Holiday Destinations

Japan's Seven Stars cruise train offers luxury on the rails

Japan's Seven Stars cruise train offers luxury on the rails
The Seven Stars' distinctive locomotive
The Seven Stars' distinctive locomotive
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Departing from the port of Fukuoka, the luxury train travels through the northwest of Kyushu and includes a visit to the township of Mt. Aso (the biggest active volcano in Japan)
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Departing from the port of Fukuoka, the luxury train travels through the northwest of Kyushu and includes a visit to the township of Mt. Aso (the biggest active volcano in Japan)
Japanese regional railway JR Kyushu has spent close to 3 billion yen (US$29.9 million) to manufacture a luxury sleeper cruise train
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Japanese regional railway JR Kyushu has spent close to 3 billion yen (US$29.9 million) to manufacture a luxury sleeper cruise train
The Seven Stars by JR Kyushu is the first luxury sleeper cruise train in Japan
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The Seven Stars by JR Kyushu is the first luxury sleeper cruise train in Japan
The Seven Stars comes equipped with a luxury lounge car, dining car and bar
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The Seven Stars comes equipped with a luxury lounge car, dining car and bar
The entire train has been designed to offer a classic and luxurious Japanese travel experience
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The entire train has been designed to offer a classic and luxurious Japanese travel experience
The Seven Stars bar boasts classic Japanese wood features and a piano for evening entertainment
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The Seven Stars bar boasts classic Japanese wood features and a piano for evening entertainment
Classic interior of the Seven Stars cruise train
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Classic interior of the Seven Stars cruise train
The Seven Stars cruise train comes equipped with the latest motion control technology
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The Seven Stars cruise train comes equipped with the latest motion control technology
The Seven Stars' distinctive locomotive
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The Seven Stars' distinctive locomotive
The deluxe suite in the last carriage features a stunning panoramic window, looking out over the train tracks
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The deluxe suite in the last carriage features a stunning panoramic window, looking out over the train tracks
The Seven Stars' cabins have been built using traditional materials such as "hinoki" cypress wood
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The Seven Stars' cabins have been built using traditional materials such as "hinoki" cypress wood
The Seven Stars' dining cart does not feel like a train cart at all
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The Seven Stars' dining cart does not feel like a train cart at all
The Seven Stars cruise train comes equipped with a lounge car, dining car and bar
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The Seven Stars cruise train comes equipped with a lounge car, dining car and bar
The Seven Stars cruise train features 14 luxury guest rooms
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The Seven Stars cruise train features 14 luxury guest rooms
Japanese regional railway JR Kyushu has spent close to 3 billion yen (US$29.9 million) to manufacture a luxury sleeper cruise train
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Japanese regional railway JR Kyushu has spent close to 3 billion yen (US$29.9 million) to manufacture a luxury sleeper cruise train
The Seven Stars dining cart features a stunning wooden crafted ceiling
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The Seven Stars dining cart features a stunning wooden crafted ceiling
The Seven Stars cabins have been built using traditional materials such as "hinoki" cypress wood
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The Seven Stars cabins have been built using traditional materials such as "hinoki" cypress wood
Attention to detail has been maintained throughout the entire train
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Attention to detail has been maintained throughout the entire train
Departing from the port of Fukuoka, the luxury train includes a visit to the township of Mt. Aso (the biggest active volcano in Japan)
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Departing from the port of Fukuoka, the luxury train includes a visit to the township of Mt. Aso (the biggest active volcano in Japan)
The Seven Stars has a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and an average travel speed of around 50-70 km/h (31-43 mph)
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The Seven Stars has a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and an average travel speed of around 50-70 km/h (31-43 mph)
The train incorporates the latest technology to help reduce the rocking of each carriage, offering a smoother ride for the guests and making it easier to sleep at night
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The train incorporates the latest technology to help reduce the rocking of each carriage, offering a smoother ride for the guests and making it easier to sleep at night
Seven Stars offers guests a private bathroom
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Seven Stars offers guests a private bathroom
A private ensuite featuring an original antique Japanese porcelain basin
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A private ensuite featuring an original antique Japanese porcelain basin
On board guests will enjoy their very own and large private guest room with a fully equipped bathroom
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On board guests will enjoy their very own and large private guest room with a fully equipped bathroom
View gallery - 24 images

The Japanese regional railway JR Kyushu has become the first company in Japan to build a luxury sleeper cruise train, spending close to 3 billion yen (US$29.9 million). The Seven Stars cruise train comes equipped with the latest motion control technology, 14 luxury guest rooms, two deluxe suites, three presidential suites, a lounge car, dining car and bar.

