Japan luxury train

Train Suite Shiki-Shima, a new luxury train operated by Japan Rail East (www.jreast.co.jp), made its maiden journey on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, on May 1. 

The train’s 10 cars include seven 2-story sleeping cars (with three suite options), two observatory cars, a lounge car and a 2-story gourmet restaurant. Each car’s exterior and interior are designed by car designers from Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati.

The 17-berth train offers two overnight trips (4-day/3-night and 2-day/1-night), both round trip out of Ueno. Each trip includes daily stops for optional tours at extra cost. For a berth for one or two people, a 4-day trip costs from ¥740,000 (near $6,590), basic suite, to ¥950,000, “maisonette”-style suite.

At press time, suites were booked up until April 2018. Visit www.jreast.co.jp/shiki-shima/en and click on “Trip Application.”