‘Kotatsu’ Train Begins Operation in Northern Japan; Passengers Enjoy Warmth of Heated Table with Scenery, Seafood

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:21 JST, January 6, 2025

KUJI, Iwate — Sanriku Railway Co. is operating its special seasonal train called the Kotatsu Ressha this winter between Kuji and Miyako stations on the line in Iwate Prefecture.

On Dec. 14, the first day of the service, about 20 passengers enjoyed their meals and the scenery from their seats, which were converted to kotatsu — a table with an electric heater underneath covered by a blanket.

On the train, four people can sit at one kotatsu, and decorative flags that are usually used by fishing boats to signify a big catch hang from the ceiling.

While passengers watch the scenery pass by, they can eat rice with sea urchin and other seafood. They can also watch a local traditional event called Namomi, during which performers dressed as demons try to scare passengers. The performance is believed to prevent illness and disaster for those who are scared.

A guide is also onboard to talk about famous locations in the area.

“I’m so excited, and the kotatsu makes me feel so warm,” said Tomoharu Mizuno, a 29-year-old public servant from Tokyo. “The atmosphere inside the train is nice, too.”

On the day, about 15 children from an after-school day care center in Kuji gathered at the station to celebrate the service’s first train.

The children stood on the Kuji Station platform while waving small flags to mark the start of the Kotatsu Ressha.

“[The passengers] can really feel the beauty of this part of the ocean,” said Kenji Hatakeda, station master of Kuji Station. “I want them to try various things, such as the seafood.”

The special train service is available on weekends and national holidays through March 23.