Sorry for jumping from one topic to another, but today I'd like to return to my recent family trip to Yamagata Prefecture and share one of its highlights in a little more detail.
After enjoying the fascinating world of jellyfish and another railway experience at Tsuruoka Station, we boarded Kairi, a joyful train I had always wanted to ride.
・What is Kairi?
Take a look at the photo above. Kairi—literally meaning Sea and Village—is JR East's sightseeing train that operates between Sakata and Niigata (168 km, about two and a half hours) via the Uetsu Main Line and the Hakushin Line. Passengers can enjoy local cuisine while taking in the beautiful scenery along the Sea of Japan.
The train consists of four stainless-steel cars: Car 1 with reclining seats, Car 2 with private compartments, Car 3 with a shop and an event space, and Car 4 with a dining room. Riding Kairi requires the reserved-seat surcharge.
・The Technical Side of Kairi
Kairi is operated by JR East's HB-E300 series Hybrid Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU). It combines diesel engines, three-phase squirrel-cage induction generators, converters/inverters, induction motors, and lithium-ion batteries. The induction motors also function as generators during braking, allowing the electricity they produce to be stored in the batteries.
A total of 18 HB-E300 series cars were built between 2010 and 2019. One four-car trainset is dedicated to Kairi, while the remaining 14 cars are used on other joyful trains, such as Resort Shirakami (Aoike).
・Impressions of the Ride
We reserved seats in Car 4, the dining room, where we enjoyed a delicious early dinner while watching the beautiful coastal scenery pass by.
In particular, the ocean view near the Yamagata–Niigata prefectural border was simply breathtaking (see the photo below). We had hoped to watch the sun set over the Sea of Japan, but the sky remained overcast. Never mind—railfans are always optimistic! It simply gave me one more reason to come back and ride Kairi again.
Our trip on Kairi turned out to be much more than just a train ride. It gave us the chance to experience one of JR East's unique joyful trains while enjoying some of the finest scenery along the lines.
