SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

RocketNews24 Japanese

Featured

West Japan’s new sleeper train looks more luxurious than most hotels

ST 1

While the typical itinerary for visitors to Japan is Tokyo, Kyoto, and then home, western Japan has a lot to offer. As a matter of fact, as I type this, I’m just about to leave for a few days of enjoying the beautiful sights and delicious food of Hiroshima Prefecture.

In order to maximize my time there, I’m hopping on an overnight bus. But while that’ll get me there bright and early, it’s not nearly as stylish as the new sleeper train that was just announced by Japan Railways.

As part of a push to bring more travelers to the region’s natural and cultural attractions, JR West is crafting a train to ensure that the journey really is just as enjoyable as the destination.

Leading the design process is Kazuya Ura, designer of Kyoto’s Geihinkan, which provides lodging for visiting heads of state. The exterior is being handled by award-winning train designer Fukuda Tetsuo, and famed food columnist and media personality Takeshi Kadokami is helping to develop the dining car’s menu.

The team’s stated goal is to create “a hotel that travels through the beautiful countryside of Japan,” in a way that combines luxury and relaxing comfort. With power coming from a hybrid diesel/electric motor, six of the train’s 10 cars will be reserved for passenger sleeping space. Two more will be used for the dining car and a lounge, and the cars at either end will include observation areas where those aboard can gaze out at the landscape flowing by.

Two classes of room will be available, with the smaller type, which occupies a third of a car, still looking plenty roomy.

The more spacious class, on the other hand, takes up an entire car of the train for the ultimate in Japanese rail luxury

These rooms also feature private bathrooms, plus balconies, although JR West is yet to provide any mock-ups of the latter.

▼ This bathroom genuinely has more floorspace than the first apartment I rented in Japan.

Well, I’m convinced. Time to cancel my overnight bus reservation and call up JR so I can travel in style! After all, JR says the new sleeper train will run through the Kyoto, Osaka, and Sanyo regions, and the last just happens to be where Hiroshima is.

What’s that? The new sleeper train goes into service in 2017?

Next time JR, next time.

Sources: JR West Japan, Tetsudo Shimbun
Images: JR West Japan
[ Read in Japanese ]

Like this:

Like Loading…

Related Stories

Trackbacks

  1. There are no trackbacks yet.
  2. Trackback URL

Trending Today

  1. Liquid croissant coffee is coming to Japanese stores this month
  2. Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
  3. Continuing cyberattacks hit Japanese arcade hard [Photos]
  4. Pachinko parlor operator arrested for not obscuring the act of gambling well enough
  5. First-ever cafe on Tokyo Imperial Palace Garden grounds is now open
  6. Pokémon doughnuts pop up at Mister Donut, with a new gathering that’s bigger than ever
  7. Starbucks Japan reveals this year’s lucky bag, but you’ll have to act fast to get one
  8. Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
  9. Tokyo to build new crematoriums to meet surging demand
  10. Discount retailers known for massive bargains releases massive Japanese egg sandwich

© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION

Powered by WordPress VIP

%d