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- 500 Series / Bullet Train / Cool Japan / Hello Kitty / JR West / Kawaii / San'in Region / Sanrio / Shimane Prefecture / Shinkansen / Tottori Prefecture / Train / Travel / West Japan Railway Company
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Hello Kitty Bullet Train (Shinkansen)
Japan's bullet trains, also known as shinkansen, continue to delight foreign tourists with their convenience and comfort. Albeit less frequently than conventional trains, they also come in special versions. For example, the Genbi Shinkansen, containing an art gallery in a modified E3-700 series running on the Joetsu Shinkansen connecting Tokyo and Niigata, or the "Evangelion Shinkansen" (officially called the "500 Type Eva"), a 500 Series (V2 set) decorated in colors thematically tied to the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, and running on the Sanyo Shinkansen connecting Shin-Osaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka.
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
When Does The Hello Kitty Shinkansen Begin?
Now, in a move certain to delight Hello Kitty fans visiting West Japan this summer, Sanrio Co., Ltd. and West Japan Railway Company have come together to produce a 500 Series bullet train featuring the internationally famous kitty. The train will begin operations on June 30th.
To build up excitement, they created a slick promotional video with a kawaii/cool EDM soundtrack announcing the campaign:
Other videos can be viewed on their website
Project Details
HELLO!PLAZA (Carriage No. 1)
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
KAWAII!ROOM (Carriage No. 2)
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
Seating Area
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
Exterior
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
External decoration for the Hello Kitty Bullet Train (designs may change)
Regional Hello Kitty logos
Source: © West Japan Railway Company / © Sanrio Co., Ltd.
For each region featured in Train No. 1, there will be special Hello Kitty logos (designs may change). Here are the ones planned for Tottori and Shimane Prefectures. In the future, other logos will be revealed for Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Fukuoka Prefectures.
To find out more details and a train schedule, be sure to check the official Hello Kitty Shinkansen website here.
By - Ben K.