Japan Railways | Take a luxury sightseeing train to the Ise Peninsula—Kintetsu Sightseeing Express (しまかぜ)
#train
The most proud #express sightseeing train of #Kinki Railway Company is none other than #Shima-no-Kaze or #Shima-Kaze (#しまかぜ), which has been popular for more than 10 years since its debut in 2013. There is one train departing from Osaka Namba Station, Kyoto Station and Nagoya Station every day to and from Mie Ise Shima area, and the terminus is at Kashikojima Station. The blue-green color scheme symbolizes the clear skies of Ise-Shima. There are a total of six carriages. The beginning and end of the first and last rows are made up of six large pieces of glass formed from multiple angles, showing a sense of jumping layers. The front and rear sections are observation cars, which are also the most popular cars, especially the first row, which has a view as wide as the driver's seat.
In addition to the popular observation car, there are also group boxes with seats for 3 to 6 people. More importantly, one of the coffee cars is divided into two floors, and you must be led to your seat by a service staff. If you arrive late and there is no seat available, you can only eat at your seat. There are many local meals and specialties of Mie on the bus, such as curry rice, Matsusaka beef bento, Akafuku's cakes, etc. I ordered curry rice, which was full of spice. If the departure point or season is different, the meals will also change accordingly. No reservations are required for meals, just order whatever is available.
Except for the group boxes, all other seats are arranged in three rows in a light goose yellow color. The leather chairs are soft and comfortable to sit on, with reading lights on the sides. The electric chairs can adjust the angle freely, and are equipped with a small table. Even the curtains are automatic, and a basic USB charging station is required. Each room has a large glass window, allowing you to enjoy the scenery of Ise from all angles. Large luggage lockers allow you to bring your luggage without worry. The ticket price is not expensive. From Osaka to Kashikojima, it costs ¥5,460 (basic ticket price ¥2,770 + express fee and Shimakaze train fee ¥2,690); from Kyoto to Kashikojima, it costs ¥6,150 (basic ticket price ¥3,060 + express fee and Shimakaze train fee ¥3,090); from Nagoya, it costs ¥5,060 (basic ticket price ¥2,370 + express fee and Shimakaze train fee ¥2,690). If you have already purchased the 5-day Rail Pass, you only need to pay the express fee. For the first time, I felt that 2 hours on the train was not long at all. Kintetsu made "riding the train itself a pleasure" and I recommend it to everyone.