ABSTRACT
In 2004, I traveled by rail from Hirosaki in Aomori prefecture through the mountains of Akita to Kakunodate, a remarkable journey into majestic forests, across wild rivers, and past ancient farm houses. The elegance and calmness of the rural people as they went about their work or boarded the train left a deep impression (a remarkable photobook is Kudō 2006). A few years later, I was back, this time in winter. The silvery beauty of the landscape, the brilliant blue skies and lashing blizzards remain unforgettable. I was thus alarmed to find that the AN was on the list of railways earmarked for closure, as deficits had reached astronomic levels (Ikawa, 2010; Satō and Yamashita, 2012).
