Friday 7 December 2012

Subway and Autumn Leaves in the Ancient Capital

EMU Kyoto Municipal Subway 10 series (top number car, 1101) leaves Takeda Station (Feb. 2010)

I received a beautiful picture from one of my blog readers who travelled to Japan recently (see the following photo). It was shot at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, the ancient capital city of Japan.

Kyoto was Japan's capital from 794 after relocation from Nara. Although the status of nation's capital was transferred from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869, Kyoto is still considered as the Japan's most fundamental city, as the imperial palace had been located there for about 1100 years.

Kiyomizu Temple (the following photo) is built on a "stage", where the panoramic view and autumn color is spectacular. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to visit Kyoto this year due to professional commitments and a consequent lack of time, but I am going to take this opportunity to show you a train in Kyoto.

The top photo shows the EMU Kyoto Municipal Subway 10 series. The subway in Kyoto City was opened in 1981 between Kitaoji and Kyoto on the Karasuma Line. Currently, it consists of two routes, and the total operating length is 31.2km. The trains of subway lines are directly operated into two private railways, namely the Kintetsu and Keihan lines.

The EMU 10 series is the first model in the Kyoto Municipal Subway. The green colored vertical stripe on the front car represents a belt of a Maiko (traditional dancing and singing girl in Kyoto). Currently, one train is composed of 6 cars, and operated every 7-8 minutes in the daytime.

Kyoto blends two faces perfectly... traditional and contemporary.

Night view of Kiyomizu Temple near Gojo Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway (Nov. 2012)
Photo: Courtesy Arga Surawidjaja

Route map of the Kyoto Municipal Subway:
More information about EMU 10 series (in Japanese): http://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/page/0000006113.html