Guide Luxury Trains and Cruises in Japan
Do you prefer to do your sightseeing and exploring in the lap of luxury with world-class amenities and creature comforts? These train and cruise journeys through Japan promise the 5-star, even 6-star, experience you are seeking.
Luxury Trains
Seven Stars in Kyushu
Onboard luxuries
This luxury sleeper train embodies Kyushu’s enduring traditional craftsmanship, combining western and Japanese influences to create sophisticated interiors. Panoramic windows ensure the first and last communal cars function as brilliant observatories. The Kyushu influence extends to the dining experience, whereby renowned chefs prepare gourmet meals ranging from sushi to French cuisine using seasonal local ingredients. Following dinner, the Blue Moon Lounge bar acts as a saloon on wheels with a modern Japanese aesthetic bar counter, sofa space to mingle with fellow passengers and live piano performances for entertainment. When you wish to retreat to the comfort of your own suite you are greeted with spacious rooms, each fitted with their own ensuites.
Trip highlights
Seven Stars in Kyushu offers two trip durations across different parts of Japan’s southernmost main island, so travellers can choose between a 4-day journey which includes a 1-night stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Yufuin City, to experience one of the island’s best onsen (hot springs), or a 2-day journey through the northern part of the island. Both journeys include plenty of scheduled sightseeing, allowing guests to deep dive into the many charms of Kyushu, all while enjoying the heartfelt hospitality of the local staff.
Price: Starting from around AU$4,000 for the 2D1N journey.
Where to board: Hakata Station in Fukuoka City.
Twilight Express Mizukaze
Onboard luxuries
Emulating a luxurious hotel, this art deco style train offers exclusive 5-star service with a maximum capacity of 34 passengers. Because of the restricted numbers, there is always space to enjoy the wonderful scenic views afforded by the observation windows and deck. There’s even a suite that comprises an entire rail car. The Mizukaze boasts superior quality in all aspects with a touch of nostalgia, promising refinement and relaxation. Onboard experiences include a traditional tea ceremony, an open kitchen to view food artisans preparing meals with locally sourced ingredients and live performances featuring music exclusively composed for the Mizukaze by renowned Japanese violinist, Taro Hakase. The journey extends the luxury beyond the train, offering an exclusive Mizukaze bus to take guests to sightseeing destinations.
Trip highlights
The trip offers unparalleled coastal scenery in all its seasonal expressions, circling Western Japan between Kyoto and Yamaguchi. Coastal beauties along the journey include unspoiled views of the Sea of Japan, Mt. Daisen, and the islands dotting the Seto Inland Sea. The service offers five diverse journey routes ranging from one-way, one-night trips to two-night round tours around the Sanyo and Sanin areas. The daily sightseeing stops, including some exclusive tours normally not open to the public, ensure immersion into the region’s history and culture, such as the 16th Century Kikkawa Historical Museum in Iwakuni and the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima.
Price: Starting from around AU$3,600 for a 1-night Royal Twin room stay and up to AU$7,085 for the 2-night trip in the Royal Suite. (Note: Tickets for this train can only be purchased in Japan.)
Where to board: Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka Station or Shimonoseki Station depending on the chosen trip.
Train Suite Shiki-shima
Onboard luxuries
This journey promises front row seats to northern and eastern Japan’s beautiful natural scenery at a leisurely pace with a high level of comfort only achieved by the refined interiors of a luxury train. Staff offer traditional Japanese hospitality based on the concept of wakei seijaku – meaning harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity. This tranquillity permeates through the Komorebi Lounge and two observation cars, furnished by uniquely crafted Eastern Japanese pieces. Indulge in the individual suites fitted with specially made cypress baths and fireplaces that illuminate your personal space.
Trip highlights
Train Suite Shiki-shima journeys through the seasonal landscapes of Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido, offering unique views of mountain villages, terraced rice paddies and vineyards. Experience the many cultural offerings with stopovers in: Enzan, the birthplace of Koshu wine; the Aizu-Wakamatsu area, rich in traditional samurai culture; and Nikko Toshogu Shrine, a World Heritage Site from the Edo Period (1603-1868). The trip also offers the opportunity to watch a performance at the otherworldly Jigokudani Hell Valley followed by a relaxing onsen soak in a nearby ryokan.
