By Alex
As the setting sun casts its glow, a little rural train with just a few carriages chugs slowly along the coast. The tranquil and healing scene is suddenly stolen by the crashing waves against the shore. Towering white waves slam relentlessly against the breakwater stones, sending up huge sprays. The sheer power and realism are so overwhelming that you can almost hear the roar of the ocean. Some might even worry about the little train—fearing it could be overturned or even swept away by the mighty waves?
The Ouichi Line battered by towering waves
— Qiu801 (@EV801akita) November 21, 2020
The sunlit sea with sparkling wave spray. pic.twitter.com/GDpcupAIpy
▲“Giant waves crash against the Ouichi Line, the sun illuminates the sea, and the spray glows.”
The short video of the little train was taken by a Japanese railway photography enthusiast (@EV801akita), featuring the Ouichi Line that runs from Towada in Akita Prefecture to Kawabe in Aomori Prefecture. The exact filming location hasn’t been disclosed, but it’s believed to be along the coastal stretch between Fukaura Station and Tsugaru-Ogawara Station in Fukaura Town. As this section runs extremely close to the sea, it has become a popular spot among railway photographers.
The most seaward wave-warning section on the Ouichi Line pic.twitter.com/BSw0P2LAVT
— Qiu801 (@EV801akita) November 21, 2020
▲“The section of the Ouichi Line closest to the ocean wave warning zone.”
As an island nation, Japan has many “seaside railways,” but few offer views as dramatic as the Ouichi Line, where the train runs so close to the sea and massive waves crash right beside it. In fact, the Ouichi Line has been voted one of Japan’s “must-ride once in a lifetime” train routes. Most of its route hugs the coastline, offering sweeping views of the majestic Sea of Japan, as well as access to several renowned attractions along the way, including the Shirakami-Sanchi UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, the Twelve Lakes and the Azure Pond, the Furofushi Onsen hot springs, and the Senjojiki Coast. Notably, the Fukaura area, which includes the Senjojiki Coast, is listed among Japan’s “Top 100 Sunsets,” making it an ideal spot for sunset viewing. If you have a chance to visit, be sure to plan your trip accordingly.
▲(photo by EV801akita @Twitter)
Source: @EV801akita,Akita Shirakami Tourism