Your periodic reminder that, when it comes to railway styling, Japan just does what it feels. No half measures. 
Pt. 2. "Hiei", the Kyoto Tourist train (pics Kyodonews english.kyodonews.net/news/2018/03/c…)
Chapter 3. "Tohoku Emotion", one of the "Joyful Trains" series of JR East. A luxury restaurant train with its outside painted to look like a traditional tiled restaurant interior
4.0. "Koshino Shu*Kura", another JR East "joyful train". Not much of a looker on the outside, but on the inside this one is entirely devoted to the appreciation and consumption of sake. (Pics - JR East)
This is you reminder that Scotrail's attempt at this is a £16 cardboard packed lunch box that will leave you hungry and the contents of which you could buy individually for about a tenner
Those last 2 examples are old DMUs, of which Scotrail has many, that have been carefully and thoughtfully repurposed. It took them 4 years to come up with a small, overpriced cardboard box to fit their "Great Scenic Rail Journeys" commitment
Back on track (😂). Number 5. "Bull" and "Mike" of the Ikoma Cable Railway, along with their friends "Do-re-mi" and "Cake"
Japan - look, curved train drivers' windscreens.
Scotland -
Scotland -
VI. What looks like an interestingly painted but otherwise standard E3 Shinkansen on the outside is the "Toreiyu" (Sun Train) excursion train. The inside is fitted out like a bar and restaurant and has traditional "Ashiyu" foot baths to wash ones feet on the go at 170mph
7. Another E3 is the "Genbi" (Contemporary Art) Shinkanen, a 170mph modern art gallery (inside and out). For the kids, there's an entire car turned over to building toy railways, while the grown ups enjoy the art of the interior and on the walls and windows.
Eight. The "Anpanmantrain" trains (there's more than one of these) tourist trains are a homage to the Anpanman childrens' cartoon character both inside and out. (Pics - Jr-eki.com, cuso4.org, japanvisitor.com).
Our Wullie Express for Scotrail? No seats, just buckets and carties to sit on. Buffet serving mince and tatties. Staff dressed as PC Murdoch.
Although I was wrong and sometimes they do take a stylistic cue from Scotland. The corporate livery of the Tosaden Kotsu system borrows heavily from the old Glasgow Corporation scheme flickr.com/photos/1334041…
#9. Back to space age styling. Nicknamed the "Mirror train" for obvious reasons, the "Seibu 001" is a new design of express commuter train for the Seibu Railway, designed inside and out by architect Kazuyo Sejima. (Pics - Seibu Railway / Kazuyo Sejima associates)
Like many Japanese express trains, the whole seat sets can be spun around to face the other way, so you can opt for backwards and forwards, or airline and facing seating.
X. h/t @Al__S for the amazing BOSO BICYCLE BASE! a special 6 car train that carries 99 cyclists and their bikes out into the countryside to enjoy the ride home. Another JR East "Joyful Train", it most certainly is that. (last pic - Xinhua)
@Al__S The B.B.BASE runs at weekends only to allow urban Tokyo-ites to Chiba Prefecture, where the roads, the grades and the climate are perfect for a day of cycling. It then takes you home again. A return ticket is about £40. welovecycling.com/wide/2018/01/1…
@Al__S 11. The "romancecar" is a series of express trains run on the narrow gauge Odakyu Electric Railway dating back to the late 1950s. Fancy styling and a raised driver's compartment to give a clear view ahead are a feature. "Romance" refers to seat pairs without central arm rests.
@Al__S And of course your lunch box (Bento) comes in the shape of a romancecar train (take note, Scotrail lunch boxes).
@Al__S 12. The view ahead is an important consideration in Japanese trains. The Romancecar puts the driver over the passengers; the Nagoya Railroad "Meitetsu 8000" flips that about and puts the passengers over the driver (see him tucked down low in last pic)
@Al__S 13. The modern Kintetsu 50000 series has a similar idea about front end arrangements
@Al__S There's enough space for a double height restaurant car, with a panoramic glazed walkway along the side of it and a ladies' "powder room" at the entrance
@Al__S 14. The "285 Series" is a double-decker sleeper train that operates the "Sunrise Izumo" and "Sunrise Seto" services. The odd front end allows sets to be coupled together, splitting later. The colours are appropriately "Morning Glow" red, "Morning Mist" beige and "Sun Rise" gold
@Al__S But it's on the inside where they get super cool. Accomodation is a mix of double cabins, twin and single compartments through to double deck "Nobinobi", where you quite literally sleep (and sit) on the (comfortable) floor.
@Al__S Here's some pictures of the Nobinobi in action
@Al__S Despite the basic nature of that accomodation, the train is spotless, modern and well appointed. There are showers flickr.com/photos/ohpan/1…
@Al__S And here's an on-board review of the experience. I have to say I love the idea of waking up on the top deck, whooshing through the Japanese landscape, beneath that enormous curving window from floor to ceiling
@Al__S 15. "Oykot". The JR East "Joyful Trains" are a never ending source of variety and intrigue. This one has an interior themed like a traditional Japanese village, taking tourists into the countryside and selling local produce. (Pics - JR East / Google Maps)
@Al__S Charming, yes, but not really that mad. So number 16? the POKEMON WITH YOU train! This Pikachu-themed mobile softplay is of course another "Joyful Train". (Pics JR East / Google Maps)
@Al__S The attention to detail is stupendous. Everything, from floor to ceiling has been covered in Pokemon carpet or wall vinyls. Each seat has its own, unique, Pokemon-themed handhold.
@Al__S Did you think we were finished?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no!
Oh, no, no, no, no, no!
@Al__S 17. The "Tetsudo Hobby Train". The starting point is a bog standard KiHa 32 single-car branch line DMU train, but the whole thing has been transformed to look like a toy model of the original Model 0 Shinkansen, including bolting on a false front.
@Al__S The train operates tourist services and I believe it is in connection with a "Hobby Museum", hence the display cases of model trains inside, and the fact you can buy a model toy of the model toy train.
@Al__S This is basically bolting a false APT-P front-end onto a pacer carriage.
@Al__S 18. The "Utage". What can I say, it looks like a big, pink, er... you fill in the rest. "Utage" means feast, and this is a party train that you hire for an excursion. It has no formal seats and instead offers traditional "Tatame" mats and low tables.
@Al__S 19. Back to the goldmine of curiosity that is the JR East Joyful trains; the "FruiTea Fukushima". This train is a café on wheels dedicated to all things fruit tea and desserts. As the name suggests it runs in Fukushima and specialises in local delicacies (last pic - JR East)
@Al__S And to finish up at 20, the train you've all been waiting for, the 500 Series "Hello Kitty Shinkansen". Despite the outlandish livery, this actually runs in regular service.
@Al__S Footnote. Although to eyes used to western trains they appear bizarre, I haven't included the "shovel faced" Shinkansen here as there's good science behind why they look like that. It's all about shockwaves and tunnels.
@Al__S Footnote 2 - any uncredited photos are all from the Wikimedia Commons
