All Aboard for Adventure: How Japan Makes Train Travel Fun
(Image courtesy of © 2025 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO. L661265)
In Japan, trains are not just a way to get from one place to another—they’re adventures on wheels! From high-speed Shinkansen rides with Hello Kitty to mystery-solving events where you play detective, Japanese trains and their stations are full of fun surprises.
About the journey, not the destination
Welcome aboard Japan’s prettiest, pinkest Shinkansen! (Image courtesy of © 2025 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO. L661265)
Welcome aboard Japan’s prettiest, pinkest Shinkansen! (Image courtesy of © 2025 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO. L661265)
On the Hello Kitty Shinkansen, you travel with one of Japan’s most popular cat characters. The train is based on a story in which Hello Kitty dreams of a bright pink ribbon connecting people across Japan. When she wakes, she is a train attendant on a beautiful pink Shinkansen decorated with the ribbon from her dream! Inside, the first two cars look like Hello Kitty’s world, with pink floors, purple seats, and walls covered in Hello Kitty designs. On the train, you can even pose and take photos with Hello Kitty.
The Echizen Railway’s Dino Liner is a must for dinosaur lovers!
The Echizen Railway’s Dino Liner is a must for dinosaur lovers!
Fukui is Japan’s dinosaur capital, home to the biggest dinosaur museum in Japan. Begin your Jurassic journey at Fukui Station, where there are dinosaurs that move as if they’re alive! Then take Echizen Railway’s Dino Liner to the museum, where the crew dress up as explorers and the carriages are filled with dinosaur decorations. Spot many dinosaur species and their fossils on board!
Take the Wakayama Electric Railway’s Tamaden to see Tama, the famous cat stationmaster.
Take the Wakayama Electric Railway’s Tamaden to see Tama, the famous cat stationmaster.
In Japan, you can find real cats working in train stations! This all started with Tama, Japan’s first-ever cat stationmaster. She has her own hat, and people travel to Kishi Station from far away to see Tama at work. Tama brings so much happiness to the area that Wakayama Electric Railway’s Tamaden was created in her honor. The front of the train has cat ears and whiskers, and there are 101 drawings of Tama on its sides. See if you can spot them all!
Stations worth stopping for
Love is the theme of this station in Chizu, Tottori Prefecture. (Image courtesy of Chizu Express Co.,Ltd.)
Love is the theme of this station in Chizu, Tottori Prefecture. (Image courtesy of Chizu Express Co.,Ltd.)
When you think of a train station, you might imagine somewhere a bit boring. But in Japan, stations can be the star attraction! Koi-Yamagata Station in Chizu, for example, is a pink paradise. Everything at this station is pink! In Japanese, koi means ‘love,’ and love is everywhere here—you can leave messages on heart-shaped wooden plaques or post a love letter in the pink postbox.
No, not Godzilla! This is Shako-chan, the local mascot of Kizukuri, Aomori Prefecture. (Image courtesy of Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture)
No, not Godzilla! This is Shako-chan, the local mascot of Kizukuri, Aomori Prefecture. (Image courtesy of Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture)
Kizukuri Station in Tsugaru, Aomori, is another amazing station. Many prehistoric objects have been found in this city, including the mysterious-looking clay figurine called shakoki-dogu. This figurine is a very important Japanese artifact (around 3,000 years old!), and Kizukuri Station has its own gigantic copy, called Shako-chan. You can’t miss it at the station entrance, since it is as tall as the building. Even cooler, whenever a train passes, Shako-chan’s giant eyes flash like laser beams!
Quizzes, stamp rallies, and other adventures
Each station has its own unique stamp to remember your visit by. (Image courtesy of JR East Akita Branch)
Each station has its own unique stamp to remember your visit by. (Image courtesy of JR East Akita Branch)
Most major stations in Japan have their own stamp, usually of a famous place or character. They’re fun to collect as a colorful souvenir. Travel to different Japanese stations and start a collection, and watch as your stamp book fills with cool and colorful designs!
At this stamp rally event, you collect Pokémon stamps to win prizes. (Image courtesy of ©Nintendo・Creatures・GAME FREAK・TV Tokyo・ShoPro・JR Kikaku ©Pokémon)
At this stamp rally event, you collect Pokémon stamps to win prizes. (Image courtesy of ©Nintendo・Creatures・GAME FREAK・TV Tokyo・ShoPro・JR Kikaku ©Pokémon)
Japan also has stamp rally events, which are like big treasure hunts. For a limited time, you collect special stamps at different stations to win prizes! One of the most popular is the Pokémon Stamp Rally, held every summer.
There are also mystery-solving railway events where you get to play detective! At each station, you solve puzzles to earn a clue for the next puzzle. Collect all the clues, crack the final mystery, and you’ll win a prize. These quizzes are great because they take you to new places you might otherwise never see.
Japanese trains and stations go far beyond simple transportation, offering delightful, themed adventures. This dedication to novelty and fun ensures that the journey itself is a vibrant and unforgettable part of the Japanese travel experience.