Onboard the Tohoku Emotion, the Journey Is as Special as the Destination

The Tohoku Emotion running through north-east Japan, nicknamed the ‘nomadic restaurant’ by the East Japan Railway company, runs between the cities of Hachinoe and Kuji, just 50 kilometres apart from each other. It offers a round trip that can easily be done in a day, with each leg taking just over two hours.

The train’s exterior also looks more like a restaurant, with its white paint and lanterns. However, beyond the design, food represents the central element in this experience. Only one of the three coaches is for travellers to sit in, with brocaded fabric walls in shashiko ori style, traditional to the region. The other two coaches are reserved entirely for food.

In the second wagon, the central element is an open kitchen where chefs prepare everything before travellers’ eyes, reinterpreting Western dishes using local products. Every six months, a new guest chef is invited to rework the menu. During their residency aboard the Tohoku Emotion, the chefs offer two menus (one every three months), designed based on the ingredients that are available.

The third coach serves as a dining room and offers panoramic views across the surrounding countryside. The entire space has been designed to pay homage to Japanese artisanal traditions, featuring kogin sashi appliqués on the carpet, characteristic of the region.

Those intrigued by alternative train travel but who are looking for a different destination or ambiance, there are a multitude of possibilities: the Tohoku Emotion is one of the Joyful Trains, a fleet of 20 unusual vehicles reinventing train travel across Japan. These include a Pokémon-themed train, a sake-tasting train and a SL Ginga space-themed train with its own planetarium.