Between Japan’s first overnight bullet train and the nation mourning the retirement of the beloved Hello Kitty Shinkansen, it’s been quite the year for Japanese trains. And now there’s another reason to plan a rail-based pilgrimage, as the West Express Ginga sleeper train is returning, with tickets from just ¥8,670 (around €52) for the privilege.
Operated by JR West, the Ginga is back for its sixth summer on the Kii Peninsula route, running 24 round-trips between Kyoto and the coastal town of Shingu in Wakayama from July 3 until September 30. The overnight service rolls out of Kyoto at 9.13pm and arrives in Shingu at 9.35am the next morning – a leisurely 12 and a bit hours of Pacific coastline.
Not that you’ll be sleeping the whole way. This is more of a ‘travelling variety show’ where onboard staff talk you through the region’s highlights, guides provide commentary on the local geoparks, and because the area has ties to Japan’s space industry, there are talks about rockets.
At Wakayama Station, passengers hop off to grab takeaway Wakayama ramen from a local restaurant (yes, ramen as a scheduled timetable event – Japan, never change). Further down the line, the train pauses for around an hour at Kushimoto, where you can tuck into a tuna cutlet burger set (book ahead) or jump on a shuttle bus to the dramatic Hashigui-iwa rock formations. And once you arrive in Shingu, there’s a guided tour of Kumano Hayatama Taisha, one of the three grand shrines of the sacred Kumano region. Not bad for a train ticket.
Prefer to keep your beauty sleep? The daytime return leg (Shingu 1.05pm, Kyoto 8.53pm) leans into the fun instead, with quizzes and events onboard, plus a stop at Kainan Station to stock up on local delicacies including pike conger sushi and hayanarezushi, a traditional fermented fish dish for the brave.
Fares start at ¥8,670 (around €52) for a reserved reclining seat, rising to ¥15,380 (around €92) for a premium private room – which, considering it doubles as a night’s accommodation, is quite a bargain. All seats are reserved, with tickets available via JR West’s e5489 online booking service and ticket offices. One word of warning, the first departure of the season has already sold out, so if this sounds like your kind of summer holiday, get booking.
More weird and wonderful Japanese rail content? Step this way for the psychedelic train restaurant serving kawaii dining in Kyoto.
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