The Yamate Tunnel is due to open at the end of March 2010, helping to provide a second circular road for highway traffic in Tokyo. This section of the road includes a very interesting tunnel and ramp known as Ohashi Junction. Today was the tunnel walk for the public which I took part in.
Blue and red color coding helping drivers remember which way to go.
Left (blue) for the Tomei Highway, right (red) for the Inner City Highway route. These colors were also followed through on the road below to help drivers steer their course.
It was raining outside, but inside the tunnel the weather was fine and quite warm.
At ground level the road looked really clean.
Inside the tunnel it looked as if Disneyland had been set up.
Looking back down the Yamate Tunnel towards the entrance.
Some of the illuminated archways people could walk through.
The colors on the arches changed every few seconds.
A display of lights also was shown on the roof of the tunnel.
Inside the tunnel it seemed like a Christmas illumination show at times.
Plenty of people were taking a look at the many rescue trucks on display.
There were various demonstrations being given. This one was showing people how to use the tunnels manual fire hose systems.
As the tunnel curves around it gets quite wide.
The sliding fire escape door which leads to the emergency stairs.
Bumped in to @lhuga and her crew whilst in the tunnel.
The tunnel splits between heading for the Tomei Highway and the Inner City Highway.
Up ahead you can see the existing highway where the tunnel traffic can merge onto.
A good opportunity here for people to get a souvenir photo in front of the official sign.
Looks like we have a broken down vehicle in the left lane here.
Nice large crash barrier looking very clean. Lets hope no one needs to use this.
Getting the chance to ride in the fire truck had many people lining up. This was probably the most popular attraction.
Let’s hope that not too many people need the fire truck called out to them when they are in the tunnel.
A few uniforms waiting for the next group to try them on.
Displays by the fire crew allowed you to sit in the fire truck and also try on some of their protective clothing.
Fire Chief at your service.
Ambulance on standby
The Love Tokyo sticker on this fire truck looks great.
One of the many patrol cars.
This Mazda 8 police car was getting quite a lot of attention by people.
A police bike gets checked out.
The Tokyo Smart Driver sticker looks good here.
The Tokyo Rescue logo on the fire and rescue truck.
These bikes are special patrol bikes for checking close up what is happening on the route. These are not police opearted by the police but by the Highway company.
A very colorful display set up in the middle of the tunnel.
Walking back down the tunnel passing through the illuminations.
There was a video racing game set up for the kids with the screen projected on to the tunnel wall. The sound of the racing cars echoed through the tunnel which was a nice effect.
The 3km walking course set up inside the tunnel.
Mr ETC made an appearance in plastic form. I hadn’t seen this character before except on TV.
Lots of photos being taken of this Highway character. Not sure why he has the mask on. Maybe to cut down on the exhaust fumes?
A closer look at the Highway character. Like his hat.
Nice clear signs above and color coded markings on the road make it easy for drivers to see which lane they should be in at an early stage.
Some of the pictures taken during the construction phase had been projected onto the tunnel wall in black and white. Nice effect.
The construction calendar shows the progress points for the Ohashi Junction work.
A scale model of the Ohashi Junction and highway.
A closer look at the calendar showing construction progress, including some pictures of the various stages completed.
Displays on the tunnel wall showed what type of equipment had been used to help construct the tunnel. This picture shows the large cutting shield machine, which weighs the equivalent of 11 jumbo jets!
One of the components that make up the huge cutting machine which carved the tunnel.
A few folks getting a closer look at the cutting machine.
A school orchestra provided some music and entertainment inside the tunnel during the day.
The children’s orchestra gets ready to play. The Omedeto sign is missing a character in the middle. Also, I thought it was o-me-de-to-u, not o-me-de-to-o, but then realised that these signs are printed on both sides for people to read walking in both directions.
One of the many sensors in the tunnel to look for any sign of trouble.
The cable and box running to the machine that checks for the sign of any changes in the tunnels structure.
The tunnel looks a little narrow here, but once you get further down it widens out quite a bit.
These devices help to send back signals showing whether the road is crowded or not. That information is then used in the VICS road reports which can tell you in advance whether to take a different route.
Breakdowns can be called in from these phones that are places along the way.
Can you make out what kanji sign I have the camera sitting on top of?
SOS calls can be made through this phone.
