Japan has a long railway history, which began in 1872 with the opening of the line between Tokyo and Yokohama.<\/p>\n
Today, Japan has 30,625 kilometers of active railways<\/strong> (to give you an idea, Spain has 15,820 kilometers). Japanese rail transport is operated by more than 100 private companies. Despite being a country famous for its modern trains, dozens of railway lines have been abandoned in Japan due to three main reasons:<\/strong> the increased use of airplanes, the proliferation of bus lines, and depopulation in rural parts of the country. Between 2000 and 2020, 44 railway lines, with more than 1,000 kilometers in total, were closed<\/a>, mainly in those rural areas.<\/p>\n The abandonment of these railway lines opens the door to new uses for them.<\/strong> An example of this is an old line built more than a hundred years ago in Azumino, in Nagano Prefecture, located in the center of Honshu, the main island of Japan. This railway line, known as Shinonoi, belonged to the Japanese National Railways (JNR), and was abandoned on October 1, 1997<\/strong>, following the opening of the new railway line connecting Karuizawa Station with Shinonoi Station in Nagano, owned by Shinano Railway Co.<\/p>\n The rails of the old Shinonoi Line have been dismantled and the area has been turned into a beautiful forest trail.<\/strong> It's a good example of how old railway infrastructure has been reused, with some elements still visible. Tokyo Lens Explore<\/a> has showcased this trail in a video released today:<\/strong><\/p>\n
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