After my journey by train, from north to south to the edge of Japan,

The past two days have been a whirlwind of activity, running around, feeling tired and out of breath.

Jump on and off the train. Sometimes, there's only 3-5 minutes to change trains. It's exciting all the time.

After finishing my urgent tasks, I wanted to live a slow life, slowly and leisurely.

As a train enthusiast, I chose to visit a city with unique trains running through it. The reason I planned to visit this city was because

This city is a destination for the SL Yamaguchi steam locomotive train.

I only want to ride on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. I want to experience riding a steam train.

And the SL Yamaguchi train is the easiest steam train to book in Japan.

There aren't many people on board. I've never seen it full. I don't know why.

And it's a very convenient city to travel to, taking only about 1 hour to get there.

So I planned to take the SL train and stay in this city for 1 night to enjoy the slow life to the fullest.

July 4, 2015

Travel from Makurazaki to Shin-Yamaguchi and transfer to the Super Oki train with cartoon characters.

After an hour's journey through rice fields and forests, we arrived at Tsuwano Station at exactly 13:55.

At first glance, I fell in love with it. It's a city surrounded by mountains, with a river running through it and a train running through it.

Covered by clouds, surrounded by forests

This photo was taken from the skywalk above the train station.

It is a city that has been established since the Edo period.

The atmosphere here is really quiet.

According to wiki data, the total population of the city is 7,684 people.

Population density 25 people per square kilometer

What's so loose? There are fewer people than in Pai, my hometown.

Many old Edo-era houses still remain.

As I exited the train station, I was trying to figure out which direction to go to reach the ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) I had booked.

An old lady spoke to me in Japanese, and I didn't understand much of what she said.

Pointing, as if to say, "Hey, it's raining. Where are you going to walk in the rain?"

Let me drive you there. She said as she showed her car key.

In my mind, I thought, "Wow, auntie, I'm a stranger. Are you really going to drive me there? You're so kind."

I told the aunt that I had booked a hotel near the station. I showed her the booking confirmation.

"Auntie said, 'Oh, Hoshi Ryokan. Just cross the street and you'll be there.' She pointed to it, saying, 'It's over there.'"

Cross the road in front of the station. Once you pass the corner, you will see the hotel.

Upon arrival, another aunt came out to greet us.

The aunt said, "Are you Thai? Are you here?"

Look, it's all wet. Then the aunt went to get a towel to wipe my head and wipe my suitcase.

I'm starting to wonder why people in small Japanese towns are so incredibly kind.

Let's call the ryokan "Auntie's house", because in reality, the ryokan is Auntie's house.

However, they divide the rooms for rent as daily rentals.

The aunt took me upstairs to the second floor.

This is the most spacious room we've had on this trip. The commander asked, "Where's the bed?"

I said, "Oh, I guess Auntie will come and make the bed for you later tonight."

This is how ryokans usually are.

And then auntie surprised me again.

The aunt opened another door and said, "Here's the bedroom."

The rooms are very spacious, including the bedrooms and living rooms.

When I booked it, I felt that it was 10,000 yen per night for two people, plus a shared bathroom.

I think it's more expensive than hotels in big cities, but it's the cheapest in this city.

But when I saw this room, it was huge! There were Japanese snacks, tea, and everything ready to eat.

The door is a sliding door, lined with paper, but it feels warm and safe, not dangerous.

The view from the room at Ba's house overlooks the house across the street. Further on, there are mountains and forests.

It's so quiet at night that I can even hear my neighbors talking.

Only the sound of crickets, occasionally the sound of a train and the sound of a car passing by.

Shared bathroom, shower room is downstairs, brushing teeth is upstairs.

You can pick up a comic book to read if you can read it.

I have already put the things away at my aunt's house.

So I went to explore the city. I wanted to see where the carp were and check out the way up to the shrine.

And then went to wait and take pictures of the train when it was about to cross the bridge according to the schedule at 15.45.

Walk along the road next to the railway tracks, heading straight to the bridge.

And then I found a sign that made me feel really good. What is this?

Please come in and enjoy looking at the flowers (the rest is illegible).

And then I found the first fish pond.

Walk a little further and you will reach the bridge area.

This is the pedestrian bridge where I will be waiting to take pictures of the train crossing the bridge at 3:45 PM.

The drain flows into the river.

It's a small waterfall. Standing in the rain, listening to the sound of the water, waiting for the train to come.

At 15.45, the time the train was scheduled to depart, I heard a sound.

Toot toot, chugga chugga chugga, toot toot. The sound of the whistle, the sound of the steam engine, it's so beautiful.

The train emerged from behind the corner of the bridge and sped past.

I only managed to take 5 photos.

My girlfriend took 2-3 photos from another location. It happened very quickly.

It was 4-5 seconds that were absolutely amazing, feel good again.

After getting the train picture,

You can also take a walk around their town and explore the way up to the shrine.

But it's raining so hard, I can't go on anymore.

Let's go find something to eat.

A vintage-style restaurant near the station. I'll have it for dinner.

I had the beef rice, which was very flavorful. The army commander had the beef udon, which had a broth that tasted similar to fish soup. Both were delicious.

After getting caught in the rain in the evening, having a hot and delicious soup really warms my stomach.

After eating, I walked back to the station and looked for some fruit to buy. It turned out that there wasn't much for sale. The town is small, isn't it?

And then go see the SL car parked in front of the station.

Then I went back to my aunt's house.

The internet at my aunt's house is really fast. I guess there are not many people in this town, so there are not many people sharing the internet. The internet is fast in the morning. The next day, the plan is to check out and leave my luggage at my aunt's house.

Then go to the Inari Shrine on the mountain.

And then I took the SL Yamaguchi train back.

Stop by to feed the fish first. In this area, almost every shop sells fish food.

