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Great Japanese Railway Journeys Season 1 Episode 4
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00:04Japan.
00:05Michael, welcome to Japan, a railway paradise.
00:08Its huge population, spread over Long Islands, lives by its railways.
00:13It's like I'm driving.
00:14My new adventure takes me through the land that launched the high-speed train.
00:19I love Shinkansen.
00:21Where millions of journeys are made each day through some of the most bustling stations on Earth.
00:27Busy city.
00:28I'll ride Japan's vast railway network to uncover a land of bold innovation.
00:35Haven't quite got the hang of it yet.
00:37A place of enduring traditions, volatile geology, and remarkable people.
00:44Kanpai.
00:45Join me on an excursion like no other.
00:48I'm too excited to sit down.
01:17I'm soaring towards my next Japanese destination on this sleek Thunderbird train.
01:24The places that I've visited so far, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, form a vast urban sprawl in the central part of
01:33Japan.
01:34I'm looking forward to going back to the countryside as I visit northern regions of the main island Honshu.
01:41And there I'll find a dramatic setting for a samurai castle and a spectacular challenge for an alpine railway.
01:57Honshu is the biggest and most populous of Japan's four main islands.
02:02Having visited the cities in its centre, I'm now striking north to the coastal city of Kanazawa.
02:09And we'll finish today's leg traversing the steep cliffs of the Kurobe Gorge.
02:20To reach Kanazawa, I must leave my Thunderbird train to pick up a high-speed bullet train.
02:31My Shinkansen is, of course, exactly on time.
02:35At Shinkansen platforms, gates stop people falling onto the line.
02:40And people queue, yes, queue, at the right car number.
02:46Delays on the Shinkansen are exceptionally rare.
02:50And they may be measured in seconds, not minutes.
02:52The service reflects national characteristics.
02:56A total commitment to quality, reliability and safety.
03:01For the visitor, train journeys offer a window onto Japanese values and the national psyche.
03:08Japan is superbly clean.
03:11Even on crowded streets, you don't see any litter.
03:14Which means it must be down to the very good behaviour of the public.
03:18And the trains in Japan are even more impeccable.
03:21I'm going to see how the bullet trains are kept spotless and, indeed, reliable.
03:27Because since they were introduced six decades ago, they have a 100% safety record.
03:34My first stop today is Kanazawa, a city that overlooks the Sea of Japan.
03:43Kanazawa Station, with its distinctive temple-inspired arch, is a major transport hub on Japan's west coast.
03:51For some services, this is the terminus.
03:55To maintain the Shinkansen's near-perfect punctuality, on reaching the end of the line, trains must be cleaned and returned
04:03to service in a matter of minutes.
04:06I'm going behind the scenes to join the team which keeps the carriages spotless and the departures on time.
04:24So, this is the crack team of cleaners who are going to make sure that the Shinkansen, which is coming
04:30in a moment, is turned around very, very quickly, sparkly clean for the next set of passengers.
04:36Let's go for it.
04:50Everything about the Shinkansen is precision.
04:53The cleaners are here ahead of the train.
04:55They stand facing the track, ready for their task, which is that three of them will clean two cars in
05:03ten minutes.
05:06The train is greeted with a bow.
05:11Plastic bags at the ready.
05:16And we're off.
05:18The countdown begins.
05:19Every surface is wiped clean.
05:22Litter collected.
05:23Every blind, every tray, every strap is reset.
05:28Floors are vacuumed.
05:30Exhausting even to watch.
05:35Every seat tray is checked for left items.
05:42This lady has a thermal imaging device.
05:45And she checks every seat.
05:47She's looking for wet patches.
05:53As Kanazawa is the terminus for this service, the next journey is in the opposite direction.
05:59With the flick of the switch, all the train seats have changed direction.
06:04Heaven forbid that anybody should get onto a train and find that the seat is not in the right position.
06:10That the blind is down.
06:13That the seat is reclined.
06:15Everything must be perfect for the arrival of the passenger.
06:22Final check.
06:25Spick and span and within ten minutes.
06:31Bye-bye.
06:36Such unrelenting attention to detail in all matters is the hallmark of the Shinkansen service.
06:42It accounts for the extraordinary safety record.
06:45There have been no passenger fatalities in its more than 60-year history.
06:51Maintenance facilities across the country check and recheck every inch of these trains.
06:57I've been given access to one of them, the vast Hakusan General Rolling Stock yard.
