For a few years now, JR West seems to have been into ‘character’ Shinkansen: Shinkansen trains in a livery that evokes the character in question.
The first of these was the Evangelion 500-series Shinkansen (still the best, in my opinion), and then came the Hello Kitty Shinkansen (which is great if you like kawaii).
And now there’s a third ‘character’ Shinkansen: the ONE PIECE train. Actually, there are going to be three of these ONE PIECE Shinkansen, unveiled roughly one month apart. Only the first train, in the ‘Setouchi Blue’ livery, is running yet. The remaining two trains are due to be unveiled in May and June respectively.
The Setouchi Blue train makes one round trip between Hakata and Shin-Osaka a day, and it’s quite striking. If you’re waiting for a Shinkansen somewhere between Hakata and Shin-Osaka, keep an eye out for this train!
Category: Travel Tips
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The Latest ‘Character Shinkansen’ Train
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The Scenic JR Kisuki Line: A Hidden Gem in Hiroshima
If you’re in Hiroshima and looking for somewhere very scenic, and very off the beaten track, then the journey between Miinohara and Izumo-Sakane on the JR Kisuki Line is a wonderful journey with some spectacular views. It’s a long journey from Hiroshima, more because of the slowness of the trains than because of the distance, but a day trip is possible- and well worth it.
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Discover the Second Shrine Gate on Miyajima Island
Miyajima is famous for its great shrine gate (otorii) at Itsukushima Shrine, but did you know that there’s actually a second one on the island? It’s the otorii for Nagahama Shrine.
When you leave the ferry port in Miyajima, just turn left instead of right, follow the road, and it’s just a five-minute walk.
Koborebanashi 