Down on the platform at Shinagawa Station you can find some interesting items to commemorate the zero kilomoter marker which shows the start of the Yamanote Line.
You can see slightly faded in the above mark, where it says Shinawagawa 1885 and Yamonote Line Zero Post. The white marker below is positioned just opposite the Yamanote Line tracks.
I asked one of the JR station guys where it was and he had to call someone to tell me. Looks like not everyone knows about this bit of Yamanote Line history.
Japan Post have put up a post box with a sense of humor. It is the ‘zero post’.
10 comments
What is meant by “Zero Line Post”? I have never heard of that phrase before. When I first looked at that picture I was going to call that T-Rex At least that’s what it looks like to me, till you said Godzilla. I’m suprised the train guys didn’t know where it was, sorta like you see it everyday but don’t pay any attention to it, then someone has to ask about it. I wonder if anyone has tried to put letters in that box to send?
I saw your flicker photos, sure looks like a nice and peaceful area. Have you shot a round of golf yet?
will you be doing an Austrailian Conbini Monday Article?
Have fun.
Ive seen it mentioned in a brochure as being Godzilla, but it does look more like a T-Rex out of Jurasic Park. ^_^
No chance for a round of golf yet. Resting up and trying to get better. Have to visit Dr to get some blood tests done. Will try and find an Australian Conbini and do some comparison shopping. Not as much fun as the Japanese ones though 😉
Yup, what Zero Post means? I’m curious too.
Also, Godzilla forever!! ^__^
Another thing absolutely off topic, but there’s a new anime [it started last sunday] called Miracle Train, I’ve watched it today, and it’s kinda weird. As I said, totally OT, but in my head I linked your post and that anime 🙂
Nice one. I havent seen the anime yet, but want to catch it. Is this the post http://shibuya246.com/2009/09/30/ikemen-train/ ?
Yes, it’s that.
Zero kilometre post is a mile post. According to Wikipedia, “In 1845, the Railways Clauses Consolidation Act was passed, compelling UK railway companies to provide their passengers with a means of determining the distance traveled (fares were set by distance at this time). Section 94 states: “The company shall cause the length of the railway to be measured, and milestones, posts, or other conspicuous objects to be set up and maintained along the whole line thereof, at the distance of one quarter of a mile from each other, with numbers or marks inscribed thereon denoting such distances.”
Apparently, this idea of mile posts was imported from UK through the British advisers during the Meiji era. Then, as the metric system was later introduced, mile posts came to be known as kilo(metre) posts.
very nice explanation. thanks
looks great, I’ll definitely go and check it out next week…
So I’m Laurent, Belgian, just came on your page looking for pictures of the disappeared moya statue in shibuya, It’s a nice place you got here..
I don’t know if you heard about or have any interest about it, but in Belgian we got a statue of a little fellow peeing, and in hamamatsusho station there is an exact copy of it on the end of one of the tracks… hope you’ll enjoy =)
keep up the good work =)
in Belgium, not Belgian… of course, sorry
yes, that is true. I didn’t know there was one in Belgium as well. Is it related to the Hamamatsucho one?