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Bye-Bye Blue Train: Japan’s Iconic Sleepers Give Way to “Cruise Trains”

  • A page from the national railway magazine Travel Photo News featuring Asakaze. (Published on October 25, 1958. Courtesy of the Railway Museum.)

    A page from the national railway magazine Travel Photo News featuring Asakaze. (Published on October 25, 1958. Courtesy of the Railway Museum.)

  • Asakaze waits at Tokyo station. (Photo taken August 13, 1983. Courtesy of the Railway Museum.)

    Asakaze waits at Tokyo station. (Photo taken August 13, 1983. Courtesy of the Railway Museum.)

  • The Hokutosei, which runs between Ueno and Sapporo, lumbers through the countryside (above) while passengers relax in the dining car. (Photos by Kawai Satoshi)

    The Hokutosei, which runs between Ueno and Sapporo, lumbers through the countryside (above) while passengers relax in the dining car. (Photos by Kawai Satoshi)

  • The exterior (above) and interior of JR Kyūshū’s Nanatusboshi in Kyūshū. (Photos by Kawai Satoshi)

    The exterior (above) and interior of JR Kyūshū’s Nanatusboshi in Kyūshū. (Photos by Kawai Satoshi)

  • JR East’s new “cruise train” (left) and JR West’s new sleeper are scheduled to begin services in 2017. Images of the interior of the trains can be seen in the photo gallery below. (Images courtesy of JR East and JR West.)

    JR East’s new “cruise train” (left) and JR West’s new sleeper are scheduled to begin services in 2017. Images of the interior of the trains can be seen in the photo gallery below. (Images courtesy of JR East and JR West.)

  • The Twilight Express as it travels along the tracks (top) and the interior of the train’s sleeping quarters. (Photos by Kawai Satoshi)

    The Twilight Express as it travels along the tracks (top) and the interior of the train’s sleeping quarters. (Photos by Kawai Satoshi)

  • Bye-Bye Blue Train: Japan’s Iconic Sleepers Give Way to “Cruise Trains”
  • A rendering of the exterior of JR East’s newly planned cruise train. The train is scheduled to begin service in spring 2017. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    A rendering of the exterior of JR East’s newly planned cruise train. The train is scheduled to begin service in spring 2017. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • The planned interior of the observation deck on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    The planned interior of the observation deck on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • A rendering of the interior of the lounge car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    A rendering of the interior of the lounge car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • The planned interior of the lounge car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    The planned interior of the lounge car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • A rendering of the interior of the dining car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    A rendering of the interior of the dining car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • The planned interior of the dining car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    The planned interior of the dining car on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • A rendering of the interior of a deluxe suite on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    A rendering of the interior of a deluxe suite on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • The planned interior of a deluxe suite on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    The planned interior of a deluxe suite on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • A rendering of the interior of a suite room on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    A rendering of the interior of a suite room on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • The planned interior of a suite room on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

    The planned interior of a suite room on JR East’s new cruise train. (Image courtesy of JR East.)

  • A rendering of the exterior of JR West’s newly planned sleeper train. The train is scheduled to begin service in 2017 and will link the Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe with the San’in and San’yō regions. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

    A rendering of the exterior of JR West’s newly planned sleeper train. The train is scheduled to begin service in 2017 and will link the Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe with the San’in and San’yō regions. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

  • A rendering the top-of-the-line suite on JR West’s new sleeper train. The train will feature one top-of-the-line suite, which takes up an entire car. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

    A rendering the top-of-the-line suite on JR West’s new sleeper train. The train will feature one top-of-the-line suite, which takes up an entire car. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

  • A rendering of the interior of the top-of-the-line suite’s living room on JR West’s new sleeper train. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

    A rendering of the interior of the top-of-the-line suite’s living room on JR West’s new sleeper train. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

  • A rendering of the bathroom in the top-of-the-line suite on JR West’s new sleeper train. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

    A rendering of the bathroom in the top-of-the-line suite on JR West’s new sleeper train. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

  • A rendering of a guest room on JR West’s new sleeper train. The train will feature three guest rooms per carriage. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

    A rendering of a guest room on JR West’s new sleeper train. The train will feature three guest rooms per carriage. (Image courtesy of JR West.)

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