I will roughly introduce the route from Aizu-Wakamatsu station to Aizu-Kawaguchi that the train takes at present.
First, the train departs from Aizu-Wakamatsu station,
and runs through a residential area.
After the train runs across the Aga river (阿賀川 Aga-gawa), the landscape changes completely, and the train runs through the Aizu basin surrounded by mountains.
Aizu is known for its rice, so rice fields extend into the distance.
If the weather is good, you can see Mount Bandai (磐梯山 Bandai-san) from the right side train window.
The train runs through the countryside and each of towns in the Aizu plain for a while (about three-quarters of an hour).
The train enters a mountain area, after passing Aizu-Bange station (会津坂下駅 Aizu-bange-eki).
From here on, you might feel it strange that cedar forests appear.
Almost all the cedar forests were planted after world war Ⅱ because of a growing demand for wood
.
This is not such a nice view, which is a pity.
However, It is planned to cut down some cedars for improving the view in future.
Moving on, the train enters the Okuaizu (奥会津) area after passing through the mountain forest.
First, the train arrives in Yanaizu (柳津町 Yanaizu-machi).
Yanaizu is a tourist town that has a big historic temple and inns with hot-springs, though you might not catch sight of them from the train.
From here on, you will often see the scenery of typical Japanese mountain villages which are quite different from urban areas.
After the train passes through Yanaizu, there are a lot of bridges and tunnels.
I hope you aren’t scared of heights.
The train arrives in Mishima (三島町 Mishima-machi) after Yanaizu.
The first bridge (第一橋梁 Daiichi-kyōryō) which became quite famous by the appearance in magazines and a TV commercial is located in the area, so a lot of railway photography fans visit for taking photos of the moments a train pass on the bridge.
Your train may be taken by them.
Miyashita (宮下 Miyashita) area in Mishima prospered when a dam was being built.
The train passes by the dam called Miyashita dam (宮下ダム Miyashita-dam).
The Miyashita dam was the first dam built on the Tadami river with history.
From here, the train runs alongside the river.
That continues for a while.
When the train arrives Kaneyama (金山町 Kaneyama-machi), you will find many traditional Japanese-style old houses.
In addition, the natural feature of the area takes on a unique landscape.
You will find traces of erosion by avalanches on surfaces of the mountains.
In Ōshi (大志) area of Kaneyama, a village is by the river.
The village is a peaceful and very picturesque and has been used for a TV commercial.
The run will reach the end of the line after there soon.
This is Aizu-Kawaguchi station (会津川口駅 Aizu-Kawaguchi-eki), which is currently the terminal station.
It usually takes two hours to the station.
As for the route after passing the station, just look forward to the reopening of the line in 2022.
Added on 1st June 2023 ↓
I will introduce the route from Aizu Kawaguchi Station to Tadami Station, which reopened last year.
This is the Nojiri River Bridge, which is just past Aizu Kawaguchi Station.
I wonder how many people were waiting for the day when the trains would cross this bridge.
This is the 5th Tadami River Bridge.
It is one of the bridges that suffered significant damage in the 2011 flood, but the destroyed sections have been rebuilt.
This is the Honna district in Kaneyama.
Honna Station is here, surrounded by a village.
When the Tadami Line reopened, the local residents could be seen waving in welcome when the trains passed.
The surroundings of the station are well-maintained, and it has become a place of pride for the community.
This is the 6th Tadami River bridge, which is in front of the Honna Dam.
In the flood of 2011, the bridge suffered significant damage from the direct impact of the dam's discharge.
The reconstruction work was extremely challenging, and there were accidents.
This time, the construction style has been changed, building a truss bridge without any bridge piers.
I think it is quite unusual to have a bridge crossing directly in front of a dam like this.
This is the Yokota district in Kaneyama.
With some shops and a ramen restaurant, it's a rather lively area.
There is also an elementary school here.
The children must have been very excited when they saw the trains running on the Tadami Line from their school building.
The 7th bridge was completely destroyed in that flood, but has been rebuilt with the same structure as the 6th bridge.
This is Tadami.
It has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and is surrounded by magnificent nature.
On the other hand, you will also see that many people are living in the area.
This is the 8th Tadami River Bridge.
The scenery including the 8th Tadami River Bridge is one of the most popular spots along the Tadami Line.
The Kanotsu River Bridge is a bridge with a large curve.
It was completed over 60 years ago when cars were not yet widely used, the local residents in this remote mountainous area must have been amazed by such a bridge and the trains passing overhead.
This bridge has also been a popular spot in the reopened section.
This is the central area of Tadami, where you can see Tadami High School and Tadami Elementary School.
The school in the remote mountains has an impressive school building.
Shortly after passing the elementary school, you will arrive at Tadami Station.
It may not be clear in the photo, but if you look closely, you can see the towering presence of the Tagokura Dam in the far center.
And this is Tadami Station.
With hotels and a tourist information center near the station, it's a very lively town.
The town developed owing to power generation projects such as the construction of the Tadami Dam about 60 years ago.
This marks the end of the reopened section of the Tadami Line.
From here, the line continues to Oshirakawa Station in Niigata Prefecture.