What does a Japanese sleeper train look like?

There are three types of sleeper trains in Japan: SUNRISE Izumo Seto, TRAIN SUITE Shikishima, and Seven Stars in Kyushu.

1. SUNRISE Izumo Seto

SUNRISE runs between Tokyo and Okayama, and Okayama and Takamatsu. It is a travel train. The sleepers are divided into upper bunks, lower bunks and individual rooms. Generally, sleepers are roughly divided into two categories: A and B. A is equivalent to first class or first class, and B is equivalent to second class carriage.

The private room is large and equipped with a washbasin, table, and chairs, just like a small hotel room. There is a curved glass window on one side of the bed. After turning off the lights at night, you can look up and see the starry sky. Private rooms also have rooms for two people, which are suitable for people traveling together. The price of a room for two people is basically the same as that of a room for one person.

According to different needs, trains also have individual rooms with bunk beds, which are larger than flat beds and can be selected according to needs. Similarly, trains also have bunk beds, but they are separated by partitions, so people won't feel that their privacy has been invaded. The price is relatively low. Although the corridor is relatively narrow, it is very neat and tidy. Each room has a door, so you don't have to worry about being seen by pedestrians.

2. TRAIN SUITE Four Seasons Island

If SUNRISE is an ordinary sleeper train, TRAIN SUITE Four Seasons Island is a real mobile villa. There is a lounge in the carriage, but the interior design is very elegant. The combination of Japanese tradition and modern art breaks the impression of traditional trains and is full of artistic atmosphere.

Car No. 6 is a dining car, offering Japanese and Western cuisine. The chefs are all famous cooks. They will refer to the gender, age and other information of the passengers in advance to provide dishes suitable for the taste.

The room layout is also Western-style, just like walking into a villa. There are "observation decks" installed on cars 1 and 10, where you can see the scenes at the front and back of the train.

3. Seven Stars in Kyushu

The Seven Stars in Kyushu is a luxury train in the Kyushu region. It connects 7 counties in Kyushu with a distance of more than 3,000 kilometers. It is known as the most luxurious train in Japan. The appearance of the Seven Star is relatively retro, with a European feel from the last century. There are only seven vehicles in total.

The interior of the car gives people a medieval feel and is equipped with piano music. The room at the end of the train is the most popular. Sitting in the room, quietly watching the passing scenery. The restaurant is also built according to the standards of a five-star hotel and is full of high-end feel.

The development history of Japanese sleeper cars

In 1900, Japan opened its first sleeper train on the Sanyo Railway, which was a sleeper car and a seat car connected. After Japan, there are also "sleeper trains", that is, trains with only sleeper berths. Such trains are often relatively high-end and are used by the upper class. They are also called "celebrity trains"; similarly, some sleeper trains are divided into first-class seats, 2nd class seats and 3rd class seats.

After the 1950s, the transportation volume of Japanese railways increased, and the demand for sleeper cars also gradually expanded. In 1956, the limited express train from Tokyo to Hakata appeared. It was composed of 10 cars, and 5 cars were sleeper cars, called "あさかぜ". The structure at that time was similar to the current domestic sleeper car, and the third-class seats were also occupied by three people, upper, middle and lower. , but the space is wider.

The sleeper trains in Japan at that time were mainly concentrated on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu lines, that is, the lines from Tokyo to Kyushu, which were long-distance trains. However, after 1975, due to Japan's transportation cost adjustment and the popularity of Shinkansen and aviation lines, sleeper trains gradually withdrew from the stage.

However, Japan has launched "travel sleeper trains" in recent years, which specialize trains for "travel" purposes. For example, Kyushu's "7 Star in Kyushu" has a track that circles Kyushu, Japan.