It's a pity that it rained heavily yesterday, making the water very cloudy and not as clear as in realp**'s review.

The city is really quiet, you know. On Sunday morning, around eight or nine o'clock, you can hardly find anyone on the streets.

But what's bustling is the fish in the roadside drain. They're swimming out in droves.

As far as I can see, the water flows down from the mountain, through this pipe, and then into the river.

It is natural water, flowing all the time, not a closed system. Each block has a grate to prevent fish from flowing into the river.

However, I also saw a lot of carp in the river.

This statue is located near the bridge. It depicts the crane dance, a local tradition. I believe it will be held next month, if I'm not mistaken.

After feeding the fish, I went to worship at the Inari Shrine.

They say this shrine is one of the five most important Inari shrines in Japan.

Thousands of orange-red Torii gates line the path up the mountain, similar to those at Fushimi Inari in Kyoto.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I can't help but laugh and tell myself that it's time to lose weight again.

Entrance

The path is still long, with many layers and rest stops along the way.

(Maybe) the nameplate of the person who built each pillar

And then we reached the end of the walkway. There was a place to wash our hands before paying our respects to the deity.

This is one of the most crowded places in the city. There are a lot of people coming to pay their respects.

And that's not all, there were people who brought their cars to be blessed by the monks. I saw that Luang Pho had even set up a special room for car blessings.

It is a car turntable. Drive the car and insert the head. There is a monk chanting.

Then turn the car around and head out. Then drive out to the parking lot of the shrine. The panoramic view is amazing.

I can see the whole city from here.

If you have a long lens, you can set up a camp here to take pictures of the train, which is very enjoyable.
But I only brought a wide-angle lens and a normal lens, so I missed it.

After paying respects at the shrine, I went down and found a rice shop, so I stopped by for lunch.

My boyfriend's udon in clear broth. The broth is light in color but has a very rich flavor. It's delicious.

After visiting the Inari shrine, I had Inari sushi, which is just rice wrapped in tofu. The tofu flavor was rich, though.

After finishing my meal, I sat by the bridge to wait for another train to pass by and take some photos.

The train will pass the original bridge at 12.58 before arriving at Tsuwano Station.

Translated 2-3 photos as before.

It came very quickly and there was no smoke because it was nearing the end station. They wouldn't refuel it with a lot of fuel.

When the train arrived at the station, the driver reversed the locomotive, checked the engine, and refueled.

Then I went back to get my things at my aunt's house, waiting to get on the train at 15.45. Excited!

There is still an hour before they bring the locomotive back to the train. In the afternoon at 3.

So I walked to see the temple near the train station.

Turn this way, cross the railway.

Arriving at the temple, I was met with a cemetery, lush and green with moss.

The path up to the temple is like climbing up to the Shaolin Temple.

Temple gate

The area in front of the temple cemetery is full of moss.

The temple is closed. They are chanting and performing a ceremony.

So I didn't go in any further, out of respect for the monks.

So I came back to wait for the train at the station.

Then they took the locomotive and attached it to the train.

I'm on the train now. This is my first time riding in SL class.

The interior is luxurious and magnificent. You can book and ride for free with the JR PASS. It's really good.

Today's destination is to take the train back to Shin-Yamaguchi and then take the Shinkansen to Osaka.

Inside the car, it is decorated as a train from various eras, Meiji, Showa.

The train is very empty. There are no passengers at all. It's heartbreaking to see. How much did the coal cost? Why are there so few people riding?

However, when the car started, I looked out the window and was shocked.

It's like the whole city is waving goodbye to the train all the way.

The uncle was working in the field, he put down his hoe and waved goodbye to the train. The children stood waving.

It's as if this train is the lifeblood of the city.

There is a viewing platform at the end of the train.

Then I met a Japanese man who was standing there admiring the view. He greeted me by saying, "Ni hao." I replied, "No, I'm not Chinese. I'm Thai."

After talking for a while, we discovered that we both share a love for trains. (We spoke in English.)

His house is in Kobe, but he likes trains. He takes the train everywhere. The husband and wife are the same.

He said he has taken the SL Yamaguchi train four times. He asked me where I got on and where I was going.

I told him about it, and we hit it off, so we talked for a long time.

They brought snacks to share, saying they were souvenirs for us to eat on the way.

And then tell me some interesting facts about this train, such as how it was decorated and that it will be replaced with a new one next year.

This station will stop for 3 minutes. You can get off and take pictures.

And we talked for a long time, even about the Hokkaido Shinkansen. Oh, it was fun.

Turn to take a picture of the front of the train.

In summary, Tsuwano City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

It's a city I've visited and it's been a truly heartwarming experience. It's a real feel-good place.

It's a city where people have a slow-paced lifestyle, not hectic or rushed, unlike Osaka or Tokyo, which have completely different lifestyles.

The population is not dense, people live loosely and comfortably, and it takes a long time to meet someone walking by.

The people you meet are very friendly and kind to tourists, sometimes even too kind.

We pass each other, we greet each other, "Ohayo," "Konnichiwa," with bright smiles.

The tourist attractions are complete with art, culture, nature, and local snacks.

It lacks shopping areas and entertainment venues.

As dusk settled, the silence became so profound that I could hear the neighbors talking.

I was able to ride the SL train. Oh, my life is so happy. The SL train was easy to book, and the seats were very spacious both on the way there and back.

However, I only booked a seat for the return trip because the time from makurazaki was not available.

If you happen to be in the area, I encourage you to visit this city. It's a great way to help support the local community and prevent the city from becoming too quiet and lonely.

Thank you very much everyone for visiting this topic.

Finally, here's a clip of the SL Yamaguchi train's whistle sound when it starts. For train enthusiasts.

Please translate this sentence.