07:04Showing me around is manager Yuuya Yasuei.
07:08You have an immense plant here Yasuei-san.
07:11What are the various activities that are conducted in the plant?
07:21This is a W7 model.
07:38Yes.
07:39They're incredibly elegant and I love the color scheme.
07:45Nine tracks lead trains in and out of the 26,000 square meter depot.
07:52As each is composed of 12 carriages, there's around 400 meters of train to inspect.
08:00Now here's a piece of machinery on a cart.
08:02What is this gentleman doing here?
08:17Yes.
08:23Yes.
08:24When you're operating a train at these speeds, 260 km an hour, you need to be so incredibly careful about
08:31the perfection of the metal.
08:33Yes.
08:33Yes.
08:36Not all the tests are so high-tech.
08:41Yes.
08:42No.
08:52Yes.
08:54I think a number of these days from the early days of railways, they've used a hammer and listened to
08:59the tap.
09:00It's charming
09:06To run at high speeds these trains draw from overhead cables huge amounts of power
09:12Which is conducted to the train by the pentagraph
09:26Oh my god
09:28What do you look out for here?
09:45It's a place where I'm working with Shinkansen and I'm working with Shinkansen
09:47Tell me something about the prestige of working for Shinkansen
09:51I'm driving on a high-speed speed of 260km
09:55I'm driving on a speed of speed of speed
09:59So I'm aware that it's a very special job
10:05Thank you so much and congratulations
10:08Thank you
10:23Kana Zawa is one of Japan's smaller cities with a population of less than half a million people
10:30But it has a big reputation as a center of fine Japanese crafts from ceramics and embroidery to lacquerware and
10:39gold leaf
10:41This is a legacy from the Edo period
10:44When Kana Zawa was one of Japan's richest cities
10:48And the domain of one of the most important samurai clans in Japanese history
10:54Although by legend Japan has had an emperor for more than 1300 years
10:59In practice for centuries political power was exercised not by him but by aristocratic families
11:07One of those, the Maida family, was second only to the Tokugawas
11:12Who were shoguns or rulers of Japan from 1603 to 1868
11:19And the Maida family built this magnificent Kana Zawa castle
11:26Here the curator of the collection is Yurika Okano
11:31Hello
11:32Hello
11:32Hi, hello
11:33I'm Michael, how do you do?
11:35I'm Yurika Okano, thank you
11:37It's great to see you
11:38Nice to meet you
11:39Would you please tell me about this dynasty, the Maida family?
11:55Yes
11:55Were these people samurai and what do we mean by samurai?
12:01Samurai
12:18Samuraiというのは時代によってその実態というのは変わりますが特に江戸時代について言えば将軍の下でそれぞれの地域を治めるそういった支配者がサムライと呼ばれています
12:33ただ江戸時代は平和な時代でほとんど争いがなかったので皆さんが想像するような武力によって戦う領土を広げるそういった侍とは少し違うかなと思います
12:34The Maida family were masters of creating alliances and avoiding conflict
12:41which allowed them to use their wealth not for military arsenals
12:45but to patronise the arts
12:47inviting highly skilled artisans to establish workshops in the castle grounds
12:52Whilst the main castle has been recreated after several devastating fires
12:58a villa built in the grounds in 1863 remains gloriously intact
13:11This is a lovely room. Tell me about the houseここは清孫閣と呼ばれる御殿で前田家の十三大当主の成安が母親のために作った御殿になります
13:26Well, the first thing I see is this wonderful carved screen here. Tell me
13:31about that.
13:48これはランマといって日本の建築様式の中で部屋を区切ったりそれから彩ったりそういったのに使われるそういったもの部材になるんですけれども
13:48Yes, beautiful colours. The Maida family supported artisans in woodwork,
13:55lacquerware, ceramics, embroidery
13:57and a most opulent and luxurious craft.
14:02Oh, now this I believe must be gold leaf.そうですねここだけじゃない部屋を見渡していただけると全面に金箔を用いた壁紙が使われているかと思うんですけれども金箔というのは自由自在に形を切り取れるのでこういった繊細な模様を作ることもできます
14:09If I were anywhere in Japan and I said, where do you find the best gold leaf work?
14:31Would people say Kanazawa?
14:42金箔という文字はやっぱりゴールドになるのでそれも相まってやっぱり金の町と言えるのかなと思います
14:48That tradition has led Kanazawa to becoming the undisputed centre for gold leaf
14:53and it's responsible for almost all the country's production
14:58and today you can find some rather unusual applications
15:02This is a first for me.
