Spring 2021 heralds the Japanese theatrical release of a Thomas movie starring a Japanese bullet train!
Thomas the Tank Engine
Drastic solution required to remove cheeky locomotive.
Read More
As if Thomas wasn’t already creepy enough…
Read More
Young Thomas seems to be pulling a cargo of fashionable nightmares.
A hobbyist has inadvertently given life to an Eldritch horror posing as a Thomas the Tank Engine toy by giving it glowing eyes and the ability to scale walls and ceilings.
Being that he’s a train on an island, you wouldn’t expect Thomas the Tank Engine to do much international traveling. However, thanks to a bit of clever storytelling (and Thomas’ absolute lack of compunction about stowing away on freight ships), the beloved locomotive has embarked on a globe-trotting tour in an ongoing video series.
In one of the most recent episodes, Thomas even arrives in Japan, where he takes in the local sites in a whirlwind visit that’s more Japanese than actually living in Japan.
Well, it looks like train fans in Japan have something to be excited about — the real-life Thomas the Tank Engine, which has already attracted considerable attention on the Internet and media, is now in service! The Thomas steam locomotive, designed with a large face in the front to quite accurately recreate the well-known children’s character, started on its very first journey on July 12 with about 560 passengers on board. And since we knew this was a ride that would be sure to delight kids as well as adult train fans, one of the reporters from our Japanese site traveled to Shizuoka Prefecture in the center of Honshu, the main island, to see the “real Thomas” on his very first day in operation!
Japan is a country that loves its trains. For many rail enthusiasts, there’s nothing better than a getaway to one of the rural parts of the country to ride on and snap pictures of unique trains running through beautiful countryside scenery.
Some localities even drum up tourism by keeping old-fashioned steam locomotives in service, which are always a big draw. This summer, though, Shizuoka Prefecture’s Oigawa Line is going a step further by dressing up one of its trains as Thomas the Tank Engine.
Well, that’s a much-loved part of my childhood ruined forever…
I have fond memories of rushing home as quickly possible every Monday afternoon circa 1986, pulling my mother along behind me after she had kindly come to meet me from school, and constantly asking her what time it was, fretting that I might miss even a snippet of the opening credits of kids’ TV show Thomas and Friends.
Had I known that there was just some creepy nude guy inside that little blue tank engine, though, I might have instead dragged my feet as much as possible so as not to give my four-year-old self, already with a highly active imagination and a fear of anything that wasn’t my cat or jam sandwiches, any additional nightmare fuel.
Thomas the Tank Engine has a huge following in Japan. Known here as Kikansha Tomasu, literally Tank Engine Thomas, the cheeky train and his group of hard-working friends are so popular they even have their own amusement park and a hotel dedicated to them with unique, train carriage-themed rooms. Now Japanese fans are looking forward to their biggest present yet: a chance to ride on a fully-working Thomas the Tank Engine steam locomotive. Set to take passengers down the hills and round the bends of the Oigawa Line in Shizuoka Prefecture, this is a really useful engine we adore!
MOST POPULAR
Today
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets
Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack?
A letter from our reporter’s deceased mother arrives at just the right time
Is Mister Donut’s all-you-can-eat Donut Buffet still worth it?
Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa’s bar pops up in real-world Tokyo, and we stop by for drinks[Photos]
Japan’s rice warehouse stockpile rate hits record high as consumers, restaurants reject high prices
Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video]
This historical Kyoto zen garden is hosting a guitar and beatbox concert
Weekly
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Sega opening 65th anniversary store in downtotn Tokyo with deep-cut game merch
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Monthly
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden- Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo- The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open- Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa’s bar pops up in real-world Tokyo, and we stop by for drinks[Photos]
Japan’s rice warehouse stockpile rate hits record high as consumers, restaurants reject high prices
Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face
Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video]
This historical Kyoto zen garden is hosting a guitar and beatbox concert
Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines
Looney Tunes is now an adorable anime series with Looney Tunes Gokko[Videos]
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
We turn to a shady Amazon Japan gadget to try to stop Tokyo crows from stealing our hangers
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Japanese Pokémon card shop grabs scissors as part of its plan to keep scalpers away
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Japanese hair salons going bankrupt in record numbers
Holy Fungus Mud Volleyball is Japan’s most filthily beautifying bacteria event of the summer!
-
