Trains are one of the best ways to travel around Japan. Japan is famous for its trains, whether it be the super-fast maglev bullet trains or the ultra-luxurious overnight sightseeing trains like Cruise Train Seven Stars.
Japan recently unveiled a new luxury sleeper train, Shiki-Shima, which is one of the most luxurious trains in the world. The Train is gold-tinted, and it has a nice blend of modern and traditional Japanese materials.
Operated by East Japan Railway, the 10-car train has seventeen rooms (two large suite rooms and 15 smaller rooms), and it can accommodate just 34 passengers. It has five-star lounge, dining and observatory cars, and it features a menu devised by a Michelin-starred chef.
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
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- Image courtesy Train Suite Shiki-shima
The elite train features two-storey suites, panoramic observation cars, and was designed by Ken Okuyama, an automobile expert behind various Porsche, Ferrari, and Maserati models. The train’s wonderful greenhouse-like cars give you a panoramic view of your surroundings. The train passes through terraced rice fields, mountains, the seacoast, vineyards, and artisanal ateliers along the way. Moreover, it stops so that travelers can visit ancient shrines and temples.
If you want to experience this out-of-this-world train, you have to wait as the service is sold out until March 2018. Moreover, just affording the ticket is not enough. Interested people have to fill out an application and then the lucky ones are selected by lottery.
