[FY2023]
4-Day/3-Night Trip

Spring-Autumn (departing from April through November)

Day.1

TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA departs from Ueno Station.

Station staff see you off as your train departs.
  • [Lunch] onboard the train

Lunch prepared by Yoshihisa Akiyama of MUTSUKARI

  • Enjoy delicate, yet bold Japanese cuisine made from carefully selected ingredients.
    The beauty of these dishes showcases the appeal of each ingredient.
  • Embark on a journey that breathes new life into Japanese cuisine

    MUTSUKARI has offered Japanese fare that is the perfect combination of traditional techniques and modern embellishments in Ginza, Tokyo for over 15 years. The foundation of this is a dedication to getting to the essence of ingredients without any unnecessary, showy display.
    For train Suite SHIKI-SHIMA, we offer cuisine focused on MUTSUKARI’s famous vegetable nikogori (natural jelly broth) and other dishes made with seasonal vegetables. We hope you’ll enjoy many thrilling new Japanese culinary experiences as you take in the incredible scenery. Gaze out over sweeping views of the incredible landscapes of Japan from the train window.
  • Yoshihisa Akiyama MUTSUKARI
    Chuo-ku, Tokyo
  • [Dinner] onboard the train - [Overnight] on TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA

Dinner prepared by TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA executive chef Eiji Ikeuchi

  • Your first evening features a special full-course dinner of French cuisine prepared by TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA executive chef Eiji Ikeuchi.
    We hope you enjoy this truly special experience.
  • Continuing TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA's history of passion for cuisine that started when the trains first began operating, we have meticulously crafted an incredible menu from ingredients found across Eastern Japan, including those from my home prefecture of Ibaraki.
    Through our cuisine, we strive to convey the heart of those who produced these fine ingredients by evoking the charming scenery you gaze out on from the train windows.
    We hope your dining experience will make your trip that much more memorable.
  • Eiji IkeuchiExecutive chef of TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA

Cocktail Hour

Enjoy a drink at Lounge Komorebi in Car 5.
Relax with a drink while watching the evening scenery from the train window. Lounge Komorebi (Car 5) can be utilized at any time of day, except for when Car 5 is being used to serve meals. Lounge Komorebi is closed from 12:00 AM to 5:00 AM for cleaning and disinfecting.

Day.2

Arrive at Hakodate Station.

Arrive at Hakodate Station. (Free time until bus departure)
Board charter bus for Shin-Yu Tan-Bo at Hakodate.
*Guests may not remain on board the TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA.
  • Shin-Yu Tan-Bo at Hakodate
    [Stopover for sightseeing]

TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA arrives in Hakodate, the gateway to Hokkaido, after passing through the Tsugaru Strait via the Seikan Tunnel, which shares a name with the Seikan ferries that once navigated these waters.
Hakodate has grown into a port of international trade since the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1853. Dine on the area's famous fresh seafood, then take a tour of this international city. A Hakodate City Tram has been specially reserved to take TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA passengers to Hakodate Station.

Breakfast prepared by Yuji Ogata of Japanese Restaurant Fumoto

  • Your first meal in Hokkaido is from Fumoto, located at the foot of Mt. Hakodate. Enjoy a seafood breakfast as only Hakodate can provide, filled with squid, salmon roe and local Okhotsk atka mackerel.
  • A breakfast of Hakodate's Famous Squid and Salmon Roe Rice Bowl

    The Japanese restaurant Fumoto, whose name alludes to the foot of mount Hakodate, housed in a building constructed in the early Showa period, is frequented by locals as a place to enjoy the tastes of Hakodate.
    TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA gives guests a breakfast of squid and salmon roe — seafood characteristic of Hakodate.
    The ingredients for the entire year's stock of Shoyu-zuke salmon roe (salmon roe pickled in soy sauce) are caught in the waters off Hakodate during October and November each year, when salmon roe is in season.
    When I was a kid, I ate squid sashimi, bought from the lady selling squid, every morning for breakfast.
    We've prepared various seasonal ingredients to please the refined palates of our discerning clientele.
  • Yuji Ogata Japanese Restaurant Fumoto
    Hakodate

Trams (Hakodate Shiden)

  • Take a special trip to Hakodate Station on a retro tram, an exclusive offer of this tour.

Depart Hakodate Station.

  • [Lunch] onboard the train

Lunch prepared by chef Yuya Sekikawa of Climat (Hokuto)

  • Experience the culture of southern Hokkaido while dining on its very best cuisine. Climat serves gourmet cuisine that harnesses the incredible flavor of each ingredient to highlight the chef's love of southern Hokkaido.
  • French cuisine expressing the "climate" of Hakodate

    The style of climat is to build up each plate one at a time, with advice and ingredients, such as vegetables, mutton, pork, beef, cheese and eggs, supplied by colleagues who are almost family.
    I'm excited to prepare meals that convey the climate and culture of southern Hokkaido.
    Passengers on TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA will think to themselves, “I’m really in Hakodate!”.
    I’ve lived in Hakodate since I was born, and like it more than any other city I’ve visited. With the mountains and sea so near, it’s a place that makes you glad to be alive.
    My chief desire is that guests will come away with the same feeling.
  • Yuya Sekikawa climat
    Hokuto / Hokkaido

Arrive at Shiraoi Station.

