Tuesday 5 January 2010

Yamanote challenge

The Yamanote line is, as Dad calls it, the 'limey green line' - not to be confused with the forest green Chiyoda line, the blue green Nanboku line or the dark green Saikyo line - is the central loop line of JR in Tokyo. There are 29 stops on the Yamanote line and it goes around and around,  one in each direction, 34.5km long, typically taking about an hour.  More than once I have done a loop and a half in the summer time when it just seemed too hot and my feet seemed too tired to get off. 
Since we were in Tokyo anyway, we decided to follow up the Arakawa challenge on the Sat,  with a Yamanote challenge on the Sun.  It was a spur of the moment decision made a bit before 10.  The aim was to see how many stops of the Yamanote line we could pass before it got dark.  (Dark = cold and and also I still haven"t bought lights for the folding bikes.)  We also had some shopping to be done in Nippori and Ginza.  
The JR and subway stations in Tokyo each have a stamp.  We bought a little book as we set out and stamped each station as we passed it. (which also means locating the stamp within the station).   Hiro dutifully noted the time at each station.
We got the first stamp at Tabata at 10.10, and went around clockwise.  At 4.40 we got the last stamp at Shinjuku. A respectable effort.  Once the days are longer, and before the weather gets too hot, we might try it again and do the lot.

I will stick a photo of the stamping area in here later.  I forgot to put my memory card back into the camera...

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