
it, I decided to have another hot spring bath first and then calmly
think of an alternative. |
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Option 1: take a later train. Looking at the Wakasa Railway timetable,
the next service was not a through train. We would first have to take
the JR Inbi Line from Tottori station to Kôge (郡家)
station, then change to the Wakasa Railway to Wakasa, arriving at 11:52.
The real problem, however, was not the later arrival time – it was the
return journey. The earliest train back from Wakasa was at 13:24,
reaching Tottori at 14:20. That would mean missing the local cuisine
Todd did not want to miss, as it would already be closed for its
afternoon break. |
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Option 2: skip Wakasa and wander nearby. But then I would be the one
missing out on the Wakasa Railway. Option 3: collect the car earlier. In
the end we chose this option – pick up the hire car ahead of schedule.
It depended on whether the rental office could entertain us, but as they
often deal with walk-in customers, it should not have been an issue.
When planning the trip, I compared prices on
Jalan
and booked Nippon Rent-A-Car. The pick-up point was their Tottori
Station branch, located just below the station, in the car park behind
Dream Clock 21. |
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Morning streets in Tottori – somehow the snow
piles seem even higher! |
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Dream Clock 21 – last night it was against the
dark sky, today we see it properly in daylight |
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The Nippon Rent-A-Car Tottori Station branch also handles JR Rent-A-Car
businesses. JR Rent-A-Car is JR's own rental car service, mainly aimed
at long-distance rail travellers who want to drive at their destination.
Some branches are run directly by JR, while others are operated by
partner companies. Besides Nippon Rent-A-Car, partners include Times Car
Rental and Toyota Rent-A-Car. |
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As soon as we arrived, the staff sorted everything out for us. Seeing
that we would be returning the car in Izumo (出雲),
they told us heavy snow was forecast there from the 20th onwards and
'recommended' fitting winter tyres. The additional cost for winter tyres
and the earlier pick-up came to JP¥22,220. Added to the original
JP¥70,180, the total rental cost was JP¥92,400. If you are driving in
snow, winter tyres are not something you can skimp on – it is a serious
safety issue. |
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We had booked the 'S-S' category (Standard Compact). I had actually
wanted to hire a
k-car again like last year, but one-way rentals were not available
for k-cars here. This time we were given a Toyota Yaris – a very common
model in the UK, though usually older 2nd- or 3rd-generation versions.
In Japan, rental cars tend to be newer models. Our was a 2024
4th-generation facelift hybrid. For that price, getting a hybrid felt
like good value. |
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Nippon Rent-A-Car Tottori Station branch (JR
Rent-A-Car partner branch) |
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Our companion for the coming week – Toyota
Yaris |
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Even thicker snow on the Wakasa side |
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After collecting the car, we drove to the 7-Eleven next to our hotel –
one with parking – and set up the satnav before setting off properly. In
Japan, it is common for rental companies and onsen ryokan (hot spring
inns) to see guests off outside. Staff will usually stand there until
your car disappears from sight, so driving off promptly is almost a
courtesy. Since we had not originally planned to drive to Wakasa, I had
not looked up its
Mapcode
in advance and had to search for it online on the spot. |
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The drive from Tottori to Wakasa takes about an hour – slightly slower
than taking the Wakasa Railway. The road and the railway largely run
parallel. The railway's top speed is 65 km/h, which is faster than the
legal road speed of 50 km/h, and of course trains do not have traffic
lights. Driving, however, is not tied to a timetable and offers more
flexibility. The downside is that I missed the experience of riding
their train. As we drove, the snow along the roadside became thicker and
thicker. Wakasa is in a mountainous area, so that was hardly surprising.