  • Shin-Yu Tan-Bo at Shiraoi
    [Stopover for sightseeing]

Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park

  • The mission of Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park is to revitalize and share Ainu culture. The facility opened in 2020 in Shiraoi Town along Pacific Ocean in Western Hokkaido.
    Experience the myriad charms of Ainu culture amongst the scenic beauty of the shores of Lake Poroto. Facilities include the National Ainu Museum, which features exhibits showcasing the daily lives, culture and history of Hokkaido’s indigenous Ainu, and the Cultural Exchange Hall, where you can catch performances of traditional Ainu dancing, recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and mukkuri (a kind of mouth harp).
  • Noboribetsu area accommodations

    Arrive at Noboribetsu area accommodations

    • Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya in Noboribetsu Hot Springs.

    Hot Springs and Cuisine Found Only in Noboribetsu

    • Takinoya is a hot spring in Noboribetsu, which is home to some of Hokkaido’s best hot springs.
      The waters that feed the large public indoor and open-air baths as well as the open-air baths in the rooms come from Hell Valley (Jigokudani).
      Much like a traditional inn, guests are welcome to enjoy a Japanese garden that changes with the seasons and refined hospitality.
    • Noriko Suga Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya
      Noboribetsu / Hokkaido
  • Shikotsuko area accommodations

    Arrive at Shikotsuko area accommodations

    • Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za

    Ao no Za overlooking Lake Shikotsu

    • Ao no Za overlooks Lake Shikotsu.
      This hotel features Western-style comforts coupled with a Japanese aesthetic, so take your shoes off at the door before you walk down its tatami corridors.
      Every room is equipped with a spacious open-air hot spring bath and an indoor bath with jets, so you can relax like you’re at a resort vacation villa.
    • Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za
      Chitose City, Hokkaido

Day.3

  • Depart Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya

    Board charter bus to depart Takinoya.

    Depart Higashi-Muroran Station.

  • Depart Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za

    Board charter bus to depart Ao no Za.

Depart Tōya Station.

  • [Lunch] onboard the train

Lunch by Molière Café "Come Rain or Come Shine" (Sapporo)

  • A variety of dishes are served with a sense of playfulness that welcomes you to enjoy both the flavor and visual appeal of Hokkaido ingredients.
    Savor Hokkaido-style French cuisine by Hiroshi Nakamichi, chef and owner of Molière, in a casual atmosphere.
  • Hokkaido, to be enjoyed with all five senses

    Opened as affiliated restaurant of Molière, French restaurant in Sapporo.
    A homely atmosphere, where guests are welcomed in the main by female staff members.
    An open kitchen in full view of all, offers so much “pleasure” to enjoy dining with “vision” in addition to a great “taste.”
    One of our greatest joys is serving dishes that one can always enjoy regardless of rain or shine, whether on a special day or not, and make them one of the greatest of memories on a TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA trip.
  • Keiji Miyata Molière Café
    "Come Rain or Come Shine"
    Sapporo City / Hokkaido

Arrive at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station.

Depart Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station.

  • Jomon Trip

    Arrive at Aomori Station.

    Arrive at Aomori Station.
    Board charter bus for Shin-Yu Tan-Bo Jomon Trip.
    • Shin-Yu Tan-Bo Jomon Trip
      [Stopover for sightseeing]

    Aomori was the bedrock of many lives during the Jomon Period. Here, you can experience the ancient romance that transcends over five millennia among building restored from Jomon ruins.

    Sannai Maruyama Site

    The Sannai Maruyama Site is ruins from the Jomon Period. This valuable archaeological site has seen growing interest both in Japan and overseas, and you can learn about how people constructed buildings, made tools and lived a sedentary life, hunting and gathering in harmony with nature around five millennia ago. You’ll be guided through the facilities with access only TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA can provide, from the awe-inspiring restored buildings in the outdoor Jomon Village, to the Jomon Jiyukan, which is filled with exhibits featuring excavated items and explanations of how the Jomon people lived.

    • [Dinner] outside the train

    Dinner prepared by chef Masanori Kawaguchi of Hotel Jogakura (Aomori)

    • Dinner is served at Los Cuatro Gatos (Four Cats), a restaurant inside the Aomori Museum of Art. The museum owns a variety of incredible works, such as vast stage backdrops painted by Chagall that were used for the ballet Aleko, and the massive sculptural masterpiece Aomori-ken (Aomori dog) by Yoshitomo Nara.
      Enjoy French cuisine perfectly complimented by the flavors of Aomori as prepared by Chef Masanori Kawaguchi from Hotel Jogakura, located at the foot of Mt. Hakkoda.

