After the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake,
some sections of the
Minami Aso Railway were suspended,
but the entire line was reopened in July.
I rode the Minami Aso Railway last year,
but at that time it was a partial service
from Nakamatsu Station
to Takamori Station,
so I had never ridden the entire line.
The Shirakawa river Bridge is part of the secton,
where service has been resumed.
Before leaving Kumamoto,
I wanted to take a ride on the Minami Aso Railway,
so I found a bus tour that
allowed me to ride on it,
and rode it on the last day of my Obon holiday.
I took a bus to Tateno Station,
the new starting station for the Minami Aso Railway.
The station building at Tateno Station
is biing rebuilt in conjunction
with the pening of entire line.
At Tateno Station,
I could see the Mianmi Aso Railway's local trains
and the "Sunny Train",
which was sponsored
by the anime "One Piece".
The train I rode on was the
"Trolly Train Yusuge".
It's a freight train with a canopy,
and the conductor says
it's "the most uncomfortable train in Japan".
An elecrtric locomotive with a reddish-brown color
and gold trim was connected to the front
and rear of this vehicle.
As soon as I left Tateno Station,
I was able to see the Tateno Dam under construction.
And the train crossed the Shirakawa Bridge.
From the 166-meter long bridge,
you could see the Shirakawa River
flowing through the valley
about 60 meters below the bridge,
nestled between green mountains.
From the Shirakawa Bridge,
you can see the Shirakawa Ohashi Bridge
where cars are running,
and it was a magnificent panorama.
Immediately after crossing the bridge,
we passed through Saikakuyama Tunnel.
There are cute lights
that look like lanterns.
Along the way, there was a service
that turned off the lights
and let you enjoy the darknesse.
Afer that, the train runs
through the countryside
in the caldera of Aso.
I was able to see a pond where kappa live,
and various unique station buildings.
Some of the various station buikdings
were castle-themed and some were restaurants.
The final stop, Takamori Staiton,
has also been updated.
The station building was made with a lot of wood.
I have traveled to many places in Kumamoto Prefecture,
but my favolite is the trip
on the trip on the Minami Aso Railway.
