Continuing from last time, I’m going to show you more about JR East’s E001 series, Shiki-shima.
After photographing Shiki-shima at Kozu Station yard, I returned to Odawara Station to catch its arrival again. At 10:40, Shiki-shima returned from Kozu to pick up passengers. Let me explain the train’s composition: it has 10 cars. The first and last are observation cars; the remaining eight include six sleeping cars (Cars 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9), a lounge car (Car 5), and a dining car (Car 6). Car 7 is the top-tier sleeping car, featuring the Shiki-shima Suite and Deluxe Suite, both with cypress baths. Everything is truly top-notch!
After picking up passengers, Shiki-shima departed Odawara Station at 10:50. Two local “samurais” in armor and kabuto (decorative helmets) saw it off—a thoughtful gesture for the passengers. According to JR East, passengers and crew celebrated together upon arriving at Ueno Terminal in Tokyo. The crew clearly went above and beyond what the passengers expected.
You might ask, “Don’t you ever ride this luxury cruise train?” Good question! I would love to travel on Shiki-shima someday—but I’m always busy. It’s extremely popular, reservations are hard to get, and it’s very expensive… so, lots of excuses!
