The Junctions in Nagoya are Amazing

Up until now, I have written many articles about junctions for Daily PortalZ. Like this and this and this and this and this. (All are Japanese articles)

Yes, I write far too many.

But no, they are so cool that I have little choice in the matter.

So, I will insist that this time also, you take a look at another junction. However, this time, the setting is in Nagoya. The area that I have covered up until now has been insufficient. For some time, the seemingly plausible rumor has been whispered among Junkies that "the junctions in Nagoya are on a different level". Therefore, I belatedly went to see them for myself. Pay close attention!

Speaking of Nagoya junctions, one which has held my attention for some time is Kamiyashiro Junction. Kamiyashiro Junction is not far from Fujigaoka Station, a Linear Motor Car (Maglev) station, which happened to be a means of transportion to the location of the 2005 World Exposition held in Aichi.

At that time, I also went to the World Exposition in Aichi, but to be honest, I was more interested in Kamiyashiro Junction. This time, I was finally able to visit it, and I have been most satisfied with the experience.

Even if the World Exposition comes to an end, the junction will not. This a wonderful thing.

If you look down on it from above, it has a tear drop shape. Is it the tears of gratitude of a Junkie? The dynamic and graceful curves really represent the essence of junctions. Above all, the fact that it comes replete with a pedestrian bridge is truly wonderful. I wish to appreciate this stylish arrangement for Junkies.

Kamiyashiro Junction is something that I once came across on my travels, but "Ichinomiya Junction", on the other hand, is a specimen of junction that I first spotted in an aerial photograph, and was subsequently intrigued by.

For some reason, it was placed above water. Perhaps they are paddy fields?

I tried going from the station by foot. If you look at a map, then you will understand, but I had to walk A LOT. Seeing as I don't own a driver's licence, I didn't really have any other choice.

In this particular location, there is nothing but rice paddies, and even as I drew closer to the junction, it still appeared as if it was far away and so I experienced a strangely powerful emotion. In other words, my target was enormous and yet its surroundings were completely empty. Therefore, it seemed as if the junction was not at all getting closer. I think this kind of emotion is similar to that which one gets from seeing the mirage of an oasis in the middle of a desert.
The water in question is on the opposite side of the above photograph. Well then, what exactly was it?

When I investigated into this, it turned out that this was used for storing rainwater that falls onto the highways, so that they do not flood. In other words, it was a kind of retention basin.

This kind of thing happens, doesn't it? Moreover, they are located underneath junctions. The scenery is not particularly breathtaking, but once you know what it is, it is extremely interesting.

The one that I next set my sights on was Kusunoki Junction. There are many other junctions that I wished to visit, but I had neither time nor a car. And I won't know whether or not they have beautiful junction scenery unless I go and see them. It's a rather bitter thing you know - junction appreciation. But I suppose I do it because I enjoy it.

By the way, next to Kusunoki Junction there is another retention basin. It is the park that's visible in the upper-left corner of the aerial photograph above.

Next to both this junction and Ichinomiya Junction, there runs a river and the land is low. It's so cool how such an enormous transportation infrastructure and this kind of flood control structure are next-door neighbours. It's cool, you know. It's so cool.

Now, this time when I went around Nagoya's junctions, the most impressive was Kiyosu Junction. Its scale, complexity, the difficulty of walking to it, and its loneliness, all make it a first-class specimen.

It was so cool that I want you to be able to see it too.