JR West Japan (West Japan Railway Company) Okayama Branch will begin operation of the sightseeing train “SAKUBI SAKU Raku” on July 1. This debut will coincide with the Okayama Destination Campaign to be held in the summer of 2022, and will run between Okayama Station and Tsuyama Station on the Tsuyama Line. Prior to this, on June 22, the interior of the special train and attendant training were shown to the press.
As already announced, the exterior of the train is designed with “petals of the four seasons carried by the wind” based on the pink color of the cherry blossoms that dot the famous spots in the northern area of Okayama Prefecture. The interior, which was shown to the press for the first time, is decorated in soothing shades of green and brown, “inspired by the natural surroundings of the mountains and forests in the northern Okayama Prefecture area.
Also displayed inside the train are posters of six watercolor paintings depicting the Tsuyama Line route. These were painted by Miho Okada, a watercolorist from Tatebe-cho, Okayama, who actually visited the Tsuyama Line area. In addition, the specialties of Okayama, such as “Bara-zushi” (bara-zushi), special box lunches, sweets, and other services offered on the train were also introduced. Attendants will be on board the train to guide passengers along the route, providing information on the sights and specialties along the line through in-train announcements.
SAKU BISAKU RAKU will be in operation from July 1 to September 30. It will make two round trips per day, four days a week from Friday through Monday. The train will be operated as a one-car train from Friday to Sunday, and on Mondays, it will be connected to a regular train. The special box lunches and sweets offered on board the trains will change depending on the train in service.
Takuya Hara of the Hometown Development Division, Okayama Branch Office of JR West Japan, who was involved in this project, said, “The Okayama Destination Campaign was held in the midst of the Corona disaster, which makes it difficult to travel, but we want people to know the charms of Okayama from various places. We hope that people will take advantage of the sightseeing train “SAKU Bi SAKU Raku,” the centerpiece of the campaign, to fully enjoy the charms of the northern area of Okayama Prefecture,” he said.
A scenic train trip of about 1.5 hours from JR Okayama Station. Why not take a ride on the “SAKUBI SAKU Raku” for a memorable experience this summer?
© Source travel watch