We arrived at around 11:30. |
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Wakasa Station main building |
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Wakasa Station ticket window |
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Entrance to the platform |
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The Wakasa Railway (Wakasa Line) was originally the Japanese
National Railways Wakasa Line. It was mainly used for timber transport,
while also carrying passengers – somewhat similar to Taiwan Railway's
Neiwan Line (台鐵內灣線). |
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The history of the Wakasa Railway can be traced back to around 1889,
when a San'in trunk line was being planned. One proposed route ran via
Maizuru (舞鶴), Miyazu (宮津),
Izushi (出石), Wakasa and Tottori, but the present
San'in Main Line alignment was ultimately chosen. In 1922, the revised
Railway Construction Act specified the construction f a line from Kôge
to Wakasa and on to Yôka (八鹿), crossing the
mountains. |
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The first section (Kôge to Hayabusa) was completed in January 1930, and
the second section (Hayabusa to Wakasa) opened in December the same
year. The total length was 19.2 km, with construction costs of over
JP¥1.3 million. The Wakasa to Yôka section was never built, leaving
Wakasa station as the terminus. |
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Snow-covered tracks and snow-melt channel |
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As the timber industry declined, freight services ceased entirely in
1974. With depopulation in the mountains, the railway's transport role
gradually weakened. In 1981, under the JNR Reconstruction Act, it was
designated as a line to be abolished in the first phase. In 1986. it was
decided that a
third-sector railway would take over. Following JNR's privatisation
in April 1987, it briefly became part of JR West before being officially
transferred to the Wakasa Railway in October that year. |
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Originally classified as a Type I railway business
operator, Wakasa Railway transferred track ownership in 2009 to the
local authorities of towns of Wakasa and Yazu (八頭).
The two towns authorities became legal Tyep II
railway business operators, while Wakasa Railway became a
Type III railway business operator. The Wakasa
Line runs from Kôge station on the JR Inbi Line to Wakasa station, 19.2
km in total, with nine stations. When Todd saw 'Kôge' on the timetable,
he immediately said, 'Didn't we pass that yesterday?' Indeed, the
limited express Super Hakuto runs along the Inbi Line and stops at Kôge
station. |
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Types of Railway Businesses in Japan |
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Type I railway business operators: the main model
in Japan, owning both infrastructure and train
operations. By Japanese classification, the London
Underground would fall into this category. |
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Type II railway business operators: owns the
infrastructure but leases it to Type I or Type II
operators. In this sense, Network Rail in the UK would
be similar. |
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Type III railway business operators: does not own
infrastructure but operates trains on tracks owned by
Type I or Type II operators. UK National Rail train
operating companies such as Northern Trains or Virgin
Trains would fit this category. Note that a Type III
railway business operator is not the same concept as a
third-sector railway. |
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Wakasa station entry ticket |
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Reverse side with information about the C12
steam locomotive |
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Snow-covered tracks – truly beautiful |
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Wakasa station is the easternmost terminal station in Tottori Prefecture
and the wider
Chûgoku region. The station main building is a single-storey wooden
structure with a trussed roof above the eaves. Although renovated
externally in 1995, it retains it orginal appearance. On 16th January
2020, it officially became a sister station of Neiwan Station (內灣站) on
Taiwan's Neiwan Line. |
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The building is divided into three sections: ticket office, waiting room
and office area. Entering through the main door, you first reach the
ticket office, with the waiting room to the right. Behind the ticket
window is the office, which also serves as the headquarters of the
Wakasa Railway – and the only staffed station on the line. The interior
was renovated in 2020, adding Wakasa Cafe 'retro' (わかさカフェ『retro』),
with the waiting room now serving as the cafe's seating area. Even so,
the place still feels very much like early Shôwa Japan. |
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Several structures within the station grounds are designated National
Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, including the station main
building and platform, storage and lighting shed, former western signal
hut, former eastern signal hut, maintenance vehicles' shed, locomotive
turntable, water tower, and snow-melt channel. To enter the operational
yard area, visitors must but a platform entry ticket at the ticket
office. Although no one checks it, a sign at the ramp leading onto the
tracks reminds visitors to purchase one. The ticket cost JP¥300 and is
printed on a retro cardboard stock – quite nice to keep as a bookmark. |
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Former eastern signal hut and JNR Series 12
coach in the distance |
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JNR Class C12 steam locomotive No. 167 and
water tower |
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JNR Class DD16 diesel locomotive |
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Between the tracks runs a channel that is not a rain gutter but a
snow-melt channel, about 278 metres long. Snow on the tracks is melted
by flowing water and carried away through this channel. Another
snow-melting facility is the turntable on the siding, used to change the
direction of locomotives. Unlike the motorised demonstrations seen in
many museums, this one is manually operated. Turning a locomotive
weighing dozens of tonnes must be exhausting. The base of the turntable
is shaped like a mortar and channels water through it to prevent
freezing. |
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The station has two operationally preserved locomotives: a JNR Class C12
steam locomotive and a Class DD16 diesel locomotive. C12 No. 167 was
built by Nippon Sharyô Nagoya factory in 1937 and mainly served in
western Japan. It was withdrawn in 1974 and preserved in Kami Town
Kôminkan (加美町公民館) of Hyôgo Prefecture before
being transferred to the Wakasa Railway in 2008. The Class DD16 diesel
locomotive was originally developed to replace steam locomotive like the
C12. The No. 7 unit here was formerly owned by the Railway Technical
Research Institute and transferred to the Wakasa Railway in 2012. |
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After being acquired by the Wakasa Railway, C12 No. 167 was converted
from coal-fired steam to compressed air operation. As it is officially
withdrawn, it cannot carry passengers, but it can run within the line's
block section for demonstration purposes.
