Hello, my name is Amanda, and I am the new Coordinator of International Relations for Nagareyama City Hall’s Nagareyama Honcho/Tone Unga Tourism Promotion Section, as of July 2023. I am originally from San Diego, California, which is known for its beaches and tacos. I hope to become a bridge that connects the cool sights and spots of Nagareyama to the rest of the world!

One of the very first events I helped out at upon arriving in Nagareyama last year, was the “Ryutetsu Beer Train” event. Every year around September, guests can enjoy locally brewed craft beer, like Nagareyama Beer, right on the historic train tracks of the Ryutetsu Nagareyama Train Line, for one single night. Having basically arrived fresh off the plane from the United States, the first thing I was reminded of was the famous book “The Great Gatsby.”

The novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is required reading for high schoolers all across the United States. Set during the 1920s Prohibition Era, the book reflects many elements from that time period like jazz music, and establishments known as “speakeasies,” which were secret bars that sold alcohol (which at the time was illegal). Due to the influence of this novel, many Americans today have fallen in love with the idea of 1920s era nostalgia, especially secret doors disguised as bookshelves and fireplaces, that open up to cool, hidden bars with light jazz music playing in the background.

The Ryutetsu Beer Train event looked like it was taken straight out of a scene from “The Great Gatsby.” Though Nagareyama Station looked like an ordinary station from the entrance, when you walked through the dark back entrance of the Ryutetsu’s train yard, you almost felt as though you somehow slipped back through time into a speakeasy from the 1920s. The lively, bustling scenery of the event, the live jazz music being performed onstage, and the overall retro ambiance of the train yard and lights, allowed guests to get a taste of what America back in the 1920s may have been like in the eyes of Fitzgerald.

Guests also had a fun time sampling the local gourmet and craft beer from different parts of Nagareyama and Matsudo. From Nagareyama Bombay’s Wagyu Beef Curry, to Matsudo Beer, everyone enjoyed the cuisine that has captured the hearts of the locals. Many people sat back and took in the history of the surrounding Ryutetsu trains and tracks, along with the smooth sax music and live jazz band performances that took everyone on a trip back through time. If you find yourself in Nagareyama around this time of year, why not buy a ticket to come aboard for this one-of-a-kind experience?