Western Japan

TWILIGHT EXPRESS MIZUKAZETen carriages, two coasts, a handful of suites

A dark green train with observation cars at both ends and a small number of suites. Courses run through Sanyo and San'in, and the circular routes join the two. Gardens, old temples and craft workshops fill the days off the train, and dinner is built from what grows alongside the line.

Departures are from appointed stations including Kyoto, Osaka and Shimonoseki. Each departure takes a Sanyo, San'in or circular course, and places are allocated through a designated application.

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PlaceWestern Japan

TypeCruise train

SuitsRail, coast, food

StayOne or two nights

The Seto Inland Sea and the Japan Sea, on different routes

Western Japan — Luxury cruise train.

Mizukaze travels through the Sanyo and San'in regions of western Japan. The two directions face different coasts and the circular courses join them, so the first decision is which side of the country you want to understand. Pick the route by the places on it, not by the number of nights.

Observation cars, a dining car and suites make up life on board, and the hours off the train lead into gardens, historic towns and local culture. Even the shorter courses carry a full programme of visits, so this is not an overnight sleeper with a good interior. The stops do the work.

It suits people who follow Japanese railways, the Seto Inland Sea, the San'in coast, historic towns and careful cooking. Seats are few and the application system is strict. Cabins and the movement through older railway routes will not suit every level of mobility, so ask before you apply.

A dark green train runs under a deep blue night sky, lit windows strung along its length. — A dark train running beneath a deep blue sky

A made bed sits beneath a wide cabin window with the sea visible beyond the glass. — A bed facing the window and the water

A private observation compartment holds chairs and a small table beside a curved run of windows.

Coast and fields from the end cars

Open views at the front and rear put the Seto Inland Sea, farmland and the Japan Sea inside the carriage rather than outside it. Which water you see depends on the direction of the course, so compare the two against the season before choosing. The end car is where the geography makes sense.

A compact bathroom in white and pale wood, a round mirror above the basin and a window at the end.

Gardens, temples and workshops ashore

The visits off the train connect gardens, old temples, craft and small towns along the line, arranged course by course. Some areas are paved in stone and involve walking, so look at the activity level when comparing departures. The days ashore carry the substance of the trip.

A green train curves between a strip of shoreline and a wooded slope, sea to one side.

Dinner built from the route

Cooks and producers from western Japan take part in the dining on board, so the menu answers the ground you have just crossed. After dinner the suite is a short walk away. Check the cabin layout before you book, because the sleeping arrangements follow the course as well.

A small arrangement of flowers stands on a table in a private cabin, soft armchairs on either side.

Route

Placed after Kyoto or Osaka

Courses run from one night and two days to two nights and three days, published by year. The train sits well after a stay in Kyoto or Osaka, with Hiroshima, Yamaguchi or Kyushu to follow. Do not put an international flight on the day the train ends.

Applying for a course and fitting it between cities

Confirm the place, the start and end stations and the dates first, then build Kyoto, Osaka or Shimonoseki around them.

Stay

Courses of one night and two days, or two nights and three days, are published each year, so read the schedule first.

Getting there

Check in at the appointed station and its dedicated guest space. The station and the meeting time depend on the course.

Season

The train runs in phases through the year. Blossom, summer green, autumn leaves and the winter coast change what you see.

Watch out

Seats are few and the application system is strict. Cabins and the older railway routes will not suit every level of mobility.

Plan this into a journey

Tell us whether you want the inland sea or the Japan Sea side and we will match that to the courses open for application.

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