15:04May I have a gold leaf ice cream, please?
15:09Ah, with the skill of a craftspersons
15:13gold leaf is applied to the ice cream
15:17Arigato!
15:18Arigato gozaimasu!
15:26I've heard of people using gold cutlery
15:28eating off gold plate
15:30I've even heard of gold baths
15:32but those were at least durable or permanent
15:35surely there's nothing more decadent than a gold leaf ice cream
15:39Here now, gone in a moment
15:49Hmm, enriching!
15:55The Maeda family's commitment to art and beauty
15:58can be seen beyond the castle walls
16:00in the extraordinary garden that surrounds it
16:04Kenrakuin is considered one of the three great gardens of Japan
16:08I'm meeting local resident Marie
16:10to hear what she thinks makes it so special
16:14Hello, Marie
16:15Hello!
16:17This is such a lovely garden
16:19Oh, yes, it is!
16:21When did you first come to this garden?
16:24So, when I was an elementary school student
16:28I walked to my school with my father
16:31and when I come back from school
16:33I used to go back home through this garden
16:37How perfect!
16:39Yes, it's very, very beautiful!
16:41This is regarded as one of the loveliest gardens in Japan
16:44Mm-hmm!
16:45Why do you think that is?
16:46Why is this one of the best?
16:48Oh, because of the beautiful view
16:50So, do you know the name of this garden?
16:53Kenrokuin Park
16:54So, Kenrokuin, so there are three Chinese characters
16:59The one, the first one, Ken, means to combine
17:03Yes
17:04And the roku, the second one
17:06Roku means one, two, three, four, five, six
17:12Six
17:12Yes, roku
17:13And the last one, N, is garden
17:18So...
17:19Combines six gardens
17:21Six beautiful elements, I should say
17:24Okay, understood
17:25The first one, it's this space
17:28Yes
17:28So, this is very, very big
17:30Yes
17:31And the second one, it's quiet
17:33Yes
17:34Okay, quiet
17:35And the third one, is the art
17:39So, can you see that beautiful pine tree?
17:42I do
17:42So, that pine tree is a natural one
17:45But, please look at the shape
17:48So many people are working for that
17:50Yeah, it's a creation of humanity
17:52And the fourth one, it's a history
17:54For example, that one, it's growing, growing, growing from the seeds
17:59And then, now, it's like that
18:02What is the next element?
18:03The fifth one, it's the water
18:06And the sixth one?
18:08The last one, it's the beautiful view
18:12You've known this garden all your life
18:15Do you think they look after it well?
18:17Yes, I think so, because people are working for keeping this beauty
18:21They are
18:22And I see a couple of gardeners there up a tree
18:25Yes
18:26I think I might go and say hello
18:27Oh, yes, yes, please
18:28Thank you very much
18:30Thank you very much
18:31Such a pleasure
18:33Thank you very much
18:34Bye-bye
18:34Thank you very much
18:35See you
18:35Bye-bye
18:35Thank you
18:38The garden was developed over three centuries by the Maida family
18:42And today, it's maintained by a dedicated team of professionals
18:47Konnichiwa
18:48Konnichiwa
18:49A beautiful tree, does it need a lot of maintenance?
19:05How long have you worked here, sir?
19:11Oh, congratulations
19:13May I thank you, for all the visitors, for the joy that you bring everyone with this beautiful garden
19:25You do it very well
19:26Thank you
19:27Thank you
19:27Thank you
19:28Thank you
19:29Thank you
19:30Thank you
19:31Thank you
19:32Thank you
19:34Thank you
19:35From Kanazawa, I strike north-east, towards today's much-anticipated final destination, the Kurobe Gorge Railway, in the northern Japanese
19:45Alps
19:47To reach there, I returned to Kanazawa Station, to take the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line
20:17One of the many ways in which Japanese people are polite to each other is by being quiet
20:23And this is particularly true on the Shinkansen train
20:27If you raise your voice, people turn startled faces towards you
20:32Nothing makes you feel more uncouth or more thorough than being loud
20:40In the distance, the foothills of the Japanese Alps come into view
20:45But to get up into the mountains, I need to change trains
20:57I leave my Shinkansen to transfer onto the local Toyama Chihou Railway, departing from Shin Kurobe Station
21:10The train band for Natsuki Onsen is arriving
21:15Please stay behind the wedge door, position marks
21:18The train band for Natsuki Onsen is arriving
21:23The train band for Natsuki Onsen is arriving
21:24The train band for Natsuki Onsen is arriving
21:41The train band for Natsuki Onsen is arriving
21:42Japanese people don't see the nature and humanity as being separate in the way that Westerners do
21:47The Shinto gods inhabit the living world
21:52And that provides an extra reason to respect it and to live in harmony with it
21:56So imagine how a train journey through exquisitely beautiful landscape
22:02replenishes the Japanese spirit. And seeking nourishment of my soul, I too
22:09will begin the Ascent.
