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(CNN) Traveling by train in Japan is one of the wonders of our modern world, whether zipping through the countryside on the Shinkansen at speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour (200 mph), relaxing on a comfortable regional express train (known as Limited Express trains in Japan). Japan) or enjoying a glimpse into Japanese culture on a day trip on the “Happy Train”.
With Japan closed for much of 2020-2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, visitors who missed the country’s trains have plenty of new options.
So whether you haven’t been to Japan in a few years or are planning your first visit, here are some great new (and refurbished) trains to put on your list.
Kyushu: The Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen in Nagasaki
The long high-speed line connecting Nagasaki to the rest of the Shinkansen (bullet train) network is now running to its provisional terminus at Takeo-Onsen. A total of five stations have been completed in the mountainous coastal region of Japan’s far west, which was previously served by slow conventional trains.
They have now been replaced by Kamome (Japanese for ‘seagull’) services on board the new N700S trains with smart white decor and stunning cabin interiors designed by Mitooka Eiji, the Kyushu Railway Company’s design partner. It’s a must-see for any train lover, especially because of how you get there.
Local politics mean the rest of the line has yet to be built. Meanwhile, passengers cross the platform to one of the Relay Kamome trains or other Limited Express trains to connect to the rest of Japan, usually at Shin-Tosu Shinkansen Station or Hakata Station in Fukuoka.
In Nagasaki, the newly remodeled train station has a fantastic new shopping area, with delicious local dishes to sample: try the traditional castella cake adapted from recipes brought back by Portuguese sailors visiting Japan.
Kyushu: new tourist trains
Japan’s merry trains, day-trip sightseeing trains that focus on local culture and specialties, are a delight for travelers. To mark the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, JR Kyushu also started a new Happy Train called Two Stars 4047.
Its route starts at Takeo-Onsen and follows the old Nagasaki Main Line that Kamome services on the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen have replaced, climbing over rocky inlets, coves and bays.
The name comes from the charming vintage carriages that the Joyful Train is made of: a KiHa 40 and KiHa 47 set.
Don’t miss the fresh fruit and snacks for sale on the Kohoku platform, or the sake bar in the waiting room at Hizen-Hama Station; you can also make purchases to take the train with you. A special bento lunch box set is also available.
Kyushu is also home to some of Japan’s most beautiful Joyful Train routes, including the wonderfully timed long weekend 36+3 train and the jazz-focused A-Train.
Several Kyushu Joyful Train schedules have been disrupted by storms that washed out rural roads in recent years. Stay tuned for its return on the JR Kyushu website and book well in advance.
Okayama: Sakubi Sakura’s New Tourist Train
In the mountainous area west of Osaka, JR West’s new bright pink Sakubi Sakura train heads north from Okayama to the hot spring region near Tsuyama.
The train itself is an old atmospheric KiHa 40 carriage that has spent over 40 years in service in the area, and the interior is a vintage green and wood color, with no pink overload when you are inside the train.
The train, which operates on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, offers lunch boxes and special desserts to enjoy as you ride through the countryside.
Tokyo to Nikko/Kinugawa: New Limited Express Spacia X N100 trains
The “Limited Express Spacia X”, a series of new N100 trains from the private train line Tobu Railway, hit the rails this July. It will offer six different types of seating options: the Cockpit Suite at the front of the train, private compartments, the Cockpit Lounge cafe area, semi-private box seats, wider Premium seats and standard seats.
Running between Asakusa Station in Tokyo and the Tochigi Prefectural towns of Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen, these new trains look set to make escaping Tokyo for a countryside getaway north of the metropolis a must.
Nagano/Yamanashi: New High Rail 1375 Joyful Train
Unveiled late last year, JR East’s new Joyful Train is located in the mountains of Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures, just over an hour northwest of Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.
Scaling the Japanese Alps on the Koumi Rural Line, the country’s highest railway line, the High Rail has an astronomical theme, with a mini-planetarium on board. In the afternoon between Kobuchizawa and Komoro stations, there is a 50-minute stargazing experience at Nobeyama, Japan’s highest station and home to the Nobeyama Telescope Observatory.
The JR East region offers many other fabulous Joyful Train tours. Steam train journeys from Takasaki (SL Gunma – SL is short for steam locomotive) and between Niigata and Aizu-Wakamatsu (SL Banetsu Monogatari) are particular delights. Unfortunately, the latter has been suspended since August 2022 after the tracks washed away following a storm, but work is underway to restore the line.
Hokkaido: New cars on the Fuyu-no-Shitsugen steam train
Bird watchers and nature lovers will be introduced to the Kushiro Shitsugen Wetlands, home to the endangered red-crowned crane, one of Japan’s symbols. Located in the northeastern tip of Japan on the island of Hokkaido, the Fuyu-no-Shitsugen train travels through this national park in retro style during the winter months.
With a renovation of two carriages in 2022, the train now offers new scenic Tancho Cars. On one side, the seats face the wet areas, with raised box seats on the other side, allowing a view over the heads of passengers from the other side of the train.
