All aboard the swanky train! Japan just unveiled a new luxury sleeper train – and it’s jaw-droppingly beautiful. The gold-tinted Shiki-shima, which was designed by famed industrial designer Ken Kiyoyuki Okuyama, features a sophisticated blend of modern and traditional Japanese materials such as washi paper walls and screens, cypress bathtubs, and lavish carpets. But the best part is the train’s amazing greenhouse-like cars that give you a panoramic view of your surroundings.
The train’s design seeks to set the standard for modern train travel. The panoramic observation cars at either end of the 10-car train have large glazed wall panels that cover the walls and ceiling, offering sweeping views of the passing scenery. Comfy bentwood sofas that were made using traditional Japanese techniques are located throughout the communal lounge car, which is decorated with wall panels designed to “evoke the image of a quiet forest”. During the ride, guests will be able to enjoy select culinary specialties from their destination, served with nickel silver cutlery designed by well-known cutlery maker, Yamazaki Kinzoku Kogyo.
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The train has just 17 rooms: two large suite rooms and 15 smaller rooms. All of the rooms feature a bed, storage space and a private bathroom. Lucky guests of the luxury two-storey Shikishima suite will be able to enjoy a seating area and tatami mats, along with a rectangular cypress bathtub that provides a “fragrant bath-time experience.” The walls in the luxury suites are lined with floor-to-ceiling windows to provide customers with their own personal view.
Of course, opulence this fine does not come cheap. Two to four day trips on the Train Suite Shiki-shima start at $2,865 and go up to a whopping $8,500.
Via Jalopnik
