When I went to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, I had the opportunity to learn about the creation of the Hiroshima Carp baseball team through a manga I had purchased about the reconstruction effort after Hiroshima was decimated by an atom bomb.
While I’m not a Hiroshima Carp fan (I’m a Yomiuri Giants fan), I have respected the team and its dedicated fans, especially for the city that wholeheartedly supports their team.
Back in 1949, to bring hope to Hiroshima, the prefecture decided to establish a professional baseball team as part of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) League to split to two different leagues.
The team was named Hiroshima Carp derived from the koi fish which climbed the rapids of Hiroshima Castle.
While the team had no sponsorship and were dead last from 1950-1951, when it was discussed to disband the team or the team to merge with the Taiyo Whales (who would later become the Yokohama DeNA Baystars), the people of Hiroshima protested and raise the money through donations.
The full name of the team is Hiroshima Toyo Carp and is owned by the Matsuda family, led by Matsuda Hajime (the descendant of Matsuda Jujiro who created Mazda). Mazda owns 34.2% of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and the Matsuda family owns 60%. Where the “Toyo” comes in is that Mazda’s official company name is Toyo Kogyo Co. Ltd.
To this day, the people of Hiroshima are deeply passionate about the Hiroshima Carp. Unlike other locations and stadiums I have visited, the Hiroshima Carp fans fill the stadiums to the point that its hard to get a visiting team because many Carp fans attend.
The city has Hiroshima Carp throughout the city, inside the station, outside the station, at stores, restaurants, you name it.
But my stay in Hiroshima was great and I actually loved visiting and want to visit the location again!
When I heard that the Geibi Line (a railway line of West Japan Railway Company/JR WEST) was trying to raise awareness and donations with a the Hiroshima Carp tie in titled “Meeting to Run the Carp on the Geibi Line” courtesy of the volunteers of Shobara City residents, I wanted to support the line from afar by purchasing the TOMIX model train.
Starting on November 28, 2021, the campaign was to end on March 2023, but because of its popularity, it was extended through December 2023. So, people can continue to see this train on the Geibi Line and Fukuen Line.
Image Source: Tabetainjya.com
The KiHa 120 is a single-car diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) on its rural lines.
As for the KiHa 120-300, 59 third-batch cars were built between 1994 and 1996 including 19 cars built at JR-West’s Goto Works. These trains were built with some having transverse seating and modified in 2005 to include toilets.
One of the things that I wanted to see for myself was how well it was reproduced and all I can say is the wrapping is fantastic! TOMIX did a wonderful job with the reproduction of the wrap but also for a single car, giving owners more for their money. You get images of their mascot Slyly (yes, he looks like the Philadelphia Phillies mascot Phillie Phanatic, but interesting fact, the two are half brothers) and the popular Hiroshima Toyo Carp Boy featured throughout the wrapping.
Just a side note on Slyly, he was designed by Harrison/Erickson who created Phillie Phanatic.
For one, this train is a KiHa 120-300 and many of these KiHA 120’s get the additional interior LED lights and for the price of the train to have interior LED lights, that was fantastic!
This is a single train, so no secondary passenger train is included. But it does have couplers, so you can connect another train to it if you wish.
There is no pantograph, so no need to worry about that.
But this train has wonderful details from the smallest symbols to the Hiroshima Carp wrapping.
The train also comes with head and tail-lights. A switch bar is included. But for the most part, this train really rocks for its price point!
Please click on the video below to see the LED lights!
But overall, the TOMIX 9479 J.R. Diesel Train Type KiHa 120-300 (Geibi Line) – Hiroshima Carp Wrapping is highly recommended!
