Hi Takeshi-san, I've watched the Japanese version first and I was afraid that this video would be difficult for you to work in English , because there were some specific policy that you may need to explain to audience. And my comment is: It is such a real deal for both the suggestions and the video itself. Comparing with other transportation channels who made Patreon with s**t contents, your channel is underrated and shall have more audience.

When I rode Himi Line on 2019, it was quite packed with students and local people. It will be very sad if they have to discontinue the line, as it is one of the best views in JR Line

I was thinking about this last weekend. I think the current interest in LRT in Japan is somewhat misplaced. Japan needs to copy Central European S-bahn pattern services which have underpinned railway revivals even in really tiny cities like Salzburg which is the same size as Takaoka and more isolated. Instead of LRTing Johanna and Himi lines they should use BEMU that operate on the Ainokaze line and then switch to battery mode on the unelectrified Johana/Himi lines (although I would construct overhead wires at the main stations). In European S-bahn this through-running is more convenient for customers, saves idle time, economises track space and staff hours.

1. Man-yo line and Himi line through service is a good idea, but we may consider making a new transfer station. Good news is Man-yo line is a lightrail thus can make sharp turns. The layout may follow the X shape of Hankyu's Awaji station, or a overpass with connection rail like JR-Kyushu's Orio (yummy!) station. Man-yo line might abandon or relocate some stations but I guess that's fine... Actually, if Himi line is replaced by lightrail, the Yonejimaguchi station of Man-yo line looks good for transfer. 2. Separating Himi line and Johana line still doesn't feel right. I guess many passengers from the north need to take one ride to the shinkansen station. As there's already a road bridge on the east, digging a tunnel is the only option, but it might possible just to work for eliminating at-ground crossing rather than expanding into a underground station. (Though Kanazawa and Nagano city has their underground station already) The platform end of current Johana line at Takaoka has 300m distance to the road bridge, which is enough for a underground pass for Japanese trains (230m, with ground-to-power-line 8m height and 3.5% maximum slope). The connection rail goes pass the current maintenance workshop at the east of the station, take a down slope and passes the Toyama third-sector rail near the road bridge, and returns to ground level on the east to return to current route. If they don't want to demolish the maintenance workshop, they may also use the old freight tracks between Johana line platform and Toyama line platforms to build a new platform for Himi line. Here the tunnel still lies on the east of the new platform for through service, and the old Himi line platform can turn into freight train tracks. Now we need to expand the ground level platforms at Shin-Takaoka station to serve both Johana line and new Himi line lightrails

great.. ill add this area on my never ending list of places to visit next time im in japan. keep up the great videos!

hi you will be surprised, but thanks to your vlogs I’m learning a lot about local politics and decision making japan style. where i am from, California, if a local or county government wanted to do something like this there would be years of study’s, public hearings...then if sides could agree on the plan, a referendum for voters to approve a bond issue. are there referendums in japan? for lrv trans look on you tube for the tram system in new castle nsw australia and even stranger one in Venice Italythe venice trams is semi trackless, and. runs on rubber tires. I rode this tram and ride quality was more luxury car style then tram

Great educational video, good job :)

I was watching your JR West videos and I wondered how come the Hokuriku region was assigned to JR West instead of JR Central, similar to how NEXCO was split. JR Central appears a really huge troll not just with JR East but with JR West too, considering their huge Tokaido profits could've been used to subsidize the lines in Hokuriku.

Couldn't they construct a flyover bridge at Takaoka station to allow the LRT Johana line to connect directly through with the Himi? That would certainly be less expensive than building tunnels

Why not improve connections with Shinkansen?

Why not merging JR East with JR Hokkaido and JR Shikoku with JR Central ? It could be save these two railway company.

アップロードお疲れ様です。和訳しながら見ています 大糸線の南小谷-糸魚川の102人は少なすぎですね。そのうち廃止になるかもしれませんね

I wonder what the cost is for snow removal on such a long track for LRT purposes.