"The idea for a cruise train came from our company president, Mr. Koji Karaike," Simon Metcalfe from JR Kyushu tells Gizmag. "It was something that he had dreamed of doing since he was a worker in JR Kyushu, and he waited until he was president to put it into action."

While the "Seven Stars" is not a rating, it does represent the seven regions of Kyushu (Fukuoka, Oita, Saga, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Kumamoto) which the train travels to; the seven carriages of the train; and the seven tourist highlights of Kyushu – cuisine, nature, hot springs, history and culture, spiritual sites, friendly hospitality and the sightseeing trains.

The Seven Stars has a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and an average travel speed of around 50-70 km/h (31-43 mph)
The Seven Stars has a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and an average travel speed of around 50-70 km/h (31-43 mph)

Departing from the port of Fukuoka, the luxury train travels through northwest Kyushu and includes a visit to the township of Mt. Aso (the biggest active volcano in Japan) before looping back to its original departure point. The journey is by no means a fast one, with the train traveling at a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and an average travel speed of around 50-70 km/h (31-43 mph).

The train incorporates the latest technology to help reduce the rocking of each carriage, offering a smoother ride for the guests and making it easier to sleep at night. The technology senses the sideways motion of each train cart and automatically works to move the carriage in the opposite direction, thus counteracting the sway.

"In the past, this technology has been used in high speed bullet trains and some local trains, but it is the first time that it has been implemented in a train in Kyushu," says Metcalfe.

On board, guests will enjoy their very own and large private guest room which accommodates two passengers and comes with a fully-equipped bathroom. If you're lucky enough to get the best suite in the house (or should I say train) the deluxe suite in the last carriage features a stunning panoramic window, looking out over the train tracks. The cabins have been built using traditional materials.

"Each room has been furnished with different wood, and has a different feel," says Metcalfe. "The designer of the train, Mr. Eiji Mitooka, put much effort into choosing the various woods used throughout the train and the handiwork is truly impressive."

The Seven Stars bar boasts classic Japanese wood features and a piano for evening entertainment
The Seven Stars bar boasts classic Japanese wood features and a piano for evening entertainment

The Seven Stars cruise train is already fully booked until the end of next March, and the next round of guest applications will open in January 2014 for travel in July-September. Guests can choose between a 2-day (one night) or 4-day (three night) package. Prices for the 2-day package start from US$1,571 per person and the 4-day package will set you back $3,963 per person.

Source: Seven Stars JR Kyushu via Cnet

View gallery - 24 images
6 comments
6 comments
bergamot69
Sounds wonderful- if I had enough disposable income I'd want to take that train.
Loco looks a little odd, with what looks like a 'tacked on' Jaguar/ Alfa-Romeo type car grille at the front.
Satweavers
James West would find this suitable with the inclusion of a pool table and an armory. It would be interesting to try playing pool on board a moving train.
mookins
Oh that's nice... they should do an American version, run it up and down the West coast, California especially.
exodous
Too bad this isn't in a bigger country, this would be nice to ride in across Russia, the US, or Europe. Then again if it costs 4k per person for 3 nights I'm thinking not too many people could enjoy it and probably couldn't even support the train itself.
Griffin
I wouldn't go to Japan for any reason other than to help out there, if I could- I would think that the customers will be mostly Japanese.
It is criminal how Fukushima is almost entirely blacked out in American mainstream media.
The train is beautiful&unique and I do appreciate the fact that the man did finally attain his dream.
As for the design, I agree that the grill out front seems out of place but style is such a subjective thing- there is no perfect color.
Michael Foltz
i just love trains