East Japan Railway’s Train Suite Shiki-Shima is 10 coaches of pure, gold-coated transit luxury that takes passengers on a variety of excursions around Japan at a leisurely 70mph.
With an eye-watering estimated construction price tag of 5 billion yen ($44m), the train’s futuristic-meets-classic Japanese design incorporates a high-end restaurant, an observation deck and six carriages of impeccable sleeper suites – some of which even contain bathtubs.
The most is made of limited space within the narrow-gauge train. Here, the Deluxe Shiki-Shima Suite integrates clean wood textures into its forward-thinking style, while still winking at the past with latticed room dividers that evoke the shōji screens of traditional ‘ Japanese architecture.
The dining car shifts towards a more modern aesthetic, though the warm timber tones still dominate and gently offset the pristine white of the tablecloths. Run by acclaimed Michelin-starred chef Katsuhiro Nakamura, this travelling restaurant offers an exquisite fusion of Japanese and French cuisine.
The lounge and the observatory cars push the envelope a little further, with their irregular windows hinting at the innovatively radical style of Shiki-Shima designer Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama – a former designer for Ferrari and Porsche. In the lounge, the windows form a tree motif inspired by Eastern Japan.
The observation car is a curious combination of galactic and earthy; the profusion of windows sunk into the wall and ceiling simultaneously unite passengers with the outside world while shielding them from it, while the thick-shag green carpet underfoot gives the floor an intriguingly incongruous mossy texture.
You won’t be surprised to learn that prices for a two day trip on the Train Suite Shiki-Shima start at £2,300. You might be surprised to learn that all places are fully booked until April 2018.
