A DAY-TRIP FROM TOKYO PT.2 Slow Train in Springtime Chiba

Our traveler on this episode of Journeys in Japan is Armenian writer and model Mari Khunoian, who studied Japanese at Moscow State University. The self-described railway enthusiast sometimes contributes articles to a Russian railway journal. She visits a morning market held at the Isumi Shrine since the Edo period (1603-1867) and enjoys the Edo atmosphere at the former castle town. Mari also meets a former electronics salesperson whose passion for the Isumi Railway led to a second career as a train driver, and stays in a traditional home converted into an inn. To top the trip, she enjoys the rape blossoms she sees along the way, which are served in a vegan sushi dish.