Price: Starting from around AU$4,600 for a two-day trip and AU$ 9,900 for the four-day experience. (Note: Spring/Summer 2021 trips are currently accepting applications.)
Where to board: Platform 13.5 at Ueno Station in Tokyo.
The Royal Express
Onboard luxuries
As the name suggests, this luxury train emulates elegance with royal blue and gold exteriors, complemented by heavily embellished regal interiors and furnishings for a royally inspired journey. The detailed craftsmanship combines traditional materials with cutting-edge technologies resulting in a functionally beautiful train. The Royal Express accommodates 100 passengers with unique amenities including a fully equipped children’s play area, a bar carriage with a piano and a multipurpose carriage that can be decorated to accommodate whatever event is desired, from weddings to art exhibitions. No cost of luxury is spared with an exclusively commissioned violin composition and creative Izu region influenced meals prepared by expert local chefs.
Trip highlights
The trips link Yokohama with various sightseeing destinations along the Izu Peninsula. The region is known for its picturesque onsen offerings and is celebrated frequently in literature. The train offers multiple journey types, both one-way day trips and four cruise plans that include onboard luxuries and local overnight stays in some of Izu’s renowned onsen hotels . Cruise A, for example, offers an elegant journey through the natural wonders of Minamiizu and Shimoda, including a visit to the Ryugu Cave (said to bring love and romance to its visitors), whilst Cruise C promises a tranquil experience at the famous Yugashima Onsen and a chance to explore the ‘little Kyoto of Izu’, Shuzenji.
Price: Starting from around AU$300 for the Gold Class one-day trip, AU$500 for the Platinum one-day trip and averaging AU$1,800 for the cruise plans.
Where to board: The journeys will commence from either JR Yokohama Station in Yokohama, or Izukyu-Shimoda Station in Shimoda depending on the chosen trip type.
Luxury Cruises
Guntû
Onboard luxuries
This architect designed floating hotel affords 19 wood-panelled cabins and cosy common spaces on the scenic Seto Inland Sea. This luxury cruise is the perfect escape for couples to indulge in lavish spa and salon treatments, communal hinoki cypress bathtubs and onboard gym, whilst taking in the gentle scenery of Setouchi. Food is of utmost importance onboard, with various dining stations ranging from Washoku where you hand-select fresh fish and meat from the Setouchi region, and have it cooked to your taste, to the Lounge where the tea master serves matcha green tea and Japanese sweets.
Trip highlights
guntû’s voyages have different anchorage spots along eight routes, categorised as westward, central and eastward, all starting from Onomichi’s Bella Vista Marina. The cruise adopts the ‘Setouchi Roaming’ concept, whereby there is no docking throughout the journey, and dedicated speed boats take guests ashore for local experiences. Some of the unique experiences afforded by this tranquil and intimate cruise are the chance to discover the history of the Murakami kaizoku pirates, indulge in the culinary culture of the inland sea and revel in Setouchi art island hopping.
Price: Starting from around AU$3,100 for two-day routes, AU$5,000 for three-day routes and AU$7,500 for four-day routes.
Where to board: Bella Vista Marina in Onomichi. (Note: car services are available from Hiroshima Airport or JR Fukuyama Station.)
Le Lapérouse
Onboard luxuries
Le Lapérouse epitomises the level of class and comfort only afforded by the PONANT cruise line. The yacht offers a unique, environmentally conscious experience, accommodating just 184 guests in 92 staterooms and suites. The French-owned yacht has a chic ambiance with five-star service and first-class amenities, including two restaurants, a spa and a hair salon. The Blue Eye is a multisensorial underwater lounge offering a unique experience to this cruise.
Trip highlights
This twelve-day cruise promises exceptional discoveries spanning from the northern point of the island of Honshu, past the South Korean peninsula of Busan, and on to Miyajima before ending in Osaka. The journey will take you back through time as you discover medieval Japan’s ancient samurai dwellings of Sakaiminato and explore the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kanazawa and Miyajima before disembarking in the forward-looking metropolis of Osaka.
Where to board: Otaru in Hokkaido
Booking: PONANT have advised that it’s unlikely that they will be offering this cruise throughout 2021, however they aim to be taking bookings again in 2022.
Note: Prices and itinerary information are current as of publication date.
