During my trip to Takachiho, I had been deeply disappointed that boating was canceled due to the water level. But then I came to the Amaterasu Railway and was lucky enough to get a seat from the waitlist, boarding the semi-open-air little train that offered the most warmth and emotional fulfillment of the entire trip.
The roofless cars, converted from the old Takachiho Line, slowly made their way into the mountains and dark tunnels amid a gentle breeze and the rumble of the diesel engine. As the train continued to climb and finally stopped in the middle of what was once Japan’s highest railway bridge, the magnificent mountain ranges and deep gorge spread out below us.
The conductor gently turned off the engine and thoughtfully gave everyone plenty of time to take pictures. Even more surprisingly, he brought out a bubble machine and sent sparkling, colorful bubbles out over the incredibly deep gorge. The rainbow-colored bubbles floated on the wind between the blue sky and the railway bridge, as beautiful as a fairy tale.
Perhaps this is exactly what makes travel so captivating: there are unexpected disappointments, but there are always unanticipated surprises as well. The conductor’s sincere, pure, radiant smile remains deeply etched in my heart to this day, warming all my memories of Takachiho.
