East Japan Railway Co. said it will launch a luxurious sightseeing train between Tokyo and the Izu resort area in the spring of 2020, shortly before the capital hosts the Summer Olympic Games.
The eight-car train will feature premium seats and private rooms, with one or two round trips planned each day from Tokyo and Shinjuku stations to Izukyu-Shimoda in Shizuoka Prefecture, according to JR East, which hopes to attract more foreign tourists with the service.
The railway vehicles will be designed to be slightly rounded in shape and painted deep blue to represent the sky and ocean in the Izu area, as well as white and grey to show the colors of the local sand and coastline.
While full details of the service are yet to be decided, there will be a kitchen car with a Japanese noodle bar. “We want to offer a high-quality service that enables passengers to experience the charm of Izu,” JR East President Yuji Fukasawa said at a news conference on Tuesday.