高知の夏を走るローカル線の旅 | 土佐くろしお鉄道 中村・宿毛線、JR土讃線
In this video, we take you on a local train journey, savoring the scenery of Kochi’s mountains, countryside, rivers, and sea. Enjoy the calm, vibrant summer scenery from the train window. We’ve arrived at Sukumo Station, the westernmost station in Kochi Prefecture. Please see the previous video for a look at the bus journey from Uwajima Station to here. Sukumo Station is the western end of the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Nakamura-Sukumo Line. Here’s the route we took this time. We’ll travel to Kochi, the prefectural capital, transferring between the Tosa Kuroshio Railway and JR lines, stopping along the way. Characters of the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Nakamura-Sukumo Line are scattered throughout the station. They ‘re said to be inspired by the “Daruma Sunset” seen over Sukumo Bay. I purchased a weekend/holiday-only Nakamura-Sukumo Line Free Pass (500 yen/$3.3) at the ticket counter. It’s a fantastic deal, cheaper than the regular one-way fare to Nakamura Station, the intermediate station. There are no automatic ticket gates. After climbing the stairs, the platform came into view. First, I head to Nakamura Station on this cutely painted diesel railcar. There are quite a few passengers on board. The section of this train to its terminus, Nakamura Station, is a relatively new line, having opened in 1997. There are many elevated sections like this, offering excellent views. The large river visible on the left is the Matsuda River. After passing through a long tunnel, the scenery changes to a mountainous area. The road curves, revealing the legs of the viaduct we had just crossed. The distance from Hirata Station to Kogyodanchi Station is only about 600 meters. This area is the confluence of the Nakasuji River, Yamada River, and Yokose River. Various suburban shops are clustered around Gudo Station. We cross the Shimanto River, the longest river in Shikoku. Its water quality is excellent, and fishing for sweetfish and other fish is thriving here. After about 30 minutes, I arrived at my terminus, Nakamura Station. After a local train from the opposite direction arrived, the express train bound for Kochi departed. Since the express train pass doesn’t work, and I wanted to have lunch here, I decided not to board it and waited for the next local train. The station’s interior is new and includes a cafe. There’s something resembling a castle wall. The Nakamura Castle ruins are about 3km from here. This is the central station of Shimanto City, a city with a population of 30,000, and both the station building and the rotary are quite large. Next, I headed to Kubokawa Station. Like before, it was a single-car diesel train. This time, I secured a seat. I crossed the Ushiro River. This river merges with the Shimanto River a little further downstream. You can see a large black bag on the left, but you can also load a bicycle (application required). The ocean came into view. It was the Pacific Ocean. The rocky coastline was beautiful. There were many short tunnels like this, frequently blocking the view. The view was spectacular once I emerged from the tunnels, so I was satisfied. I crossed the Iyoki River. It was a beautiful river. Kuroshio Town, Tosa Saga, boasts the largest bonito fishing fleet in Japan. We headed deep into the mountains. We stopped at Kawaoku Signal Station. We passed an express train. The idyllic summer countryside scenery filled the train window. Before we knew it, there was only one other passenger left, allowing us to enjoy the scenery in luxury and relaxation. An hour and 10 minutes from Nakamura, we arrived at Kubokawa Station. This is a connecting station for the Tosa Kuroshio Railway and JR, and each station building is separate. The Tosa Kuroshio Railway station building is simple in design, with bus information posted. You can pass through here to the JR platform. Although it’s the same station, the two buildings are perfectly spaced apart. The JR station building also has a cafe and ticket vending machines. This large, new building is Shimanto Town Hall. Confusingly, this is a different “town” from the Shimanto “city” where Nakamura Station is located. The town hall is split into two buildings across the tracks, connected by a free passageway, creating an unusual structure. Many wind chimes hang from the free passageway, creating a cool, relaxing sound. I returned to the station. This was the train I had just taken. Finally, I took the JR limited express train to Kochi. Because there were very few local trains, the time didn’t suit me, so I had no choice but to pay the limited express fare (2,840 yen/$19). The exterior of the front car was designed with the nationally beloved anime character Anpanman. The creator, Takashi Yanase, was a native of Kochi Prefecture, and Anpanman can be found on various JR Shikoku trains and at various stations. As you’d expect from a limited express train, it was quite fast. Solar panel fields. Passing Kageyama Station. This 2000-series diesel railcar uses a controlled natural pendulum system, allowing for comfortable high-speed travel, even around curves. Arriving at Susaki Station. Kagami River. Kochi City came into view. It’s a large city with a population of 310,000, and roughly half of Kochi Prefecture’s population lives in Kochi City. The elevated tracks around Kochi Station were completed in 2008. After about an hour and ten minutes from Kubokawa, we arrived at Kochi Station. Perhaps because the station is elevated, new, and gray, the atmosphere of the station seems similar to Asahikawa Station in Hokkaido. This is the end of this video. Thank you for watching.
今回の動画では、高知県最西端の宿毛駅から県庁所在地高知市の高知駅まで、土佐くろしお鉄道とJRで行く旅をご紹介します。
夏ののどかな山間部の田園風景、そして四万十川や太平洋の雄大な景色をお楽しみください。
0:00オープニング
0:43 ルート紹介
0:52 宿毛駅
1:26 宿毛→中村
7:24 中村駅
8:21 中村→窪川
16:29 窪川駅
18:38 窪川→高知