I simply love to walk. I think it’s fun no matter where I walk.
However, I secretly aim for my walking path to encompass a large area. It somehow makes you feel like you’ve earned it, doesn’t it?
At the moment, what I want to do most is to surround Mt. Fuji with Tohkaido highway, Koshu Kaido highway, and Minobu Line. I think I can accomplish this if I walk diligently for three more days along the Minobu Line. However, it is quite difficult in terms of time and money, so I am patiently waiting for the opportunity.
Another goal is to surround the Lake-Inba and Teganuma areas with Mito Kaido, Narita Kaido, and Narita Line (between Narita and Abiko). I have already walked Mito Kaido and Narita Kaido, so the rest is Narita Line. I think I can achieve this in three days, and today I walked the first day.
Narita Station
Keisei Narita Station
First, I got off at Keisei Narita Station. There were more people than usual.
That’s no wonder. Today is still January 4th, and there are still many people paying their first visit to the shrine.
JR成田駅
The JR Narita station looks unchanged in this photo, but there were many food stalls more to the left of the station.
表参道の分岐点
I walked along Omotesando for a while, joining the flow of people paying their first visit to the shrine, but here I parted to the left.
Nishisando Sannomiya-dori
This is another approach called Nishisando Sannomiya-dori, and there are a good number of people walking along it, as there are parking lots here and there.
Goubu Bridge
The Goubu Bridge crosses the airport branch line. The gabled roofs on the main pillars are quaint. On the parapet, there is also a giboushi. I guess it is because it is an approach to the temple.
Water distribution tower
I found a water distribution tower near the intersection of Goubu!
Water towers have a lot of unique designs, don’t they? I’ll try to take pictures of them when I see them in the future.
Komakiyama Road
I came across a signpost that said “Komakiyama Road.
Koma” means “goma,” and it seems that wood for burning goma was brought to Shinshoji Temple from here. Since the area is now a residential area, I wonder where they get the wood from.
Yamaguchi Bridge
On the Narita Line (Abiko Branch Line), there was a rather stylish Yamaguchi Bridge. I decided to cross it.
Narita Line (Abiko Branch Line)
The Narita line was a single track. This photo was taken facing the Narita direction.
A little wide road
I came to a slightly wider road. It seems to be a new road and is not shown on the slightly old topographical map.
I climbed up about 20 meters in elevation.
Narita New Town Tamatsukuri District
After climbing up, I came to a residential area.
It was the Tamatsukuri district of Narita New Town, and the streets were neat and tidy.
Huge building
I found a huge building!
The building in the back labeled CLUB ORIENT is close to the airport, so I thought it was a hotel, but it turned out to be a rental apartment.
The building in front of it seems to be a student dormitory for International University of Health and Welfare. The University is a university based in Narita, which has an international airport.
Narita Yukawa Station
Narita Yukawa Station on the Keisei Narita Airport Line is the main stop for daily life in the Tamatsukuri area. It’s a modern station.
I wanted to get closer and take pictures, but I couldn’t go into someone else’s property, so I decided not to.
Shimousa Manzaki
Manzaki area
It’s hard to make a blog post about it, but I personally like to walk along these roads.
This area is called Manzaki. If you don’t know it beforehand, you won’t be able to read this kanji.
Inbanuma
Discovering the Inbanuma swamp in the distance!
The Lake-Inba swamp used to be a sea called Katori no Umi (Sea of Katori). At that time, I think it was a sea to the front.
Rice fields spread out in an area thought to have been the Katori Sea long ago.
In the lowlands where the Katori Sea used to be, there were rice paddies.
Lids for gutters with grooves cut in the direction of travel of the road
This is the lid of the gutter. Normally, the gutters are cut horizontally in the direction of the road. But this one is cut vertically, so you don’t get your toes caught in it.
Road sign
I found another road sign!
It shows that this Manzaki highway is an old road.
On the left side, I think it says “Higashi Narita Shiba Mountain. I can’t read the right side, but I think it says “North Tonegawa Sawara”.
Shimousa Manzaki Station seen from Otake Crossing
I cross the level crossing (Otake crossing) on the west side of Shimousa-Mansaki Station.
It was almost sunset, but I was determined to make it to Ajiki Station, 4.5 km away.
The name of the place, Ajiki, is also difficult to read.
Wooden signpost indicating the Jinbei Ferry
The first character is missing, but it must be the Jinbei Ferry.
This is the place where Sogo-sama (Sakura Sogoro) took a boat to appeal directly to the Edo Shogunate for the farmers suffering from the harsh annual tribute. I’d like to go there, but I’m pressed for time, so I’ll pass this time.
Sidewalk on the Narita-Ajiki Line
The Narita-Ajiki line I am walking on now is a one-lane road with a narrow width, and cars are passing by at a high speed. It was quite scary, but I was relieved to see a sidewalk here.
After this, the road continued like this for about 2.5 kilometers.
It would have been more fun if I had taken the road to Boso Fudoki no Oka instead of crossing the railroad tracks, but I couldn’t turn back now.
Ajiki
shopping street
At the end of the monotonous 2.5km road, a shopping street appeared. But for some reason, the buildings were concentrated only on the right side of the road. There must be a reason, but I couldn’t figure it out.
Rotary in front of Ajiki Station
I finally arrived at Ajiki.
I have very little time before the train arrives. If you miss a train, you have to wait for 30 minutes.
There didn’t seem to be any ticket gates on this side of the train, so I rushed up the footbridge and looked from above…
I found out that there was no ticket gate on the other side, but rather a ticket gate at the back of the footbridge in front of the tracks.
There happened to be an elevator at the top, so I used it to get off and ran to the station building.
Ajiki Station
But I had to make sure I took one.
The train entered the line just as I passed through the ticket gate.
I was lucky to be able to board the train from the platform in front of me, and because the ticket gates now support Suica, I managed to get on the train.
Walking data
Course: Narita Line (Abiko Branch Line) Narita Station – Ajiki Station
Distance: 12.1km
Time: 2h25m
