Kochi, Japan

[pn1]

Yesterday, my partner, Robyn, and I spent a wonderful day on the amazing Kochi, Japan, tram system.

My initial impression was that it was like Bendigo on steroids with a dollop of the Belgian Vicinal thrown in. Then our last ride was the Gomen line that has a section (half an hour running time) that could have been an American interurban 100 years ago.

Traditional bogie cars rollicking along with motors humming and compressors throbbing. Drivers handling the manual brake to perfection.

A day ticket for the entire system costs 1000 Yen (about $A11). The long line from Ino to Gomen takes about two hours! There are numerous short workings that impact on one’s desire to ride end to end.

The older bogie cars with doors at the ends reminded me of a cross between a larger Melbourne X1 and the solitary Y! I never got to ride a Hobart bogie car but the size and style seemed similar.

Going off topic is not what most fans like to do but at the Gomen terminus a delightful local chap was interested in what this silly old fart was up to (in the nicest possible way). Turned out he and his wife ran a delightful little coffee shop a few metres short of the terminus. Though the cafe was closed at the time, he invited us in and he insisted we have a complimentary coffee. By amazing co incidence on our flight today from Kochi to Fukuoka, I read the JAL magazine and there was an article about our hosts yesterday.

I am sorry to intrude with this largely off topic ramble but if anyone in the TDU community is interested in an amazing tram experience in 2025, Kochi would be hard to beat.

Paul (who’s doing his best to explore tram systems near and far while he can)

[Tony Galloway]

Here’s a video I found on Kochi trams :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCdHl9bS27Q&ab_channel=tassiebaz

Tony

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[pn1]

Hasn’t changed much! Wonderful! 

Regards 

Paul

On 3 Jun 2025, at 17:30, 'Tony Galloway' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdo...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Here’s a video I found on Kochi trams :

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tramsdownunder/93072838-7DF8-46F1-A054-4F4B7252C4C5%40aapt.net.au.

[Mick Duncan]

Gday  Paul

Please send pics of trams in Japan

Cheers,    Mick

[Vera Mills]

Hello Paul,
Thank you for your message re Kochi.
It is definitely one of the most interesting tramways in Japan.
Also, thank you for the photograph from Graeme's OBE lunch.
A bit of housekeeping please: can you delete all reference to my
internode email address as it is soon to be closed down. It is on
borrowed time as I try to catch the wayward ones before its day of
termination.
Thanks.
Regards,
GG1