Train Cruise - Season 2

A stunning train journey through central Japan, from the Japan Sea coast to the Pacific Ocean. Ride with us and enjoy breathtaking views from the Sightseeing Limited Express, and a special event on a local train. We visit famous spots such as Takayama, where evocative old wooden houses still line the streets, and the spectacular Ise-Jingu Shrine. We also visit a popular museum packed full of attractive railway exhibits, making this program more of a "must-see".

If you have a passion for railways, do not miss this program! Our tour starts in Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital. We first ride on a special streetcar and an open-air tram before boarding a charming local train to the Japan Sea coast. Foodies will enjoy the snow crabs and other local gourmet specialties we encounter along the way.

This time we travel to the cold, snowy Tohoku. We first board the Akita Inland Traverse Railway Home-cooking Dining Car, where we take in the wintery landscapes, while feasting on a homemade farmers' meal. We then hop on the Resort Shirakami to catch a spectacular panorama view of the Sea of Japan. Changing to the Tsugaru Railway Hot Stove Car, we warm ourselves by the hot onboard stove while the snow storms pass by outside. We mingle with the locals and nibble on fried cuttlefish snacks.

"Train Cruise" is a program taking you around Japan on train trips. The stage of this episode is Shikoku. In Shikoku, made up of 4 prefectures, there are many trains running that have distinctive characteristics. They are fun both to ride on and to look at. An American, Michael Rivas will take a 4-day trip on such trains. In Takamatsu City in Kagawa Prefecture, Michael rides on the oldest streetcar in Japan which is hugely popular among railroad fans. And he rediscovers the charms of a retrospective train. On the Dosan Line running through a valley known as a difficult place for traffic in Shikoku, Michael enjoys the dynamic scenery to its fullest. In the warm southern prefecture of Kochi where he visits in the middle of his trip, Michael gets to eat the local specialty bonito, and is captivated by its delightful taste! Michael then uses the Yodo Line to head to the trip's final destination, Ehime Prefecture. There, he encounters a train modeled after Shinkansen bullet train which can be said the symbol of super-fast trains. There, Michael learns that the Yodo Line has other trains running that are fun to ride on, such as an original tram on which you can enjoy the surrounding scenery filled with great nature. On the trip this time, our American traveler, Michael Rivas introduces not only how to use trains for going from one place to another, but also to enjoy the train themselves as you ride on them.

This program is Part 2 of "Shikoku Railroad Wonderland". In Part 1, Michael Rivas travelled through Kagawa, Tokushima and Kochi Prefectures, 3 of Shikoku's 4 prefectures. In Part 2, he travels through Ehime Prefecture. He starts from Uwajima City where he ended up in the first episode. He rides the limited express Uwajima heading for his destination of Matsuyama City. In the train, he enjoys an ekiben boxed lunch with jyako-ten deep fried fish cake, a local specialty. On the way to Matsuyama, he transfers to a local train from Iyo Ozu station and he introduces the beautiful scenery of Seto Inland Sea (Seto Nai-kai) as the train runs along the shoreline. At his final destination of Matsuyama, he rides the Botchan Train which is a reproduction of a 100 year old steam locomotive. He finds a surprise function of the Botchan Train, which is very popular among tourists. Dogo Onsen, the oldest hot spring in Japan, also makes an appearance in Part 2. In addition, the latter half of the program includes an omnibus edition of the Train Cruise series. It is a showcase of rare and beautiful trains and specially selected scenes. Don't miss it!

Another episode in our series for train lovers. This time we feature a fun trip for the whole family. Starting at Kumamoto Station in Kyushu, we head towards Mt. Aso. Kids will be delighted with the cute dog mascot for the special express train, Asoboy. The train is equipped with a library with a collection of picture books and plenty of space for families to play and rest. We then take the old-fashioned scenic "Torokko" trolley train, crossing a bridge 60 meters high over a stunning valley amid the beautiful surrounds of Mt. Aso.

Our train journey takes you to Lake Biwa, Japan's biggest lake. We board trains cherished by the locals and sample food they recommend. The Gachakon Train on the Omi Railway Main Line gets its name from the noisy "gacha" sound it makes during its journey. We also ride a special summer train that operates as a beer hall on wheels and climb aboard the SL Kita-Biwako that travels the JR Hokuriku Main Line at certain times of the year.