![]() With a 2022 refurbishment of two carriages, the train now offers new scenic Tancho Cars. Found in the far northeast of Japan on the island of Hokkaido, the Fuyu-no-Shitsugen train chuffs through this national park with retro style in the winter months. Hokkaido: New cars on the steam train Fuyu-no-Shitsugenīirdwatchers and nature lovers will know the Kushiro Shitsugen wetlands, home to the endangered red-crowned crane, one of the symbols of Japan. The latter has unfortunately been suspended since August 2022 after tracks washed out following a storm, but work is reportedly underway to restore the line. The steam train trips from Takasaki (SL Gunma – SL is short for steam locomotive) and between Niigata and Aizu-Wakamatsu (SL Banetsu Monogatari) particular delights. The JR East region offers many other fabulous Joyful Train excursions. On its evening run between Kobuchizawa and Komoro stations, there’s a 50-minute stargazing experience at Nobeyama – Japan’s highest station and home to the Nobeyama telescope observatory. Scaling the Japanese Alps on the rural Koumi Line, the country’s highest railway line, the High Rail is astronomy-themed, with an onboard mini-planetarium. Introduced at the end of last year, JR East’s newest Joyful Train is found in the mountains of Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures, just over an hour northwest of Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line. The High Rail is astronomy-themed, with an onboard mini-planetarium. Keep an eye out for their return on the JR Kyushu website, and book well in advance. Several Kyushu Joyful Train schedules have been disrupted by storms washing out rural tracks in recent years. Kyushu is also home to some of Japan’s loveliest Joyful Train routes, including the wonderfully programmed long-weekend train 36+3 and the jazz music-focused A-Train. A special bento lunchbox set is also available. The name comes from the charming vintage railcars from which the Joyful Train has been converted – a KiHa 40 and KiHa 47 set.ĭon’t miss the fresh fruit and snacks on sale at the platform at Kohoku, or the sake bar in the waiting room at Hizen-Hama station – you can also make purchases to take onto the train with you. Its route begins at Takeo-Onsen and traces the old Nagasaki Main Line that the Kamome services on the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen have replaced, climbing around rocky coves, inlets and bays. To mark the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, JR Kyushu also started a new Joyful Train called the Two Stars 4047. Japan’s Joyful Trains – tourist excursion day-trip trains focusing on culture and local specialties – are a delight for travelers. The interior of Kyushu Railway Co.'s new sightseeing train, dubbed Two Stars 4047. In the meantime, passengers cross the platform to one of the Relay Kamome or other Limited Express trains to connect to the rest of Japan, usually at Shin-Tosu Shinkansen station or the Hakata station in Fukuoka.Īt Nagasaki, the newly redeveloped train station features a fantastic new dining and shopping precinct, with delicious local fare to sample – try the traditional Castella cake adapted from recipes brought by Portuguese sailors visiting Japan. Local politics means that the rest of the line has yet to be built. It’s a must-ride for any train lover, not least because of how you get to it. ![]() These have now been replaced by Kamome (Japanese for “seagull”) services aboard brand-new N700S trains featuring a smart white livery and striking cabin interiors designed by Mitooka Eiji, the Kyushu Railway Company’s design partner. A total of five stations are now complete in the hilly coastal region in far western Japan, which was previously served by slow conventional trains. The long-mooted high-speed line connecting Nagasaki to the rest of the Shinkansen (bullet train) network is now running to its interim end at Takeo-Onsen. The new Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Line is just 66 kilometers long.
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