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Why I wander, where we are

I've realised what my problem is when it comes to planning trips around Japan.

It's railway lines.

There are so many of them! Whenever I see a railway line I want to travel on it. The more minor the line, the better. I love going down a slow branch line that runs right behind the suburbs and where tree branches flick against the outside of the carriages.

I loathe a railway line without a passenger service, or even worse, a disused line.

When you look at a railway map of Japan you realise that you can travel hundreds of kilometres in only a few hours. It makes me feel almost guilty that I want to spend time on the slower lines through the countryside to small towns. But that's what I want to do!

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