    Experience a French Take on the Many Flavors of the Land and Sea of Aomori

    • I am the head chef at Hotel Jogakura, one of the top resort hotels in the Hakkoda-san Mountains.
      I grew up in Aomori, and have been intimately familiar with the Tsugaru area ever since I was a young child.
      I make use of the training I received and the experience I gained in Tokyo and France to craft French-style dishes that make the most of ingredients unique to the mountains and waters of Aomori.
      The sea in this area is blessed with whitefish and scallops, while Lake Jusanko provides clams and freshwater fish.
      The region also boasts a wide variety of medicinally effective wild vegetables and herbs such as garlic, as well as Kuraishi brand beef, a bountiful variety of apples, and many more Aomori delights.
      These are all used in the delicious menu for TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA.
    • Masanori Kawaguchi Head Chef, Hotel Jogakura
      Aomori
  • Kuroishi Trip

    Arrive at Shin-Aomori Station.

    Arrive at Shin-Aomori Station.
    Board charter bus for Shin-Yu Tan-Bo Kuroishi Trip.
    • Shin-Yu Tan-Bo Kuroishi Trip
      [Stopover for sightseeing]

    Take the Hokkaido Shinkansen “Hayabusa” from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station to Shin-Aomori Station, and compare it to your ride through the Seikan Tunnel aboard TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA.

    Uchiwa Fan Workshop

    Kuroishi is also known for the charming look of Nakamachi Komise Street, lined with wooden arcades that have been protected from the area’s heavy snowfalls since the shogunate days of the Edo Era. The cultural hallmarks of Nebuta and Neputa that have spread throughout Aomori Prefecture took deep root in Kuroishi, as well, where Kuroishi Neputa is particularly known for its vibrant and delicate art. You’ll get to make your very own Uchiwa Fan emblazoned with a cutout of Neputa art at the Uchiwa Fan Workshop.

    • [Dinner] outside the train

    Dinner prepared by chef Michiaki Sasamori of OSTERIA ENOTECA DA SASINO

    • OSTERIA ENOTECA DA SASINO produces an incredible array of culinary delights, from homegrown vegetables and herbs to prosciutto and wine made from scratch.
      Savor homemade Italian cuisine filled with the flavors of Hirosaki.

    Italian cuisine with a focus on home-made ingredients

    • While I was training in Italy, I explored the incredible richness of country's region cuisine, visiting wineries and enjoying the hospitality of my friends.
      We wanted to capture that local flavor, so we make our wine, prosciutto and sausage from scratch, and even grow our own vegetables. We cultivate the grapes for our wine, and produce cider made with Hirosaki apples. I hope you'll enjoy our array of homemade food and drinks.
    • Michiaki Sasamori OSTERIA ENOTECA DA SASINO
      Hirosaki, Aomori

Depart Aomori Station.

  • [Overnight] on TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA

Cocktail Hour

Enjoy a drink at Lounge Komorebi in Car 5.
Relax with a drink while watching the evening scenery from the train window. Lounge Komorebi (Car 5) can be utilized at any time of day, except for when Car 5 is being used to serve meals. Lounge Komorebi is closed from 12:00 AM to 5:00 AM for cleaning and disinfecting.

Day.4

  • [Breakfast] onboard the train

Breakfast at TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA

  • On the morning of the final day of the trip, we’ll serve a breakfast made with ingredients that can be found along the course that TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA has traveled thus far.
    Relax and enjoy your morning on the train.

Arrive at Naruko-Onsen Station

Arrive at Naruko-Onsen station.
  • Shin-Yu Tan-Bo at Naruko Onsen
    [Free Time]

TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA makes a rest stop at Naruko Onsen, just a little ways off from the Ueno-bound Tohoku Main Line.
Naruko Onsen is famed in Eastern Japan, and is known as “Oshu Sanmeito” (one of Oshu’s three greatest hot springs), along with Akiu Onsen (Miyagi Prefecture) and Iizaka Onsen (Fukushima Prefecture). The adorable countenance of traditional Kokeshi dolls can be seen throughout the town, and a faint scent of sulfur beckons to you as soon as you leave the station. After a leisurely breakfast on board the train, enjoy a pleasant morning stroll around the hot spring town.
Photo courtesy of Miyagi Prefecture Tourism Promotion Division

Depart Naruko-Onsen Station

  • [Lunch] onboard the train

Lunch prepared by Masahiro Abe of Sushimasa, Ishinomaki

  • One of Sushimasa’s locations is in Ishinomaki, a port town along the coast that looks out toward Kinkasan, Sanriku, and area that is known as one of the world’s three greatest fishing areas. On board the train, you’ll dine on a selection of sushi, including local varieties, provided by Sushimasa.
  • Masahiro Abe Sushimasa
    Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture

Arrive at Ueno Station.

Farewell party will be held in “Prologue SHIKI-SHIMA” after arrival at Ueno Station.
Enjoy the company of the train crew and your fellow travelers one final time, while reflecting on a wonderful time spent aboard TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA.
Return to Your Journey on
TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA