train1

The Pokémon with YOU Train is a collaboration between JR East and Pokémon that’s been bringing smiles to the faces of kids affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and this week it made a special appearance in Chiba!

We’re not kids any more, but having seen how awesome it is, we really wish we could take a ride on this thing!!

All aboard!

train8

The special Pokémon themed train traveled the JR Sōbu line between Narutō and Chōshi Stations on February 8, 9, and 11. It has two carriages and can hold 46 passengers, and around 500 children and parents who applied for a place have boarded the train over the three days. The departure ceremony in Chiba for the special limited service was held at Chōshi Station, with an appearance by Pikachu himself!

Over 100 Pokémon designs decorate the outside of the train, and the inside is just as cool and Pokémon-tastic. One carriage is decked out as a ‘communication room’ where each seat has two pokémon buddies assigned to it. The other is a playroom with huge stuffed toys and pokéballs to play with (and hopefully not throw at each other’s heads). I know this is meant to be for the children, but I wonder how many parents used their kids as an excuse to bag a ride?!

The service started running in December 2013 on the Ōfunato Line in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, through some of the areas worst-hit by the tsunami, providing free fun for families who are still recovering from the disaster. What a sweet idea – this cheery train is sure to brighten any kid’s (and more than a few adults’) day!

▼ Communication room – check the seating plan here to see which seat you’d choose!

train2

▼ Pikachu presides over the playroom.

train5

▼ Wailmer looks soooo squishy!

train6

train9

Source: Yomiuri Shinbun, JR East
Images: JR East, Wikipedia