The Noto Satoyama Satoumi sightseeing train, Japan’s beloved slow-motion train, and rent an entire bullet train.
Welcome to the January edition of Japan Rail News – a newsletter about travel by train in Japan: news, trip reports, and ticket specials.
This month, there were some news articles about the fate of the struggling rural lines across Japan. This is a story that is intertwined with the depopulation of rural Japan. The government is even paying families to leave Tokyo in a bid to reverse this population movement.
This is not a site about the Japanese economy, and I wouldn’t try to predict the future of the little railways. I will say that if you are planning to visit Japan to ride the railways, then make sure to add some of the local rural trains to your itinerary, because you never know how long they will be there for.
Here are the top stories about Japan train travel over the last month.
Railway news
• Japan’s ‘Little Trains that Could’ battle for survival
• Japan govt mulling ways to secure transport in rural areas
• Travel time between Kansai Airport, Osaka Station cut by 20 minutes
• JR train reservations up 16 Pct for holiday period
• Japan’s next bullet train lines face multibillion-dollar cost increases
Ticket news
• JR Tokai offers to rent out Nozomi bullet train to the public
“People can now rent out from one car of the Nozomi to the entire bullet train for special events, such as group trips or employee-training excursions.”
• Japan will resume its domestic travel discount from January 10 2023
“Japan residents can save up to 20 percent on transport and accommodation with the National Travel Discount Programme.”
Travel articles
“A high-speed bullet train network and a web of scenic but lightly used rural lines criss-cross Japan, 150 years after service began between Tokyo and Yokohama.”
• Japan’s beloved slow-motion train
“The Japanese are obsessed with bullet trains – but they’re equally smitten by those that aren’t so speedy.”
• Where to visit along the new Golden Route between Tokyo and Osaka
“The new Golden Route connecting Tokyo and Osaka via the Hokuriku Shinkansen, is reviving the golden age of travel. Alight at these stops to discover incredible travel experiences…”
• Oku Noto by Rail: The Noto Satoyama Satoumi Sightseeing Train
• Seasonal train with kotatsu tables begins service in northern Japan
“A railway operator in northern Japan has begun running train service along the scenic coastline equipped with a table-shaped heater called kotatsu.”
Stations
• Why do seats at some Japanese station platforms face away from the trains?
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