SoraNews24 —Japan News—
Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
-
TOP
» Japan
-
» Beautiful Japanese sightseeing train will be unforgettable way to travel country’s north island
Featured
- Weird
- Studio Ghibli
- Jobs
Beautiful Japanese sightseeing train will be unforgettable way to travel country’s north island
Casey Baseel Feb 17, 2019- Tweet

The Royal Express is coming to Hokkaido, but if you can’t wait, it’s already running in the Tokyo area.
The efficiency of Japan’s commuter trains can’t be overstated. The rail networks that service Tokyo and other urban population centers are all about getting as many people as possible to their schools and offices with maximum efficiency, and they do an incredible job meeting that goal.
But Japan is also a country that loves hospitality and for-fun travel, and when train designers put their skills towards those goals they can do some amazing things too.
Seen here is the exquisitely designed Royal Express, a sightseeing train operated by Tokyu Dentetsu, one of the major private railway companies in the Tokyo area. The eight-car train’s amenities are a far cry from the plasticky bench seats and hanging straps of ordinary trains, instead inviting passengers to take a seat on elegantly upholstered seating as they relax and enjoy the journey.
▼ Yes, that is a piano. Not pictured the violinist who also provides live musical accompaniment to meals served in the Platinum Class dining car.
Extensive use is made of traditional Japanese kumiko-style wooden latticework, and the ceilings are also exercises in expressive aesthetics.
Even the kids’ play area, which includes a “picture book library” collection of children’s literature, is beautifully appointed, with a “wooden pool” instead of standard plastic ball pit.
▼ Family seats in the kids’ area have spacious desks, great for reading or other activities.
And should you be thinking the Royal Express looks fancy enough to be a wedding venue, that’s also an option in the event space car, which can also be booked for art exhibitions or conferences.
Ordinarily, the Royal Express runs between Yokohama (roughly 30 minutes south of Tokyo) and the beautiful seaside town of Shimoda, about three hours down the coast in Shizuoka Prefecture.
However, it’s been announced that in 2020, thanks to a special agreement between Tokyu and Japan Railways Hokkaido, the Royal Express will be shipped to the northern island for limited-time runs between Sapporo and east Hokkaido, likely for a period lasting a month sometime during the late-spring or summer, letting travelers make their way across Japan’s largest prefecture in style.
Related: The Royal Express website
Sources: The Royal Express, IT Media
Top image: The Royal Express
Insert images: The Royal Express (1, 2)
Like this:
Like Loading…
- Japan
- (awesome • beautiful • coo • Hokkaido • luxury trains • sightseeing trains • Tokyu • trains • travel • Yokohama)
Related Stories
Beautiful Red and Blue Star luxury trains set to be Japan’s new Hokkaido travel stars
Japan’s new luxury sightseeing train will show you part of the country most foreigners never see
Beautiful new luxury train for Ishikawa dazzles with gold leaf and lacquer interior
Travel to Kyoto on the Kyotrain: A Japanese train with interiors like a traditional Kyoto house
Japanese overnight sightseeing train returns for summer with ramen stops and ocean views
- Lipton to release Sakura Milk Tea for cherry blossom season!
- Translator at Japanese marathon under fire for calling African athletes “cute chimpanzees”
- Trackbacks (0)
Trackbacks
- There are no trackbacks yet.
- Trackback URL
Trending Today
- Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
- Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
- Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
- Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
- Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
- 7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
- New Shinkansen Supreme Class private cabins get try-before-you-ride displays at Tokyo, other stations
- Tokyo pub prohibits talking or keeping your phone out, only lets you drink in morning on weekends
- Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession
- Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
- Lipton to release Sakura Milk Tea for cherry blossom season!