22:36At Unazuki Onsen, I cross town to take my third and final railway journey of the day, and
22:43it's going to be a treat.
22:58This is a very small train, dare I say, cute, with tiny locomotives to match.
23:06These are the distinctive orange locomotives of the Kurobe Gorge Railway.
23:14A dinky train, perhaps, but reputedly a magnificent mountain railway.
23:20Yoshida-san, konnichiwa.
23:21Oh, Michael. Hello.
23:23Konnichiwa. Nice to meet you.
23:26Mamoru Yoshida is accompanying me on my ascent.
23:32Let's go.
23:33Let's go.
23:35Let's go.
23:36Let's go.
23:39Known affectionately as the Trolley Train, its route begins by crossing the Kurobe River.
23:52Oh, this is going to be so exciting.
23:54We go across our own bridge and we look down on the other bridges.
23:57Hello, everyone on the other bridges.
24:00Oh, this is lovely.
24:02I love this railway.
24:05This is so beautiful.
24:07Oh, this is fun.
24:08It is gorgeous.
24:10It is gorgeous.
24:11Construction of the railway started in 1923, and the full line of around 20 kilometres was completed in 1937.
24:20Tell me about the gorge. Tell me about the mountains.
24:34What's this railway built for tourists?
24:37Well, Michael, actually, it wasn't the same.
24:41It wasn't the same.
24:42Oh, yeah.
24:43It was built for the buildings to build the buildings to build the buildings.
24:49Throughout the gorge is a series of five dams,
24:52buildings, the biggest of which is Japan's tallest at 186 metres, and it drives the epic Kurobe Power Station.
25:01It was a monumental project.
25:04After seven years of construction, it was completed in 1963 to supply the electricity required for Japan's post-war economic
25:14boom,
25:14and it continues to be an essential power source.
25:20The railway, which had been built to transport workers and materials to the site, was open to tourists in 1953.
25:29What amazing views.
25:32Such greenery.
25:34Such steep-sided valleys.
25:37Absolutely dramatic.
25:41Look at the waterfall.
25:45Built in some of Japan's most challenging terrain,
25:49the railway has a staggering 41 tunnels and 27 bridges.
25:54Oh, that is beautiful.
25:58I love to see a train snaking over a bridge.
26:07I'm too excited to sit down.
26:19Michael, look at this.
26:21Oh, wow.
26:24Oh, my goodness. Look at that.
26:27Everything here is on a super scale.
26:30And yet this is not the main dam.
26:36In 2024, an earthquake caused damage to the top section of the line.
26:42And until it's fully repaired, the temporary terminus is Nekomata Station.
26:46That was a wonderful trip.
26:49That was a memorable view.
26:51A great railway journey.
26:54I'm so happy that I am so happy.
27:04I'm so happy that I am so happy.
27:22In this awe-inspiring landscape, dwelling place of the Shinto deities,
27:29I think of Japan as a garden.
27:32It has the six attributes.
27:35Spaciousness, tranquility, artifice, antiquity, water and magnificent views.
27:44The Japanese people show respect in all things,
27:47in their manners to each other and in their reverence for nature.
27:51If this garden is a celestial gift,
27:54they have responded by keeping it lovely and spotlessly clean.
28:08Next time, one is so distracted by this terrifying wave
28:12that it's possible to lose sight of the fact that Mount Fuji is here in the background.
28:17I have never seen wasabi growing before.
28:24That is extraordinary.
28:31Isn't that amazing?
28:32It comes alive at once.
28:34That's gorgeous.
28:53It comes alive at once.
28:55It comes alive at once.
28:57It comes alive at once.
29:00It comes alive at once.
29:03It comes alive at once.
29:05It comes alive at once.
29:05It comes alive at once.
29:06It comes alive at once.
29:07It comes alive at once.
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