Mt. Fuji, Kamakura, Takao-san, Enoshima. There’s no shortage of worthwhile day trip destinations one can do from Tokyo. As someone fortunate enough to explore Japan, and getting paid while doing so, I’ve written countless articles on the subject, including a few here on my own website as well. However, this piece will be somewhat different.
You see, while I’m definitely the kind of person who can appreciate destinations such as the ones mentioned in the previous paragraph, I also have a soft spot for a different type of day trips as well. I’m really into abandoned places, heavy industrial landscapes and unknown neighbourhoods in general. These are often places that many people don’t see the point in visiting at all.
But, if you are somewhat like me, you’ll probably appreciate this little guide, where I’ll tell you about three of my favourite day trips from Tokyo, and that lonely planet and other guidebooks most likely would never tell you about.
Higashi Narita Station
Since Narita is one of the biggest airports in Japan and a place that millions of people pass through every day, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the airport is also served by several Train lines. Most of these connect the arriving and departing travellers to Tokyo and its endless sprawl of suburbs, and sees significant traffic every day.
But there’s also another station at Narita Airport, one that’s still in operation, yet rarely sees any passengers at all. I’m talking about Higashi-Narita station, one of the weirdest train stations I’ve ever visited in Japan. It feels like a ghost station, although it’s actually still in operation and sees 1-2 departing trains every hour from 06-23.
The station belongs to the Shibayama Railway Line, which happens to be the shortest railway line in Japan. This line consists of only two stations, Higashi-Narita and Shibayama-Chiyoda, a mere 2.2km apart. However, it’s connected to the Keisei Line network, and it seems that some trains actually run all the way to and through central Tokyo.
While this station at first glance might seem like any other station, the architecture and layout aren’t much different than many other minor stations in the outskirts of Tokyo, this place is vastly different for one crucial reason -- It’s more or less devoid of people. When I visited, I didn’t see another person other than the poor soul operating the ticket gates, during the hour or so that I spent exploring the area.
Instead, I found parts of the station that were actually sealed off and that looked entirely abandoned when I peeked over the makeshift walls separating it from the area that was still in operation.
The station is connected to Narita Airport via an extremely long, weird and somewhat creepy tunnel, that feels entirely abandoned yet is in pristine condition with not even a single lightbulb, but posters that look as if they haven’t been replaced since the 1990s. Basically, this tunnel feels like it takes you to a different world, from the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest airports to an eerie and mostly abandoned train station.
If you want to experience it for yourself, you’ll find the tunnel at the underground floor of Narita Airports Terminal 2. Look for the sign that says “to Keisei Line Higashi-Narita Sta.”, not far from the JR train line gates and ticket office.
JR Tsurumi Line & Kokudo Station
Another somewhat creepy train station which is still in use is the Kokudo Station, located near the vast industrial area next to the waterfront of Tokyo Bay. This station belongs to the JR Tsurumi Line, which started out as a freight line back in the 1920s, but shortly thereafter was opened up to passenger traffic as well, primarily to shuttle factory workers to their workplaces, which proliferated at the time as Japan got industrialized. Today, the number of people who rely on this line to get to work seems to have dwindled, and so has the number of trains during that operate on this short line, only 7km total length.
Kokudo station, which I made a stop at, looks like it used to house several restaurants and shops back in its heyday, but today, all of them are closed, and the entire station area is akin to a ghost station. When I visited, even most of the lighting was off (or broken), and I didn’t see any people at all. The station itself is in operation but was unmanned at the time of my visit.
However, if you are interested in exploring the industrial part of Tokyo Bay, this line is an excellent first step, as it will take you to a handful of waterfront station where you’ll feel as if you’re in the middle of nowhere, only surrounded by ocean and dense industrial landscapes. Umi-Shibaura station, in particular, is worth a visit, thanks to its location right next to the water, and with some spectacular views for industry lovers, particularly during sunset. Be advised, however, that the station is actually on the grounds of an industrial facility operated by Toshiba, and only employees with a valid ID are allowed to exit the station itself. Unfortunately, the weather was grey and gloomy at the time of my visit, and my photos didn’t turn out that great. But here’s a link to a Japanese website with plenty of pictures showing the station and its views on a sunny day and evening.
The trip from Tokyo Station to Umi-Shibaura station takes approximately 45 minutes. If you’re coming from Yokohama station, the travel time is only 30 minutes. But the number of trains on the Tsurumi line is minimal, so I strongly recommend that you plan your visit in advance, by using google maps, for example, so you don’t end up stranded in the middle of nowhere for an hour or so while you wait for the train back to civilization.
Okutama Ropeway
While the previous two entries in this list are public transportation links that seem to be on the verge of becoming abandoned, the final entry is a place that has already seen its end. The Okutama Ropeway was built back in the 1960s, as a way to cross the Okutama lake, a big reservoir nestled in the mountains in the far west of Tokyo. Shortly after its inauguration, the operator ran into financial difficulties, and the operation of the ropeway was suspended. Today, more than 50 years later, the situation is still the same. Most of the ropeway facilities are still intact but they are abandoned and are slowly being taken over by the forces of nature. The cable car itself is still in surprisingly good condition though, given for how long it has sat unused.
It’s worth noting that the Okutama Ropeway started operation just a few years before Tokyo hosted its first Olympics, back in 1964, and was halted only two years after the Olympics. It remains to see if the destiny of the Okutama ropeway is possibly a sign of what to come to many other public transportation links in Japan, as the population decline and depopulation of the rural parts of this country sooner or later will turn many additional businesses unsustainable at some point. While we are still in the middle of preparing for the 2020 Olympics at the time of writing this blog post, many people foresee a downturn in the economy once the games have come to an end. If those pessimists are correct, it’s likely that we will see a wave of businesses closing down in the near future...
The Okuma region, however, is absolutely worth a visit for reasons other than this abandoned ropeway. The area is located a mere 90 minutes from Shinjuku via the JR Chuo Line. Once there, you’ll be greeted with some of the best hiking trails that Tokyo has to offer (yes, Okutama is still located within the city limits of the Japanese Capital). I would even argue that Okutama is one of the best Daytrip destinations from central Tokyo, especially on hot summer days when you need an escape from the concrete jungle of this city. But that will be the subject of another blog post.
