"Joyful" Trains

  • Published on : 26/06/2016
  • by : Japan Experience

Special and wonderful trains for a one-of-a-kind Japan Rail experience

Use your JR Pass to discover some of Japan's unique trains, just a few of many! Get your Japan Rail Pass today - available in 7, 14, and 21-day passes.

  • The Tatami Train: the first “Joyful” Train

The first “Joyful” Train began in the early 1960s, when a vintage turn-of-the-century train was fitted with tatami floors for a Japanese zashiki feel. You can still find such interiors in some trains today too! Sit on cushions around a table with a few friends, or on legless zaisu chairs along a long traditional table.

  • Joyful Steam Trains

Japanese people love, know and are proud of their railway history, and the steam trains of yesteryear are a symbol of this, which is why many have been preserved and still run frequently. The steam locomotives are original, but the passenger carriages are sometimes more recent, with numerous services to enhance the pleasure of an exceptional journey. From Kyûshû to Hokkaidô via the Kanto region, you can try out some of them, such as the SL Retro Minakami, SL Paleo Express or SL Banestu Monogatari.

Joyful SL Minakami (JLM)

  • Resort Yû

Here's a Joyful train I got to try out a few years ago, the “Resort Yû”. I'm telling you about it just to describe what an incredible experience it was, as it no longer exists today. The front cars feature a panoramic lounge area, then tatami mats on the floor, long tables in the center of the car, and half-seated cushioned seating, designed for groups who often book this type of train for a special trip. Other cars have standard but very comfortable seats. The most astonishing feature is the raised central car, with a few seats overlooking a sort of zenithal window with a discotheque underneath! The music is cranked up, the lights are colored and you can dance the night away. Retractable seats are arranged lengthways, and the bar car is accessible from the side.

Joyful Train Resort Yû (JLM)

Joyful Train Resort Yû (JLM)

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