I love Japanese trains
Ever since I started to traveling Japan, I started to appreciate the train system. It’s one thing to admire their punctuality and cleanliness, but it’s another to start becoming a train otaku.
I started wanting to experience the various trains and so every trip, I decided that I want to explore places and while there, experience the train.
As you know, Japan love’s their trains and many of them have an identity and the companies are very proud.
I started to crossover to being an otaku by taking pictures of trains, the inside and especially the station stop maps.
Every trip.. I put time into experiencing trains even more.
The Monorails
In my experience with Japan’s monorails was when I landed in Haneda (also my 1st time using that airport).
2018 Japan trip planning
After I got home, I started to look up some of the monorails in Japan out of curiosity. I saw they had a few and I marked a few of them for my next trip as they were in places I would eventually be visiting.
2018 – I was back. I had arrived through Narita airport this time. The next day, I decided to go to one of the rail museums in Tokyo, Keio Railway Playland.
Tama Monorail
- Minami Senju to Akihabara station (Hibiya line)
- Akihabara station to Orchanomizu station (Chuo Subo Line Local)
- Ochanomizu station to Tachikawa station (Chuo line)
Once I got to Tachikawa station, I went to the Tama Monorail section of the Tachikawa station
I got outside and started to follow the signs for the monorail’s location.
Before boarding, I also bought some Tama monorail merchandise.
Chiba Urban Monorail
The next day, I was staying near Haneda airport because I would be leaving for Kyushu the following day. This gave me the opportunity to head to Chiba and experience the hanging monorail. I didn’t have anything particular to do in Chiba as it was one of those “time to kill” side trips. Once, I got to Chiba station, I headed to the monorail portion.
Tokyo Monorail
I was flying to Fukuoka (1st time there) via Haneda airport, so again, I took the Tokyo Monorail there.
Kitakyushu Monorail
After a few days exploring Kyushu, I started to head back on the Shinkansen. I stopped by Kokura station, where there is the Kitakyushu Monorail.
Wanting to experience it, a bit of free time and no particular place to go on the Monorail, I took it for a few stations and came back.
Shonan Monorail
Once I got back to Kanto region, a friend said he would meet me once he got off work. He lives in Yokosuka. On the way down there, I decided to take the Shonan Monorail. The other hanging monorail.
2019 and 2020 I didn’t ride any monorails. 2021 and 2022 were pandemic years. I returned in 2023 and since it was to feed my need to explore Japan more, I didn’t use any monorail on that trip.
It wasn’t until after 2023’s trip, I came across an article about a unique monorail that was originally going to shut down in 2023, but they extended it to the end of April 2024. That was during my planned 2024 trip, so included time to go check this monorail out.
Hiroshima Skyrail Midorizaka Line
After reading about it and wanting to experience it before it goes away, I dedicated time to go check it out. It is somewhat of an oddity for sure as it is classified as a monorail and yet it feels like some kind of cable car.
There are 3 stations and it feels like maybe a 10 minute ride to get to the last station. I was on a clear day and the view was pretty gorgeous.
My 2024 trip was focused on getting Eki stamps, so I was super happy that the Skyrail had one!
Let me add, the stations were super clean, tickets were QR coded, so the print out is scanned and the most important thing, the staff was very friendly and welcoming. When I asked if there was an Eki stamp, the lady behind the counter let me have it and asked where I was from.
It’s sad to hear that this rail service will be ending.
I also revisited the other 2 Hanging Monorails, Chiba Urban Monorail and Shonan Monorail on this trip. By all accounts, I experienced all three of Japan’s hanging monorails on this trip.
- Osaka Monorail
- Disney Japan Monorail
- Okinawa Monorail
Other monorails
I was planning on trying to experience the Osaka monorail in March 2024. I was suppose to fly from Sapporo to Osaka International Airport, but that portion of my trip was canceled due to weather in Sapporo.
My plan for July 2024 is to finally get on the Osaka monorail.
Forever gone
Japan has always put an emphasis on public mass transit systems. So it is no surprise that over the years, older and outdated models get replaced. As in the case with the Hiroshima Skyrail, the whole system is going to be replaced.
I missed an opportunity last year. I could have taken the Ueno Zoo monorail. The Ueno Zoo monorail was discontinued at the end of 2023. It would have been cool to say I experienced another monorail system. I just didn’t pay attention enough as everything was coming out the pandemic and my urges to traverse Japan was the focus. Ueno Zoo Monorail was also a hanging monorail system.