JR Tourist Train Makes 1st Visits to Local Stations in Akita, Iwate; Performances Welcome Tourist Train to Stations

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:57 JST, December 18, 2024

AKITA — Hinabi Hachimantai, a tourist train operated by East Japan Railway Co. (JR East), ran on the Hanawa Line in Iwate and Akita prefectures for the first time on Nov. 30.

The train departed on the early winter day from Morioka and moved through the highlands and valleys that border both prefectures. It was welcomed at Kazuno-Hanawa Station in Akita Prefecture with a Hanawa-bayashi local traditional music performance. At Odate Station, also in the prefecture, the train was greeted by Sora, an Akita dog assigned the duty of tourism stationmaster.

The train has two cars: a first-class car with 25 seats and a regular-class car with 34 seats, all of which are reserved. Both cars were full for its debut. A performance of local drum music rang out when the train, white with a red line, arrived at Odate Station shortly after noon.

“The view [from the train] gave me a nostalgic feeling,” said Shuichiro Ogaki, who used to travel on the Hanawa Line when he went to elementary school. “A snow-capped Mt. Iwate on a sunny day looks fantastic, and the Yuze valley was amazing, too.”

Company employee Makoto Aoki came from Tokyo to ride the train.

“I had fun buying many bottles of local sake while the train stopped at the stations,” he said.

The train ran for two days.