It’s probably popular because of all the delicious Gyoza they got.
It connects Utsunomiya Station to Bell Mall (largest shopping mall in Tochigi) and all the way to the industrial area in Haga where the Honda/Canon super factories are, and perhaps more importantly, it doesn’t look lame.
It’s a convenient and comfortable line although I find it very slow. As of now, a lot of students, tourists (who come to see the LRT) and shoppers ride it. Workers, I’m not entirely sure yet — the companies still provide bus shuttle as far as I’m aware.
Thanks to the new line, the city is changing — there are a lot of new build projects *inside* and around the city-centre of Utsunomiya (mostly mansions) in preparation for the extension of LRT westward, towards Tobu-Utsunomiya Station, and much later in the future towards Kanuma.
It’ll be a reliable connection between those two stations, which was something missing in the city; there are buses, but it’s definitely easier to ride a tramway instead.
***Useless fun fact:*** *it’s mislabelled as* “H**o**ga-Utsunomiya LRT” *on Google Maps.*
Cool! Glad to hear it. Hope to get up there this winter.
Japan to defer tax hikes for defense spending until 2027 https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/06/national/politics-diplomacy/japan-defense-tax-hikes-2027/
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This was Japan’s first new tram system in 75 years.
Here’s an English article from two weeks ago, published for its 1 year anniversary, right before it hit the 5 million mark: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/09/5f262b48b0a3-utsunomiya-trams-rejuvenation-achievements-a-model-for-other-cities.html
It’s probably popular because of all the delicious Gyoza they got.
It connects Utsunomiya Station to Bell Mall (largest shopping mall in Tochigi) and all the way to the industrial area in Haga where the Honda/Canon super factories are, and perhaps more importantly, it doesn’t look lame.
It’s a convenient and comfortable line although I find it very slow. As of now, a lot of students, tourists (who come to see the LRT) and shoppers ride it. Workers, I’m not entirely sure yet — the companies still provide bus shuttle as far as I’m aware.
Thanks to the new line, the city is changing — there are a lot of new build projects *inside* and around the city-centre of Utsunomiya (mostly mansions) in preparation for the extension of LRT westward, towards Tobu-Utsunomiya Station, and much later in the future towards Kanuma.
It’ll be a reliable connection between those two stations, which was something missing in the city; there are buses, but it’s definitely easier to ride a tramway instead.
***Useless fun fact:*** *it’s mislabelled as* “H**o**ga-Utsunomiya LRT” *on Google Maps.*
Cool! Glad to hear it. Hope to get up there this winter.