New trains and new routes to travel in Japan

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Touring by train in Japan is a single of the miracles of our modern earth, regardless of whether that’s whizzing as a result of the countryside on the Shinkansen at up to 320 kilometers for every hour (200 mph), stress-free on a comfortable regional express train (known as Limited Specific trains in Japan) or enjoying a peek into Japanese culture on a ‘Joyful Train’ day-vacation excursion.

With Japan shut for so substantially of 2020-2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people who missed driving the country’s trains have numerous new choices.

So if you have not been to Japan for a few yrs or are preparing your first pay a visit to, listed here are some of the great new – and refurbished – trains to set on your checklist.

The extended-mooted significant-pace line connecting Nagasaki to the relaxation of the Shinkansen (bullet train) network is now functioning to its interim finish at Takeo-Onsen. A complete of five stations are now comprehensive in the hilly coastal region in considerably western Japan, which was beforehand served by sluggish conventional trains.

These have now been replaced by Kamome (Japanese for “seagull”) products and services aboard brand name-new N700S trains featuring a intelligent white livery and placing cabin interiors intended by Mitooka Eiji, the Kyushu Railway Company’s style husband or wife. It’s a need to-ride for any educate lover, not the very least mainly because of how you get to it.

Local politics suggests that the relaxation of the line has still to be developed. In the meantime, passengers cross the system to one of the Relay Kamome or other Constrained Categorical trains to join to the rest of Japan, typically at Shin-Tosu Shinkansen station or the Hakata station in Fukuoka.

At Nagasaki, the recently redeveloped prepare station options a amazing new dining and searching precinct, with delicious area fare to sample – try out the common Castella cake adapted from recipes introduced by Portuguese sailors browsing Japan.

Japan’s Joyful Trains – tourist tour day-journey trains concentrating on society and area specialties – are a delight for travelers. To mark the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, JR Kyushu also started off a new Joyful Prepare named the Two Stars 4047.

Its route starts at Takeo-Onsen and traces the aged Nagasaki Major Line that the Kamome solutions on the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen have changed, climbing all around rocky coves, inlets and bays.

The identify comes from the charming classic railcars from which the Joyful Practice has been transformed – a KiHa 40 and KiHa 47 set.

Really do not skip the fresh fruit and treats on sale at the platform at Kohoku, or the sake bar in the waiting around room at Hizen-Hama station – you can also make buys to consider on to the practice with you. A unique bento lunchbox set is also accessible.

Kyushu is also home to some of Japan’s loveliest Joyful Prepare routes, like the incredibly programmed lengthy-weekend teach 36+3 and the jazz audio-centered A-Educate.

Various Kyushu Joyful Coach schedules have been disrupted by storms washing out rural tracks in the latest decades. Continue to keep an eye out for their return on the JR Kyushu web page, and book perfectly in progress.

In the mountainous location west of Osaka, JR West’s new vibrant pink Sakubi Sakura educate wends its way north from Okayama to the very hot springs location in close proximity to Tsuyama.

The teach itself is an atmospheric old KiHa 40 railcar that has put in far more than 40 yrs in service in the area, and the within is a classic eco-friendly and wooden shade – no pink overload when you’re inside the train.

The prepare, which operates on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, features distinctive lunch bins and dessert sets to take pleasure in as you trundle via the countryside.

The “Limited Convey Spacia X,” a collection of new N100 trains from non-public coach line Tobu Railway, choose to the rails this July. It will give 6 different forms of seating alternatives – the Cockpit Suite at the entrance of the teach, private compartments, the Cockpit Lounge café zone, semi-personal Box Seats, wider High quality Seats and typical seats.

Jogging involving Asakusa station in Tokyo and the Tochigi prefecture towns of Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen, these new trains look set to make escaping Tokyo for a split in the countryside north of the metropolis a must-do.

Launched at the close of very last calendar year, JR East’s newest Joyful Practice is found in the mountains of Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures, just about an hour northwest of Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.

Scaling the Japanese Alps on the rural Koumi Line, the country’s highest railway line, the Large Rail is astronomy-themed, with an onboard mini-planetarium. On its night operate concerning Kobuchizawa and Komoro stations, there is a 50-minute stargazing experience at Nobeyama – Japan’s best station and residence to the Nobeyama telescope observatory.

The JR East region provides a lot of other wonderful Joyful Practice excursions. The steam teach excursions from Takasaki (SL Gunma – SL is shorter for steam locomotive) and involving Niigata and Aizu-Wakamatsu (SL Banetsu Monogatari) individual delights. The latter has unfortunately been suspended since August 2022 right after tracks washed out pursuing a storm, but operate is reportedly underway to restore the line.

Birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts will know the Kushiro Shitsugen wetlands, property to the endangered red-topped crane, one particular of the symbols of Japan. Observed in the considerably northeast of Japan on the island of Hokkaido, the Fuyu-no-Shitsugen practice chuffs by this nationwide park with retro fashion in the wintertime months.

With a 2022 refurbishment of two carriages, the prepare now offers new scenic Tancho Automobiles. On just one aspect, seats face out toward the wetlands, with elevated box seats on the other side, letting a view more than the heads of all those travellers from the other facet of the teach.