News On Japan

Luxury on Rails: 'The Royal Express' Sets Off on Lavish 4-Day Tour

SHIKOKU, Jan 27, 2024 (News On Japan) - Starting at 960,000 yen per person for a 3-night, 4-day journey, the opulent 'The Royal Express' tourist train, akin to a luxury hotel, departed from Okayama on Friday, January 26th.

Luxury on Rails: 'The Royal Express' Sets Off on Lavish 4-Day Tour

Covering the Shikoku and Setouchi areas, the journey promises a luxurious 3-night, 4-day experience.

Running from January 26th to March 4th on Fridays through Mondays for a total of six times, the price starts at 960,000 yen per person (double occupancy), with a capacity of 15 couples or up to 30 guests.

The tour is particularly popular among people in their 70s.

The popularity largely stems from its interior. The dining car, where meals are served, features designs utilizing traditional craftsmanship.

The train boasts stained-glass ceilings and handmade artisan interiors, radiating luxury. A lounge car offering panoramic views and a library for reading are also included.

Staffing mirrors that of hotels, with 13 attendants for a maximum of 30 passengers. A violinist also accompanies diners in the dining car, enhancing meals with live performances.

Lodging includes actual luxury hotels. On the first night, guests stay at 'Yuyama-so Asan Kotonami' in Kagawa Prefecture. The second night is spent in Ehime Prefecture's Dogo Onsen, at hotels like 'Bettei Oborodzukiyo' or 'Setouchi Retreat Aonagi by Onkochishin.' And on the third night, they stay at 'Azumi Setoda' in Ikuchijima, Hiroshima Prefecture.

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

A man in his 40s was injured after being attacked by a troop of wild monkeys in Yugawara, a popular hot spring resort town in Kanagawa Prefecture, on September 17, marking the area's first reported case of a person being bitten by a monkey and prompting authorities to strengthen monitoring of the animals using GPS tracking devices.

Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward will expand restrictions on private lodging businesses across the entire ward from January 2027 after the ward assembly approved an ordinance amendment on October 7 aimed at tightening controls on minpaku short-term rentals.

Bears are becoming increasingly active across Japan ahead of winter, with poor acorn harvests in parts of the country raising concerns that hungry animals may venture closer to homes and tourist areas in search of food.

Japan Airlines has revamped its domestic lounge at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, adding private workspaces, meal options timed to passengers' departures and facilities for families as it seeks to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of travelers.

Fans from across Japan gathered in Furano, Hokkaido, on October 3 to visit filming locations from the television drama "From the Northern Country," marking the first weekend since the death of the series' screenwriter, So Kuramoto.

Young men leaped onto horses racing at full speed through the grounds of Kasuga Shrine in Takahama, Aichi Prefecture, on October 3 as the city's traditional Takahama Omanto Festival got underway.

Around 38,000 dolls, including traditional Japanese dolls and stuffed animals, were brought to Meiji Shrine in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward for the annual Doll Appreciation Festival, where visitors bid farewell to old and damaged dolls in a ceremony expressing gratitude for the years they had been cherished.

Nearly one year after the Osaka-Kansai Expo closed, the former exhibition grounds were opened to the media on October 2, revealing that around 90% of the pavilions and other facilities have been demolished, while the Forest of Tranquility remains a peaceful green space at the center of the site.