Experience
driving sessions are held on the third Saturday and forth Sunday
every month between April and October. And a SL Riding Experience event
will hold on
selected dates. |
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Visitor writing messages in stones and placing
them on the railway sleepers |
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Series 12 coaches – not accessible to visitors |
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Besides the two locomotives, the Wakasa Railway also retains a JNR Class
Yo-8000 brake van, open freight wagons, and three JNR Series 12
passenger coaches. The first two are not on display (probably stored in
the shed), while the Series 12 coaches are parked at the end of the
tracks and cannot be approached on foot. On 11th April 2015, the Wakasa
Railway conducted an 'SL running social experiment' to test the
feasibility of operating service hauled by the C12 steam locomotive. As
C12 No. 167 is no longer certified, the test run between Hattô (八東)
and Wakasa used scarecrows instead of real passengers to simulate load
weight. |
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Perhaps the cost of re-certifying C12 No. 167 is too high. Ten years on,
the idea has yet to become reality. Instead, there are plan to operate
retro
tourist services using the still-certified DD16 diesel locomotive to
haul the Series 12 coaches. The plan is expected to begin in April 2027,
running only on weekends and public holidays, with four services per day
(two return trips). |
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As a third-sector railway, achieving financial balance is never easy.
Fare revenue alone is not enough. Local railways therefore have to be
creative in developing tourism. Besides retro trains,
cherry blossom viewing is one of Wakasa Station's main attractions.
The bare trees lining the tracks in winter are actual cherry trees. In
spring, vintage locomotives, retro trains and the station building
framed by falling blossom create scenes that feel frozen in the Shôwa
era – something few famous blossom spots can offer. |
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Cafe seating converted from the waiting room |
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My iced cafe au lait and Todd's hot chocolate |
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After exploring the yard, we checked the timetable and saw that a train
would arrive in under ten minutes. Since we could not ride the Wakasa
Railway this time, we decided at least to photograph it. We bought
drinks at Wakasa Cafe 'retro' and took a seat. |
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I ordered an iced cafe au lait, while Todd chose hot chocolate. Although
the weather was slightly chilly, our thick winter layers made it feel a
bit warm indoors. There is something oddly refreshing about drinking
something cold on a crisp day – a bit like people who enjoy ice cream in
winter. Todd, however, insisted on something hot. 'What exactly is the
difference between cafe au lait and a caffe latte?' he asked. I am no
coffee expert. I only know both are coffee with fresh milk – one French,
one Italian – and the proportion of milk differs. |
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After ordering, the staff invited us to sit in the waiting room and said
they would bring the drinks over. From behind the coffee bar curtain
came an incredibly fragrant smell. They so sell food – but only burgers
and cheesecake – and the aroma was definitely neither of those. We
guessed the staff were preparing their own lunch. The waiting room still
retained a strong Shôwa atmosphere. As our coffee arrived, so did the
train. Once the passengers had disembarked, I stepped onto the platform
to take same photos. |
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Tourist train 'Wakasa' (Wakasa Railway Series
WT3000 diesel train) |
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I thought the train would remain at the platform until 13:24, the next
departure time. But after I finished taking photos, just as Todd was
about to step outside, the train suddenly moved off and parked on a
siding instead. |
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Currently, the Wakasa Railway operates three Series WT3000 series diesel
trains and one Series WT3300. The WT3000 trains were rebuilt from WT2500
trains (originally introduced in 1987) between 2002 and 2003, with new
engines, transmissions and bogies, as well as refurbished interiors.
