This is why tickets for Japan’s most luxurious sleeper train cost thousands
Published on Sep 27, 2023 at 2:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Sep 28, 2023 at 9:07 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Nobody does train travel like Japan – but this luxury sleeper train is setting an entirely new standard for first-class travel.
While hopping on the bullet train in Japan is fast, efficient and impossibly clean, JR East’s Train Suite Shiki-shima is also one of the most incredible ways to sightsee.
It takes guests to see the most beautiful places in the country, but you have to fork out big time for it.
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Departing from Tokyo’s Ueno Station to a fanfare that seems like it’s from a bygone era, the onboarding process is seamless.
From there, guests embark on a two-four day trip to get a taste of the wineries of Yamanashi, or capture a glimpse of ancient Ainu culture in Hokkaido.
It looks like a golden futuristic concept car that somehow made it into production.
The best views are from the stunning observatory cars on either end of the train, with panoramic windows that even open up the view of the sky via the ceiling.
According to Solo Travel Journal’s YouTube channel, the train travels at remarkably slow speeds.
It’s a refreshing pace if you’ve just stepped off one of Japan’s iconic bullet trains.
Its goal is to ensure passengers a ‘comfortable ride’ as well as the opportunity to take in the views.
So what exactly makes this train so spectacular?
Each of the five sleeper train suites has its own fireplace and a cypress bathtub meaning guests can soak in the scenery.
The deluxe rooms also feature “art in motion”.
They combine traditional Japanese patterns and wood with Japanese washi paper, lacquers and stones.
The result is modern, yet classical sophistication.
“Traditional crafts and pieces of artwork from eastern Japan are also applied to interior furniture and fittings.
“This warm craftsmanship brings about a peace of mind, making one feel completely relaxed,” says the website.
Hungry? Head to the sleeper train’s chandeliered dining car where you can drink and eat as much of the exquisite food as you want.
So, what does an experience like this cost?
Prices start at $3000 (¥370,000) per person and go up from there.
Applications are now being accepted for 2024 voyages here.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
