Train geeks are in for a treat next year. From March 2011 it will be possible to ride in splendid style from Shin-Osaka to Kagoshima in a new N700-7000 series of Sakura shinkansen created especially for the route.
The plush new carriages of the new Sakura trains are the work of designer Eiji Mitooka, who has a long track record for creating sumptuous, award-winning train designs. The video above gives a sneak peak inside the new rolling stock of the Sakura, showing just how much care and attention has been put into this new line. One of the most striking features is the use of real wood throughout the train, which gives the carriages a lovely warm, natural feel. Nikkei Trendy reports that the feeling of luxury goes up a notch in the Green Car (the Japanese equivalent of first class), where the carpet and seat coverings are decorated with a traditional leaf pattern.