Rising Rays of the New Century: Tale of the Japanese Empire

Shining Night Kamaitachi

The next evening, a man was standing at the west exit of the newly renovated Yokohama Station. He was wearing a hat, but the women walking around him were struck by his handsome face, which could be seen through the hat.

'...But, Tsukigami-sensei, you sure do stand out.'

Amid the crowd, Yadoya was carrying a telescope and a camera. He was spotting his advisor from afar, who was attracting the attention of people passing by. He then waded through the somewhat fidgety crowd and ran up to the waiting man, Tsukigami.

"...Tsukigami-sensei, you're here."

"Oh, Yadoya-kun."

Tsukigami spoke to Yadoya, the club president, in a friendly manner without paying attention to the gazes of the women passing by. After that, Koba and Teru showed up about two minutes later.

"Sorry! I'm a bit late!"

"Me too... I misjudged the time a bit."

The two apologized for their tardiness. Koba was delayed by the bus he was on, and Teru was slightly late because she was late finishing some work at home. Tsukigami smiled and said, "No problem." Yadoya then began to confirm the schedule for the rest of the day.

"From this Yokohama Station, we will change trains at Kanazawa-Hakkei and get off at Sea Park South Exit. There I will aim to photograph the Lyrid Meteor Shower, which will peak at 9 o'clock tonight. To be honest, it depends on my luck whether I can capture it well on camera, but I think I can take good pictures just by shooting the starry sky."

The Sea Park is Yokohama's only beak, which was established in the 20th century. Even now, in the 22nd century, the park is still a popular recreational spot for Yokohama citizens. Yadoya chose this location as his observation point because, although it is located in the city, it is a vast park and, if he chose the right spot, he would be able to avoid the city lights.

"Well then... let's go."

"Yeah!"

Under Tsukigami's leadership, the three Astronomy Club members entered Yokohama Station. The station building has undergone a great deal of change since the 21st century due to repeated additions and renovations. The timetable projected in the air is changing rapidly, and many people come and go like a big wave. The Linear Central Shinkansen, which starts from Shinagawa Station in Tokyo, has been in operation for more than 70 years, and it is now the main means of long-distance travel over regional areas. The Tokaido Shinkansen, which runs through Yokohama Station, has undergone extensive repairs and has been reborn.

Now in the 22nd century, the Linear Shinkansen has expanded its route to include the Sendai-Tokyo-Hiroshima route. It coexisted with the conventional Shinkansen, which runs on electric power, while sharing roles.

As for other modes of transportation, electric cars have become the mainstream for automobiles, with automatic driving as standard equipment. Subways and conventional lines were fully automated in urban areas.

Near the jogging course, Sea Park

After taking a driverless train to the Sea Park South Exit Station, the Astronomy Club members arrived at the Sea Park with their observation equipment. And now they were in a forest that blocked the light of the city. Yadoya set up a tripod and attached an equatorial mount and an astronomical telescope to it. He also set up an SLR camera and pointed its lens at the starry sky.

"...Okay, installation complete! Now all we have to do is wait for the meteors to appear on the camera."

Yadoya finished setting up the telescope. Koba laid out the leisure sheet he had brought on the lawn. He even took out a portable electric kettle and instant coffee.