Welcome to this week’s Quick Takes! Let’s dig into the news of the week!
- Koyasan Cable Car will return in March: Koyasan Cable Car line to Mount Koya was out of service with equipment upgrade and vehicle replacement work since last November. The service is now scheduled to reopen by March 1st, with a new vehicle. The current shuttle bus service from Hashimoto Station up the mount will stop on the same day.
- Minato Mirai Line adding free Wifi: Yokohama Minatomirai Railway had joined the ranks of railways to offer free Wifi on board. The Wifi offering will be compatible with the national-wide “Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi” service. Every login (by e-mail address or social media) will provide 60 minutes of free connection.
- Moji Station grand opening after restoration: In previous issues of Quick Takes, we had reported the renovation of Moji Station, a historical train station in Kyushu. The renovation is now completed, and the reopening ceremony will be on March 10th. Along with the ceremony, there will be a special display of the original steam locomotive for the SL Hitoyoshi as well. If you are in Fukuoka on that day, the ride to Moji takes only half an hour on Shinkansen, plus transfer at Kokura for Kagoshima Main Line.
- New Manga Hotel opening in Jinbocho : Recently, there’s a trend of capsule hotels crossing over with library/book store in Japan. It’s could be a bit rough for older guys like me (i.e. couldn’t sleep in capsules anymore). it has appeals to people who want a different experience. A new one called Manga Art Hotel had just opened this week in Jinbocho, the bookstore and publishing hub in Tokyo. It boasts a manga collection of 5000, curated to represent artistic values. All mangas are available for purchase. On the hotel part, it looks quite comfy, with wide beds, modernistic amenities, an open-air terrace (take a look on their official site).
That’s it for this week. It’s a bit slow on the news, yet a lot of you are subscribing to the newsletter. Thank you for your support! Subscribers will receive Quick Takes earlier than everyone else, so if you want your weekly news quick, subscribe now!