Conan likes the train

Since Junko's work (her parent's auto repair and inspection business) is beside a rail line, Conan has taken a liking to trains. He's seen them pass by every weekday and has become quite insistent that someone hold him up so he can see them. He's never been on a train though, except for the shinkansen ("bullet train") ride to Tokyo during our last trip to Canada, but at four months old, I can't say he remembers. :)

Last Sunday afternoon, we decided to take a short ride on a local train to give Conan the experience. For those of you who've been to visit us in Sumita, you'll probably remember me mentioning that there aren't any trains that run through Sumita. This isn't quite true, in fact. In reality, no one takes the train to and from Sumita, but tucked away in the north-east corner of our rural town, there IS one small station, built years ago to bring people to visit the once popular Rokkando cave in our town. It's so small, in fact that it really is just a uncovered platform, with no staff to speak of. When you get on the train, you simply take a ticket from the machine and pay when you get off.

So, mid-afternoon the three of us boarded the two-car train, and took it a few stops down the line to the costal City of Kamaishi. Do to the limited schedules for this line, we stayed in the station for only twenty minutes, then took the same train back to Sumita. Conan really enjoyed himself, particularly watching the tracks from the front window. It was a nice family outing and a good way to spend a rainy afternoon.