5 Unique Themed Trains in Japan for Every Traveler's Itinerary

Amp up your rail travel across Japan with these one-of-a-kind passenger trains!

 

If you’re coming from a car-driven society like Malaysia, Japan’s extensive railway network is a joy to experience. Being able to travel overland across the country on clean, efficient trains is nothing to sneeze at! But why stop at regular train services? Not content with punctual and seamlessly-run train systems, Japan also has delightful themed trains throughout the country — some designed for sightseeing, others simply special versions of regular services. 

 

Travelers often say the journey is just as important as the destination. Themed trains in Japan, designed to add joy and delight to the experience, perfectly embody this idea.

 

In this article, we’ll introduce five unique themed trains in Japan. You can purposefully build them into your travels, or include them if your itinerary coincides with one of them. Whichever one you ride, any of these five is sure to be a highlight of your travels.

 

Hello Kitty Shinkansen
©️ 2024 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO. L650868

©WEST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY

 

JR West’s Hello Kitty Shinkansen — Shin-Osaka to Hakata

 

One of Japan’s most famous characters has her very own bullet train! There’s no confusing the Hello Kitty Shinkansen (bullet train) with any other zipping into the station. If the bright pink and white colors aren’t an obvious hint, the pink ribbons and Hello Kitty decals on the sides are an obvious giveaway. 

 

Hello Kitty Shinkansen
©️ 2024 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO. L650868

©WEST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY

The brainchild of railway company JR West and Hello Kitty creators Sanrio, the Hello Kitty Shinkansen runs between Shin-Osaka Station and Hakata Station, once per day in both directions. Car 1 has a Sanrio shop called Hello! Plaza where you can stock up on adorable Hello Kitty-themed merchandise and snacks.

 

Car 2 is home to the Kawaii! Room. As the name suggests, it’s super cute, and the only fully Hello Kitty-themed passenger car that features unique pink flooring, stylish purple seats, and a photo area. The catch: Car 2 is entirely non-reserved seating, so you’ll have to turn up early to queue if you want a seat. Of course, you can always purchase reserved seats in one of the other train cars and spend some of the train journey exploring the front two carriages. 

 

JR Kyushu's ASO BOY! ©️ Kyushu Railway Company

 

JR Kyushu’s ASO BOY! – Kumamoto–Aso–Oita–Beppu

 

Long train journeys can be challenging for families. Most trains aren’t designed with young children or infants in mind — there’s nowhere to play, move around, or even have a good cry when emotions strike. This is what sets JR Kyushu's ASO BOY! apart. This charming sightseeing train, featuring the adorable mascot Kuro-chan the black dog, is designed with families in mind!

 

JR Kyushu's ASO BOY! ©️ Kyushu Railway Company

 

Running a 3-and-a-half-hour journey between Kumamoto Station and Beppu Station, the stylishly designed Aso Boy passes through the Aso Caldera, allowing you to enjoy magnificent mountainous scenery to and from Oita Prefecture. 

 

While all seats offer stunning panoramic views, Carriage 3 features special parent-child seating, where every child gets a window seat. There are even play areas, a kids reading area, and a wooden ball pit for kids to play in. The Aso Boy is an incredibly popular mode of transport for getting to Mount Aso, and it’s easy to see why! 

 

Dino Liner ©️ Echizen Railway

 

Echizen Railway’s Dino Liner – Fukui to Katsuyama

 

Journey back to prehistoric times on Echizen Railway’s DINO LINER! Fukui Prefecture is famous for the fantastic Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (FPDM), so it makes complete sense that there’s a dino-themed train you can hop on when visiting the museum. 

 

Dino Liner ©️ Echizen Railway

 

Running between Fukui Station and Katsuyama Station on weekends and holidays — except in winter — the train consists of two carriages decked out tip-to-toe with dinosaurs. There’s no mistaking the train; its exterior features lots of dinosaurs! One car has dinosaurs from the Americas, while the other features those known to have existed in Asia. Inside, one car has a full-sized replica of a tyrannosaur head while the other has a full-sized replica of a Fukuiraptor, as well as depictions of monuments and excavation sites. 

 

The Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train line now stops at Fukui Station, making it easier to visit the dinosaur museum by transferring to the Dino Liner. You must reserve tickets in advance; they’re sold as a package deal with the museum’s admission fee and bus fare there included.

 

Kyo-Train Garaku ©️Hankyu Railways

 

Hankyu Railways’ Kyo-Train Garaku – Osaka-umeda – Kyoto-kawaramachi

If you’ve ever ridden the Hankyu Line trains between Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station and Osaka-Umeda Station, you’ll know how handsome their rapid express tourist trains are, with their maroon bodies and elegant wood grain walls! 

 

Kyo-Train Garaku ©️ Hankyu Railways

 

The Kyo-Train GARAKU is an extra-special sightseeing train: It has a similarly chic exterior, but the interior of each of its six cars has been designed to represent a particular aspect of the seasons in Kyoto. Car 1, for example, has seats patterned with “maples in flowing water,” and incorporates tatami mats into the seats themselves. Car 3 has window-facing seats for passengers to fully enjoy the scenery in cherry blossom time; while Car 4, which represents summer, features iris motifs on the walls. It’s almost like being in one of the city’s machiya townhouses. 

 

That’s not all. Cars 2 and 5 — representing winter and early autumn respectively — feature small, beautifully-designed rock gardens in the carriages themselves. Car 6, early spring, might be the cheeriest of all — the tatami box-style seats have a multi-coloured checkerboard pattern, with brightly-coloured cranes and pines on the walls. 

 

You can board the Kyo-Train GARAKU at six stations, but if possible, take the train from either end of the line so that you can enjoy the full 45-minute journey between both cities. Best of all, there’s no additional fare to ride this special train, nor do you need extra reservations!    

 

Operations : Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays

 

Tama Densha ©️ Wakayama Electric Railway
DESIGNED BY EIJI MITOOKA + DON DESIGN ASSOCIATES

 

Wakayama Electric Railway’s Tamaden – Along the Kishigawa Line

 

If you’re a cat lover, riding the Tamaden and meeting the famous stationmaster of Kishi Station might be the most fabulous feline experience you’ll have in Japan! 

 

Tama Densha ©️ Wakayama Electric Railway
DESIGNED BY EIJI MITOOKA + DON DESIGN ASSOCIATES

 

Tama Densha (henceforth the “Tamaden”) is a kitty-themed train running along the Kishigawa Line between Wakayama Station and Kishi Station. You can’t possibly miss it; the carriage is white and covered with images of the calico cat stationmaster itself, and even has little ears at the front so it resembles a cat. 

Not only will you enjoy the bucolic countryside scenery along the way, there’s a special treat along the ride — Nitama and Yontama, the feline station masters. Nitama can be found at Kishi Station all week except for her off days on Wednesdays and Thursdays, while Yontama works at Itakiso Station on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Yontama also helps fill in for Nitama at Kishi Station on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so do make sure to keep the cats’ schedules in mind!  Even the station building is cat-themed: the Japanese cypress bark roof has built-in windows resembling cat eyes. How adorable is that?

 

Conclusion

If you love rail travel in Japan, why not take your journey up a notch and try riding one of these special-themed trains? We hope this article gives you some idea of the variety of themed trains available and inspires you to explore different parts of the country. With a unique sightseeing train, you might just find a new area of Japan to fall in love with.