- Translator at Japanese marathon under fire for calling African athletes “cute chimpanzees”
-
Recent Posts
- 7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
- Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
- Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
- New Shinkansen Supreme Class private cabins get try-before-you-ride displays at Tokyo, other stations
- Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
-
MOST POPULAR
- Today
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
Today
Studio Ghibli unveils new interactive stationery dioramas that bring anime movies to life on your desk
Pokémon and Polaroid reveal collaboration with adorable Pikachu and Eeveelution camera and film
Studio Ghibli composer Jo Hisaishi just set three Guinness Records
Universal Studios Japan partners with manga horror master Junji Ito’s Tomie
Starbucks Japan releases two new seasonal drinks that blur the line between summer and autumn
7-Eleven Japan brings back best-selling flat croissant that became a hit on social media
New Shinkansen Supreme Class private cabins get try-before-you-ride displays at Tokyo, other stations
Tokyo pub prohibits talking or keeping your phone out, only lets you drink in morning on weekends
Japanese convenience store sunglasses just became our newest Convenience Wear obsession
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Weekly
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
-
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japan’s new Spacia X train is like travelling in a luxury aircraft
The all-new Kyotrain, maybe Japan’s most Japanese train ever, will take you to Kyoto this spring
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Creepy or cute? Feel the Panda Train’s intense gaze before sightseeing in resort town Shirahama
Fujisan View Express: A train journey to Mt Fuji so stylish you’ll never want it to end
From Tokyo to Hokkaido for under 50 bucks in train tickets–Part 2 of our Japanese rail voyage
From Tokyo to Tohoku for less than 25 bucks? Our epic Seishun 18 Ticket Japanese train voyage
Japan’s new Pikachu train ready to take Poké-passengers on a trip they won’t forget this summer
How to travel from one end of Japan to the other by train for less than 25 bucks
Do not adjust your monitor – The view from Japan’s Gono train line really is this beautiful【Pics】
We travel to Gohoro Station, a tiny, remote station between tunnels in the mountains of Hokkaido
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Japan’s Moonlight Nagara train service ends, leaving a hole in overnight rail travel
2020’s most popular hot springs in Japan, as ranked by Japanese travelers
-
-
Categories
Categories Select Category Africa (33) Anime & Manga (193) Art (64) Australia (42) C America (9) C Asia (16) Canada (59) Cats (72) China (845) Culture (180) Cute (187) Entertainment (248) Europe (343) FN24 (1) Food & Drink (314) Games & Tech (167) Global (1,069) India (11) Internet (2,197) Italy (13) Japan (34,169) Korea (375) Lifestyle (76) Mexico (6) Music (12) N Asia (4) New Zealand (11) News (61) North Korea (72) Oceania (10) Russia (56) S America (33) S Asia (66) SE Asia (378) Space (2) Taiwan (203) UK (15) Uncategorized (19) USA (966) W Asia (25)
-
Archives
Archives Select Month August 2026 (110) July 2026 (197) June 2026 (174) May 2026 (138) April 2026 (142) March 2026 (150) February 2026 (124) January 2026 (138) December 2025 (136) November 2025 (136) October 2025 (151) September 2025 (154) August 2025 (143) July 2025 (158) June 2025 (165) May 2025 (162) April 2025 (181) March 2025 (157) February 2025 (127) January 2025 (139) December 2024 (148) November 2024 (149) October 2024 (153) September 2024 (154) August 2024 (158) July 2024 (156) June 2024 (150) May 2024 (166) April 2024 (150) March 2024 (157) February 2024 (169) January 2024 (159) December 2023 (165) November 2023 (166) October 2023 (166) September 2023 (173) August 2023 (183) July 2023 (171) June 2023 (180) May 2023 (158) April 2023 (152) March 2023 (167) February 2023 (160) January 2023 (171) December 2022 (175) November 2022 (176) October 2022 (179) September 2022 (191) August 2022 (202) July 2022 (193) June 2022 (178) May 2022 (178) April 2022 (181) March 2022 (212) February 2022 (199) January 2022 (224) December 2021 (230) November 2021 (214) October 2021 (215) September 2021 (238) August 2021 (225) July 2021 (207) June 2021 (218) May 2021 (209) April 2021 (206) March 2021 (225) February 2021 (209) January 2021 (224) December 2020 (225) November 2020 (224) October 2020 (231) September 2020 (238) August 2020 (227) July 2020 (220) June 2020 (209) May 2020 (215) April 2020 (238) March 2020 (235) February 2020 (222) January 2020 (233) December 2019 (187) November 2019 (214) October 2019 (237) September 2019 (195) August 2019 (205) July 2019 (183) June 2019 (201) May 2019 (231) April 2019 (192) March 2019 (242) February 2019 (211) January 2019 (238) December 2018 (212) November 2018 (217) October 2018 (214) September 2018 (203) August 2018 (217) July 2018 (218) June 2018 (208) May 2018 (204) April 2018 (193) March 2018 (216) February 2018 (192) January 2018 (223) December 2017 (204) November 2017 (209) October 2017 (218) September 2017 (209) August 2017 (228) July 2017 (222) June 2017 (245) May 2017 (229) April 2017 (197) March 2017 (165) February 2017 (151) January 2017 (180) December 2016 (260) November 2016 (267) October 2016 (302) September 2016 (387) August 2016 (351) July 2016 (379) June 2016 (379) May 2016 (312) April 2016 (347) March 2016 (414) February 2016 (379) January 2016 (359) December 2015 (359) November 2015 (378) October 2015 (435) September 2015 (419) August 2015 (152) July 2015 (218) June 2015 (179) May 2015 (237) April 2015 (223) March 2015 (119) February 2015 (121) January 2015 (395) December 2014 (376) November 2014 (376) October 2014 (414) September 2014 (349) August 2014 (379) July 2014 (316) June 2014 (375) May 2014 (384) April 2014 (354) March 2014 (318) February 2014 (284) January 2014 (270) December 2013 (224) November 2013 (242) October 2013 (244) September 2013 (226) August 2013 (241) July 2013 (214) June 2013 (222) May 2013 (191) April 2013 (173) March 2013 (149) February 2013 (85) January 2013 (106) December 2012 (111) November 2012 (149) October 2012 (151) September 2012 (118) August 2012 (99) July 2012 (56) June 2012 (57) May 2012 (54) April 2012 (62) March 2012 (40) February 2012 (27) January 2012 (24) December 2011 (18) November 2011 (12) October 2011 (1) September 2011 (9) August 2011 (11) March 2011 (1)
-
-
Follow SoraNews24
About Us | Jobs | Contact | Contribution | Partner with Us
© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION
- Advertise |
- About Us |
- Work with us |
- Contact |
- Contribution |
%d
