People Are Amazed By Japan’s Sleeper Trains That Are Equipped With Showers And Beds

September 18, 2020

The 1960s was the time of great growth of Japan’s economy, part of this growth was developed railways including high-speed rail lines which opened in 1964. During this time many express trains and overnight trains became more and more popular in the country. Later on, these sleeper trains were overshadowed by bullet trains and domestic air routes so their popularity decreased after the 70s.

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However, there are still some sleeper trains that operate in Japan and they are called The Sunrise Seto and the Sunrise Izumo. These two trains travel from Tokyo to Okayama. Before reaching Okayama, the two trains are connected into a 14-car train. After leaving Okayama, the trains are separated again before heading to different destinations.

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Trains depart Tokyo at 10 pm and arrive at their destinations at 7:27 am (Takamatsu) and 9.58 am (Izumoshi). Taking this train can save travelers the expenses of a night in a hotel.

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There is no regular seating on the train. Instead, passengers have private cabins that are called “nobi nobi” which invite people to lay down during the ride.

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“Nobi nobi” are usually free but passengers can also pay additional 17,000 yen (~$153) to ride in the cabins.

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Common use areas include a shower that passengers can use for 6 minutes after buying a token. However, there is a limited supply of these tokens, so everyone who wants to use the shower during their trip is advised to buy one early.

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Other facilities on the train include toilets, vending machines, and lounges.

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Now these train companies are trying to attract new costumers with their luxury sleeper trains that not only gave five-star lounges with actual fireplaces but also menus devised by Michelin-starred chefs. A trip on one of these can set you back up to $10,000!

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