Plate marks are set along the route, Shibuya A – 28
Loads of red on display and a few face masks in the crowd as well.
Just another day walking to school through the Yamate Tunnel. Well for today only 🙂
At times the traffic in the tunnel was getting quite crowded just with pedestrians. Once the cars roll threw it will be a different scene.
Everyone was keeping to the main asphalt track and not crashing in to the cones or wall.
Recognize anyone in the photo here. Strange who you bump into in the Tokyo tunnels.
I liked the image of the child running down the road while everyone else is getting into their lane.
A very clear sign here.
A little bit of traffic crossing the sign. Straighten up guys!
Looks like these guys didn’t notice the direction of the arrow.
My friend starting using Ustream from his iPhone recently and recorded this drive on the highway in Tokyo tonight. He was driving back from the golf range...
The Incline at Keage in Kyoto is the old train line where barges would come down from Lake Biwa to Kyoto. Close to Nanzenji, where you can still see the...
Kiyamachi Dori in Kyoto is one of the well known streets in Kyoto city. The Takase river which was built in the 1600's to transport materials and goods between...
A couple of weeks ago I took a walk along the road leading up to Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in Meiji Jingu Gaien. It is 300 metres long and lined with...
I visited Suzumushi Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto in Summer and enjoyed the speech given by the monks there. It was not a large Temple and the grounds were not...
The Tokyo Midtown office and shopping complex in Roppongi is a great place for a Sunday afternoon stroll. The garden area is full of greenery, and when you are...
Waw, that’s amazing, that tunnel looks so high tech and clean! 0_0
Got to admire Japanese construction for that, wish they cared for their work as much here and were as diligent. Over here tunnels look like a dirty, dilapidated mess even when they’re new and are never that clean to begin with.
http://bit.ly/a2qW2a Looks exactly like a Disney set up. Maybe Tokyo Disney did help w/the light set up. Another great photo shoot. We do not have any tunnels to go through. Just miles and miles of free ways. Sometimes they let the people walk across a new bridge but that’s about it. who is that women in that group photo you took? don’t reconize her. And everythig is so shiny and clean. Everyone looks like they are having a great time. Even the equipment is shiny looking. A huge Domo Arigato to you for a wonderful photo shoot everything matches perfectly.
Cool photos. The light displays set up in the tunnel look remarkably like the ones set up by the Tokyo Dome around Christmas time. Wouldn’t surprise me if they’re the same one.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet. Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Ads Settings. https://www.google.com/settings/ads
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Waw, that’s amazing, that tunnel looks so high tech and clean! 0_0
Got to admire Japanese construction for that, wish they cared for their work as much here and were as diligent. Over here tunnels look like a dirty, dilapidated mess even when they’re new and are never that clean to begin with.
I thought the same thing, good and clean.
If they could just spread that too in EU!
Another unique experience. Thanks for keeping us in the loop – literally!
Wow, nice photos! すげーこれ！
very nice lights, are they going to keep them or is this only for promotion?
how long is this walk for a person?
about 70 minutes or so
I was incredibly struk by the power of the colors.
This looks like a pro shooting session, I am really impressed.
Most of the frames catch perfectly the spirit of the event, again A+ on that man!
Thanks for the 67 pics, that was hard work to take ’em, post ’em and comment ’em 🙂
How many pics were actually taken that night?
Thank you. Glad you think they were good. After losing my hard drive I was feeling lost without all the old photos 🙂
Don’t think I’ve ever heard of events like this here in the US. Very interesting stuff.
http://bit.ly/a2qW2a Looks exactly like a Disney set up. Maybe Tokyo Disney did help w/the light set up. Another great photo shoot. We do not have any tunnels to go through. Just miles and miles of free ways. Sometimes they let the people walk across a new bridge but that’s about it. who is that women in that group photo you took? don’t reconize her. And everythig is so shiny and clean. Everyone looks like they are having a great time. Even the equipment is shiny looking. A huge Domo Arigato to you for a wonderful photo shoot everything matches perfectly.
@lhuga
Cool photos. The light displays set up in the tunnel look remarkably like the ones set up by the Tokyo Dome around Christmas time. Wouldn’t surprise me if they’re the same one.
could be the same ones 🙂
Those are great.
Very interesting, I didn’t know about this kind of event.
I will always be “bikkuri” by Japan.
Fail!
You!
well spotted. hadnt seen that 🙂