During the refurbishment period, one WT3300 train was purchased to
ensure sufficient rolling stock; it is 500 mm shorter that the WT2500. |
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The three WT3000 trains are painted in blue 'Shôwa', red 'Yazu', and
green 'Wakasa' liveries, with interiors styled in retro Shôwa design.
The single WT3300 train carries a full-body livery sponsored by Suzuki,
themed after the GSX1300R Hayabusa motorcycle. Every August, Suzuki
Hayabusa enthusiasts from across Japan gather at Hayabusa Station (隼駅)
for the 'Hayabusa
Station Festival'. |
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Former Tomieda Quarry (photographed by Todd) |
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Tomieda Quarry (photographed by Todd) |
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The one-way fare between Tottori station and Wakasa station is JP¥650,
making a same-day return JP¥1,360. A slightly cheaper option is to buy a
Wakasa Railway one-day pass for JP¥760, which allows unlimited travel
between Kôge and Wakasa. For the JR section between Tottori and Kôge,
you can buy a return ticket in advance at JP¥240 each way in Tottori
station. That brings the total to JP¥1,240. |
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After enjoying our coffee in the Shôwa-style waiting room, it was time
to leave Wakasa. On the way here, Todd had spotted a large cliff face
but had not taken a photo. On the return drive, we finally captured it.
At first, we thought it was Byôbu Rock marked on the tourist map, but
after checking, we realised that was further away. This was actually the
former Tomieda Quarry (富枝採石場). The stone here, known as Hirodameno Lava
(広留野熔岩),
was produced at around 16,000 tonnes per month until May 1978, mainly
for use in concrete. |
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Tottori Ekimae shopping arcade |
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Tottori Takumi craft shop |
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Takumi Kappô restaurant |
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Entrance to the kappô restaurant |
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Back in Tottori, it was of course time for lunch, As mentioned earlier,
we had planned to try local cuisine at Takumi Kappô (たくみ割烹店).
The restaurant is located at
the
corner of the Tottori Ekimae shopping arcade (鳥取駅前商店街)
and Nishikidôri (錦通り), about five minutes'
walk from Tottori station. I had intended to park at the
paid
car park beside the Tottori Shinkin Bank (鳥取信用金庫)
head office, but missed the turning and ended up in
another car park. Parking cost JP¥100 per 30 minutes – quite
reasonable for Tottori. |
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Takumi Kappô is part of the private Tottori Folk Crafts Museum, founded
by the late Tottori-born doctor and folk art enthusiast YOSHIDA Shôya (吉田
璋也). The museum exhibits Japanese, East Asian and Western
European folk art, with around 3,500 antiques and 1,500 contemporary
pieces. Beside the kappô restaurant, there is also a craft shop, Tottori
Takumi Kôgeiten. 'Kappô' (割烹) literally means
cutting and cooking – preparing and cooking ingredients to order – and
refers to a traditional high-end style of Japanese cuisine. |
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Takumi meal 'Etsu' – Three small starters:
monkfish liver, dressed fried tofu with dried shredded mooli
radish (daikon), and lemon-pickled lotus root |
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Takumi meal 'Etsu' – sashimi |
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Takumi meal 'Etsu' – simmered flatfish in
soy-based sauce |
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Tottori wagyû beef butter-grilled |
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Takumi meal 'Etsu' – soup, and notice the large
pot of rice behind! |
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Side dishes: pickled mooli radish (daikon) and
simmered kombu |
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Seasonal fruit (dessert): Tottori pear |
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The restaurant was also designed by YOSHIDA Shôya and is filled with a
strong folk-craft atmosphere. Although kappô is regarded as high-end
cuisine in Japan, the lunch prices were not high at all. We order two
meals to share. One was the Tottori wagyû beef butter-grilled meal
(JP¥2,700), and the other was the very generous Takumi meal 'Etsu'
(JP¥3,000), which included three small starters, sashimi, simmered whole
fish and soup. Both sets came with a large portion of rice, side dishes
and dessert (a choice of fruit or yoghurt). |
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The restaurant closes for an afternoon break at 14:00. We arrived at
13:10 – and by the time we finished, we were the last two customers. |
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