With all the sights, sounds, and history Kyoto City has to offer, from the Golden Pavilion to the thousands of torii shrine gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine, most people forget that there is much more to Kyoto outside of the bustling capital city. Kyoto Prefecture actually reaches farther north, with its northernmost cities bordering the ocean on the Sea of Japan side, earning the area the nickname “Umi no Kyoto“, literally meaning “Kyoto of the Sea”.
For travelers looking to explore more than the usual tourist spots, there are trains departing from Kyoto Station which will take you for a scenic ride through the northern part of the prefecture to view other famous sites such as the beautiful Amanohashidate land bridge in Miyazu City. And now, Japan Railway (JR) has teamed up with a well-known designer to make the travel experience much more unique in this old-style Umi no Kyoto-themed train, set for departure soon!
The man in charge of the project is Eiji Mitooka, an award-winning design consultant who works for the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). The new limited express train will take visitors from Kyoto Station to cities bordering the ocean along the northern half of the prefecture, including Miyazu, Inechou, and Kyoutango City.
▼ Left: Amanohashidate in Miyazu; Right: Harbor houses in Inechou
Images: Kansai Window
The train has been designed with the concept of Umi no Kyoto in mind, complete with Japanese style wooden interior and a metallic indigo exterior with a sleek golden trim and logo.
The new two-car trains are meant to be a restructuring of the current “Tango Discovery” railway cars that were installed in 1996.
As of yet, the route and start date of the new Umi no Kyoto have not been revealed, but we will for sure be awaiting the announcement!
Source and images: Japaaan Magazine
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