Ametuchi: A Special Train in a Land of Myth

A c. 1885 CE illustration of Izanami (left) and Izanagi (right) creating the islands of Japan with their spear.

“When heaven and earth began…”

These words form the opening sentence of Japan’s oldest extant literary work, the; in the original text, “heaven and earth” are represented by kanji characters read as ametuchi.  Written around 711, it chronicles mythical gods and demons from the dawn of time in Japan, and many of these legends took place in the San’in region. For a sightseeing train that runs through this land steeped in myth and a cradle of early civilization, much the way the opening sentence prepared its readers for the legendary tales to come, the name of Ametuchi expresses a point of embarkation for a memorable journey.  

Native Japanese 

Pride in heritage: even while so many nations march onward with necks stiffened and eyes fixated on things to come, a sense of debt and desire to discharge it dutifully compels the people of Japan — to stop. Then, perched atop mossy rocks of ruined castle ramparts and under shaded approaches to forgotten shrines, they drop ancestral lines into the deep dark of history moats and wells; they know that the oldest well hides the most discoveries. 

Exterior of Ametuchi

This mytho-historic sensibility inspired nearly every aspect of Ametuchi’s design: the azure exterior represents the sky and sea of San’in while the silver design wrapped around the bottom imitates both the temper pattern of a Japanese sword blade smelted in a tatara (traditional furnace) and the mountain ranges of San’in; overtop all of this, a metallic finish gives expression to the divine atmosphere.

Amaterasu emerges from the Heavenly Rock Cave (Shunsai Toshimasa, 1887)

Folk Crafts on the Move

Inside, nearly everything mundane, utilitarian, and entirely expected of public transportation has been transformed into cultural crafts in a mythical motif. Overhead, colorfully dyed Inshu washi (traditional paper) adds an elegant tint and sense of mystique to the ambient lighting. On walls, indigo-dyed Kasuri and other traditional textiles decorate partitions. The restaurant style tables for four, two, and outward facing counter seats were all crafted from Japanese cedar and pine grown in the region. In this train, even the sink is a ceramic work of art from a local kiln.

                                                    Kagura costume miniature (Kagura Shop Kuwanoki)

Edible History 

Onboard services include meals produced to perfectly meld with the Native Japanese atmosphere; depending on the direction of travel, whether from Tottori to Izumo or the reverse, meal choices feature local specialties arranged in an artistic representation of the point of departure. As an example, the Ametsuchi Gozen Yoake lunch box expresses an amalgamation of the mythological worldview of the Kojiki and the picturesque scenery of San’in. For a more decadent option, the Oenosato Sweet Set offers seasonal pudding and roll cakes made with farm-fresh ingredients and no additives.

Ametuchi Gozen Yoake lunch box

Scenery

 Over the course of 154.3 km, Ametuchi travels through some of the most scenic regions in all of Japan. The rails run close to the coastline and lakeshores, and north facing windows offer views of the Sea of Japan, Nakaumi, and Lake Shinji; on the south side are spectacular views of Mt. Daisen, the tallest peak in the region, along with the rest of the rugged Chugoku mountain range.  

Since the tracks traverse wide swaths of rice paddies, pierces through bamboo thickets, and runs parallel to primeval beech forests, each season colors the world beyond the window in its own vivid hues. In contrast, the farm villages tucked into mountain roots and fishing communities lining the coast elude the passage of time and appear as if unchanged from their construction hundreds of years ago.     

 

Details

Information on Ametuchi tickets and service schedule can be found here: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/train/ametuchi/.