Proof that Japanese trains truly are magical. 

There are a lot of unusual trains in Japan but right now none is more unusual than the one running through Tokyo on the Keio Inokashira Line because… well, it makes you see flashing love hearts outside the window.

We stumbled upon the rare sight by accident, when we took the train from Shibuya to Kichijoji the other evening and found ourselves on a train that had been “jacked”. This term is commonly used when a train is covered in advertising by a single company to such an extent that it looks as if it’s been hijacked, and that was the case this night, with bright blue posters for Rohto Pharmaceutical appearing throughout the carriage.

What was unusual about this particular jacking was the fact that the advertising revolved around an innovative feature in line with the company’s motto, “Moving the Heart”, which reflects its mission to use passion and wisdom to move people’s hearts and make the world healthier and happier.

▼ Literal moving hearts.

Yes, as shown on the poster, the windows on the train doors contain hearts that appear to flash outside the train when it turns dark.

According to the fine print, this was the Rhoto Heart Night View Train, a limited-time special to mark “Rhoto Day” on 10 June — “rho” sounds like “roku, the Japanese word for “six” and “to” is a way to say “10” — while delivering “energy with heart” during June, a month when there are no public holidays and the rainy season dampens both the weather and peoples’ moods.

The muggy night commute becomes a little more magical on the Rhoto Heart Night View Train, and upon seeing all the advertising for the special feature, we were keen for the train to start moving so we could see how it would work in action.

▼ Even the digital screens above the doors were advertising the special heart feature, with the words: “The doors of this train look like this at night”.

When the train finally left the station, it did so with theme park energy as a sense of excitement and anticipation grew on board, with people reaching for their phone cameras.

Having secured prime position by the doors, we were one of the first to see the hearts appear, and it immediately filled our own heart with joy.

Then, as the train picked up speed, things became even more magical when the hearts began to appear in quick succession, flashing here and there as if they existed at various distances from the railway.

The effect turned the ordinary nightscape into a magical wonderland, and we found ourselves gazing outside the window instead of staring at our phone screen, which was a clever way to ease the strain on our eyes after a long workday.

It was an impressive, well-thought-out marketing campaign with a lot of heart, but you have to be lucky to encounter it as it’s limited to one train only, with no information on when and where you can board it. The train we took left Shibuya Station at 7:30 p.m., but it’s not a given that this train will be there at that time.

▼ For those who aren’t able to experience the hearts firsthand, this is what they look like:

This special campaign will only be around for a limited time from 16-29 June so be sure to keep an eye out for the elusive train if you’re travelling around Tokyo during this time. From golden escalators to secret stairways, you never know what treasures you’ll find on Japan’s railways.

Related: Rhoto Campaign Site
Photos© SoraNews24
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