2-Day/1-Night Trip

Passengers learned all about the birthplace of Japanese wine, in addition to enjoying some wine tasting.
A wine concierge was in attendance, in order to answer any questions.

LunchOutside the trainBettei Zabou, Fuefuki Hot Springs

• Zabou is run by the oldest Japanese winery still in existence. The restaurant served passengers authentic cha-kaiseki cuisine, prepared by head chef Minoru Hosaka.
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• Enjoy the Food and Wine of the Koshu Area

  As passengers dined on charyori (kaiseki cuisine, or Japanese haute cuisine), they enjoyed traditional Japanese hospitality based on the concept of wakei seijaku (harmony, respect, purity and tranquility).
  This concept permeated the seasonal cuisine and accompanying tea ceremony.
  I feel that the most important thing is to express the feeling of each season and use carefully honed techniques to bring out the true flavor of the ingredients.
  Passengers enjoyed wine from Koshu Katsunuma's Marquis Winery, the oldest Japanese winery still in existence.
  Three sommeliers carefully selected Marquis Wine especially for the guests of TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA.
  They enjoyed this special marriage of wine and charyori that is deeply rooted in the local climate and culture.
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SightseeingMiyakoen

• Miyakoen is a complex containing a tourist vineyard and a winery that was established by the Japanese wine pioneer Kotaro Miyazaki.
  Passengers explored the history of Koshu wine in the very place where Japanese winemaking started out.
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SightseeingChâteau Lumière

• Passengers attended a wine seminar conducted by a concierge at this winery, which has won many prestigious international awards.
  The seminar included a tasting of Koshu and other local wines, with canapés prepared by grand chef Shoji Hirota, of the winery restaurant Zelkova.
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DinnerOnboard the trainDinner prepared by TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA executive chef Shigeru Sato

• The dinner menu was arranged by executive chef Shigeru Sato.
  The onboard meal was a special experience that was truly enjoyable.
  Dining SHIKI-SHIMA
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• Building on the culinary legacy of TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA supervisors, Nakamura and Iwasaki, I created meals of imaginative narrativity, with great attention to the ingredients and culture unique to each area.
  I am from Akita in northeastern Japan, which means I have a strong commitment to always do my very best to highlight the most attractive points of each area through my cuisine.
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The view of Zenkoji Plain from Obasute Station is famous for being one of the best views in all of Japan.
Passengers took in this stunning night scene from a special lounge made of Nagano wood on the platform, while enjoying hors d'oeuvres along with some local sake or wine.

Cocktail Hour

The passengers enjoyed a drink at Lounge Komorebi in Car 5, and relaxed with a drink while watching the evening scenery from the train window.

The Aizu-Wakamatsu area is well known for Tsuruga Castle and the Byakkotai Army.
Passengers enjoyed some delicious local Aizu cuisine and admired Aizu lacquerware.

BreakfastOutside the trainTakino, a restaurant serving local Aizu cuisine

• Housed in a building that is 250 years old, Takino serves local cuisine from the Aizu region.
  Passengers enjoyed wappa-meshi, which is named for traditional Aizu dishes “Mage-wappa”.
  They also enjoyed regional sake only found in Aizu.
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• The culinary riches of Aizu partaken on traditional "Aizu lacquerware"

  In Aizu, an area rich in traditional Samurai culture, guests were greeted with regional cuisine in a 250 year old military encampment building which has received the prefecture's Architectural Culture Award.
  We harvested fresh vegetables, specially grown by local farmers, in order to serve meals characteristic of Aizu onboard TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA.
  Passengers enjoyed the freshly dug bamboo shoots, warabi and other mountain produce collected that morning, together with Aizu’s local “kozuyu” dish served on traditional Aizu lacquerware.
  They experienced Aizu's simplicity, and the obstinate spirit of the craftsmen in each bite of their breakfast.
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SightseeingSuzuzen Lacquerware Store

• Aizu lacquerware tradition dates back more than 400 years.
  Suzuzen Lacquerware Store opened over 180 years ago.
  Its unique technique of making beautiful and easy-to-use lacquerware has been passed down through the ages.
  Passengers tried their hands at painting lacquered containers using a method known as “maki-e”.
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LunchOnboard the trainLunch prepared by chef Kazunori Otowa of Otowa Restaurant (Utsunomiya)

• Chef Kazunori Otowa of Otowa Restaurant served cuisine that reflected the total natural environment of Tochigi.
  Dining SHIKI-SHIMA
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• Savor the Terroir of Tochigi with French Cuisine

  For me the most important thing was to express the ingredients and natural features of the region.
  When I was training at "Alain Chapel" in the village Mionnay on the outskirts of Lyon, I was struck at how much pride the local people took in their hometown.
  That's when I decided I wanted to open a restaurant in my own hometown of Utsunomiya.
  Using ingredients such as rainbow trout, Tochigi beef and local vegetables, I’ve built up my own expression of the region.
  It’s been 35 years since I put down roots in Utsunomiya.
  To culminate this time, I set a table on TRAIN SUITE SHIKI-SHIMA that expresses the region of Tochigi, and have generated ideas to that end.
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