Photo/Illutration Local officials bring their bicycles on a Cycle Train for a test operation at Kami-Sugaya Station in Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture. (Keitaro Nishizaki)

NAKA, Ibaraki Prefecture--Bicycles are allowed on some trains on the JR Suigun Line to bring cyclists closer to routes along the Kujigawa river and in the Oku-kuji countryside area, East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) said.

Under a demo experiment for the Cycle Train service, unbagged bicycles can be brought on trains operated from 9 a.m. to around 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays between Kami-Sugaya Station in Naka and Iwaki-Tanakura Station in Tanakura, Fukushima Prefecture, and between Kami-Sugaya Station and Hitachi-Ota Station in Hitachi-Ota, in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture.

Cyclists can bring their bikes on the trains at manned Kami-Sugaya, Hitachi-Omiya (Hitachi-Omiya, Ibaraki Prefecture), Hitachi-Daigo (Daigo, Ibaraki Prefecture), Iwaki-Tanakura and Hitachi-Ota stations.

“We want to promote the Suigun Line with the help of local residents,” said Shuho Kuratomi, marketing manager of JR East’s Mito Branch Office.

A major attraction in the area is the Fukuroda no Taki waterfall, one of the three most renowned waterfalls in Japan, located about 6.5 kilometers from Hitachi-Daigo Station.

A trial run of a Cycle Train was conducted on April 28 for local officials and other parties.

Takuto Nakajima, 41, who works at the Ibaraki prefectural office, said he usually goes cycling at the Tsukuba Kasumigaura Ring Ring Road route around Lake Kasumigaura in the southern part of the prefecture.

“From now on, I want to use the Cycle Train and enjoy cycling in areas near the Kujigawa river and Mount Yamizosan,” he said.

Pre-registration is required at an exclusive website: (https://www.jreast.co.jp/mito/suiguncycletrain/). The service is available until Sept. 26. 

For inquiries, call JR East’s customer support at 050-2016-1603.

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