We will take a photo walk along the line from Keikyu Kurihama back in the direction of Yokohama and Shinagawa.
Kitakurihama Station is a simple two-track station. The platform has a graceful curve.
As is a common characteristic of the Keikyu line in the Yokosuka area, the line winds through hilly terrain, so you can see small mountains, or rather small hills, or in this season, large clumps of greenery all around. The mountains are also close behind Kitakurihama Station.
The mountain side of the station is walled off, and the only station entrance and exit is the one you see.
Kurihama Kaido Boulevard runs parallel to the railroad tracks, and the scenery along the side of the highway is typical of the area, with office buildings, factories, workshops, car dealers, home centers, family restaurants, ramen shops, convenience stores, and so on.
A short walk down a back road leads to a quiet residential neighborhood. I was walking along, thinking that there were not many subjects that would stimulate my photographic appetite, when I noticed a mountain looming behind the 7-Eleven store.
We found a patch of green that is different from the mountains.
This one is called the Transportation Park. It is designed so that children can borrow special bicycles or four-wheeled vehicles and play freely while learning the traffic rules and regulations in the park, where traffic lights and railroad crossings are spread out.
It was very popular with parents and children who came out for the holidays. Adults chatted under the shade of trees, while kids had a blast on bicycles and go-cart-like human-powered four-wheeled vehicles.
Returning along the street, I was reunited with the Chateraise store I had been delighted to find in Yukigaya on the Tokyu Ikegami Line the other day after a long absence. I bought a few sweets without learning my lesson.
But then again, this place is also backed by a small mountain. How many mountains are there in Yokosuka?
When I went around to the back of an elementary school, I found a park with baseball and tennis grounds. A wide flat land is quite precious in this area, isn’t it?
We came upon a youth baseball game just at the moment of game set. Well done to both of them!
This athletic park is called Otsu Park, right?
After returning home, I found out that this sprawling park is the site of an old navy firing range. It is indeed Yokosuka, where former Japan Navy base used to be located.
Google Maps shows that the Shin-Otsu station should be right next to the park, but there are no landmarks on the street. I think you should enter the alley of the fish shop with the red tent sign…
Is it really a train station up ahead?
The “Wind God Jizo” is marked as a scenic and historic site on Google Maps. The scenic spot was in the middle of a residential area and looked much more modest than expected.
And this is the front of Shin-Otsu station
The station is located in the middle of a residential area. According to Wikipedia, the average number of passengers per day is around 6,000, ranking 66th out of 72 Keikyu stations.
*Although small, it is certainly an important transportation hub for local users, but I wondered which stations have fewer passengers than this one, and when I checked, Tsukuihama, Keikyu Otsu, Anarizuka, Kanagawa, Itsumi, and Jinmuji were all on the list. I found Tsukuihama, Keikyu Otsu, Anarizuka, Kanagawa, Itsumi, and Jinbuji in a row, and I was … uh, … convinced. I guess this kind of down-to-earth feeling is one of the charms of Keikyu.
After this, I had some doubts, so I went back to the Kurihama street from a different road to check, and found that the sign “Shin-Otsu Station→” was there. It was hard to see, though, because it was hidden by roadside trees 🙂
Here is another shot from a different angle, looking up at the platform from below.
A Keikyu rapid train is stopping at this simple platform. There were almost no pedestrians on the street, and the overwhelming silence of the afternoon dominated the residential area of Yokosuka.
This is the end of my photo walk along the Keikyu line from Kita Kurihama to Shin-Otsu.
Thank you very much for watching until the end.
Equipment used this time: K-3III, DA20-40
