Deluxe suite passengers can immerse themselves in the scenic views out the large windows of their room.

Painted royal wine red, the train body is adorned with shiny gold emblems. With the refined charm of a luxury hotel, the Nanatsuboshi is a sightseeing sleeper train offering first-class service between well-known Kyushu destinations in southwestern Japan.

Spacious guest rooms with large observation windows and a lounge car with a counter bar are bathed in warmth and elegance. This ambience is undoubtedly created by the vast amount of wood used in the car interiors.

Although the interior appears to be crafted entirely in wood, the fact is that special techniques were employed to ensure both strength and fire resistance. The walls and ceilings may look like full wood, but remarkably they are made of boards of natural wood just 0.2mm thick backed with aluminum. To create the arched lattice ceiling and decorative walls, master craftspeople painstakingly laid the veneer strips by hand, taking great care to reproduce a surprisingly natural-looking wood texture.

The Nanatsuboshi train is also gorgeously decorated with traditional Okawa Kumiko wood joinery, a technique from Okawa City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu area, which has been passed down from generation to generation. This woodcraft technique features geometric patterns created by assembling pieces of wood using slits and grooves. Master craftsmanship involving adjustments of mere microns results in delicately beautiful work that is also strong and sturdy. The Okawa Kumiko adorning the train walls and windows softens the light, reflecting beautiful patterns to relax and soothe passengers.

Experience for yourself the ultimate in calming relaxation — all that wood has to offer — on a once-in-a-lifetime train journey through magnificent island nature and beautiful vistas.

Nanatsuboshi in Kyushu steams through the lush green nature of Kyushu.