Latest news with #JRWest
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Retired T4 Doctor Yellow to Be Displayed at SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya
The Yomiuri Shimbun The T3, right, and T4 Shinkansen Doctor Yellow inspection trains in Nagoya The T4 Doctor Yellow, an Shinkansen inspection train of Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai), which retired in January, was unveiled to the press along with its predecessor, the T3, at SCMAGLEV and Railway Park in Nagoya. The T4 will be displayed at the museum beginning on June 14. Based on the 700 Series Shinkansen train car affectionately known as the 'platypus,' the T4 completed its final run between Hakata and Tokyo on Jan. 29. In preparation for display, the T4 was repainted and maintained at a factory in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, before being transported by land. Meanwhile, the T3, owned by West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) and based on the 0 Series Shinkansen, was moved to Train Park Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture, where it is slated for future exhibition. 'I feel the passage of time in this scene of old giving way to new. I hope the T4 train will become even more beloved by museum visitors,' said SCMAGLEV and Railway Park Director Hitoshi Okabe. The T5, also owned by JR West, is scheduled to be retired in 2027 or later.
Japan Times
14-05-2025
- General
- Japan Times
34-year memorial held for victims of Shiga train collision
A 34-year memorial ceremony for a train collision killing 42 people in Shiga Prefecture was held near the site of the accident in the city of Koka on Wednesday. In front of a monument near the site, 21 participants, including bereaved family members and the heads of Shigaraki Kohgen Railway (SKR) and West Japan Railway, or JR West, observed a moment of silence and laid flowers. "We will do our best to advance our work to achieve train safety," SKR President Seijiro Masaki said in a memorial address. "We will engrave the tragedy of the accident and the preciousness of life in our hearts and continue to pass on the facts, remorse and lessons of the accident to future generations," JR West President Kazuaki Hasegawa pledged. "I would like to keep demanding that the nation and railroad operators take further safety measures," said Seiji Shimomura, 66, who co-headed a now-disbanded group for train safety set up mainly by bereaved family members in the 1991 accident. Shimomura lost his 2-year-old son in a July 2001 crowd crush on a pedestrian overpass in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture. On May 14, 1991, an SKR train and a JR West train collided head-on in Shigaraki, now Koka, killing 42 people and injuring more than 600.
SoraNews24
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
The Osaka-Kansai World Expo has lots of food and souvenirs, if you dare enter where they're sold
They are not for the faint of heart or wallet. In my previous reviews of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, I came to the basic conclusion that it's a pretty good time as long as you don't focus on more than one of the major pavilions and explore the more open areas with an equally open mind. I also found it to be busy but not overly congested, save for one exception: the souvenir stores. There are a few gift shops around the venue and each one is operated by a different company. Near the West Entrance, you'll find one run by Kintetsu Railway and another right next to it by JR West. Meanwhile, by the East Entrance, there's one managed by bookstore chain Maruzen Junkudo and another by Daimaru department stores. ▼ Inside the Daimaru Expo store They all have a slightly different array of goods, with almost everything bearing the likeness of Expo mascot Myaku-Myaku, but one thing they have in common is that they're insanely busy and crammed with people. ▼ This Myaku-Myaku doll display is very symbolic of the overall situation. The whole experience and all the elbows to the ribcage involved in it took me right back to the many mosh pits I found myself in during the '90s. Here's a look at some of the goods available, and I apologize for the photos which are not up to my usual standards as I was getting shoved around and could barely get glimpses of the shelves in the scant moments people weren't picking them clean. Often in articles like these, we like to ask the staff what the most popular items are. However, at the Kintetsu store the staff were insanely busy and it didn't matter anyway because I could see swarms of people buying stuff in real time to tell you what the hot items were. When I was there, people were going after the plush toys featuring Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, dressed up as Myaku-Myaku. Despite being steeply priced at 13,200 yen (US$92) for the large ones and 6,930 yen for the small ones, the staff were literally struggling to keep the shelves stocked with them. The plush key chains provided a much cheaper alternative, with the elongated Nobi Myaku-Myaku ones only 880 yen each. Students seemed to be going for these ones mostly due to their price and ability to accentuate a school bag. Some were dressed up as comedians or Osaka obachan. I admit I scoffed at these when I first wrote about them, but the Myaku-Myaku piggy banks for 8,800 yen were getting very low on stock when I was there. Perhaps it's how they marketed it? The JR West store was also a madhouse, but slightly less so and I was able to quickly ask a clerk what the biggest seller was. She told me it was the Myaku-Myaku Assorted Sweets for 2,499 yen. For the most part, food items were more sanely priced. However, the stores seemed to know when they had something interesting and priced accordingly. Case in point was the Myakumen instant ramen for 2,116 yen. JR West also had some Myaku-Myaku crossovers with dolls of the ICOCA card platypus mascot dressed as the Expo mascot. There were also some Myaku-Myaku-Minion items, showing that Universal Studios Japan and the Osaka-Kansai Expo were partners rather than rivals. Over on the other side of the venue, the Maruzen store had a diverse range of Myaku-Myaku items, such as different-colored dolls, super balls, and omamori lucky charms. Items that didn't have Myaku-Myaku were few and far between but some interesting ones here were wall hangings and displays featuring artwork from Dragon Ball or Ranma 1/2 . Prior to coming here, I had planned to try my hand at the Myaku-Myaku capsule machine in the Daimaru shop. It sold Myaku-Myaku figurines with a rare chance to get a silver or gold one. However, it had already sold out by the time I got there. There were also some Myaku-Myaku Tamagotchi at one point but those had sold out by the time I got there too. Considering it was only a couple weeks into this six-month event and stuff was already selling out, hopefully they'll either get some more stock prepared or are planning the next wave of different items. ▼ Myaku-Myaku Hi-Chews were also pretty popular but luckily they were well stocked with those. It's hard to recommend browsing one of these shops unless there's something you really want to get or you're into full-contact sports. Luckily, for more casual purchases there were smaller satellite souvenir stalls set up elsewhere in the venue. The selection is more limited but there also weren't as many people. Thankfully, getting something to eat isn't as much of a physical ordeal for the most part. There are some major chains like Sushiro and Kurazushi there, but they're about as popular as the major pavilions there. Because it's possible to book a table at Kurazushi using their app, I gave it a shot two weeks in advance, but still couldn't get a seat. ▼ Sushiro to the Future: Expo Edition ▼ Maneki ekisoba restaurant But aside from those, there are several food-court-style places to eat, and they never seemed too busy that I couldn't get a seat, even around lunch and dinner time. However, as I mentioned in a previous article, the pricing is rather severe. I opted for this food court in the northeast part of the venue because it had a gorgeous Aomori-style paper lantern float by the entrance. Even the different food vendors there had lantern-style signs up. I decided to get some Takoyaki from the stall run by Kukuru, a popular octopus-ball shop in Dotonbori. It seemed like an appropriate thing to get at the Osaka-Kansai Expo and they had a cool robot that slathered on the Takoyaki sauce and mayo. This paper cup of beer and tray of takoyaki set me back 1,900 yen, a price that I believe would get you arrested for trying to charge in Osaka proper. It was good though, and the cuts of octopus inside were much larger than your typical takoyaki at least. For more budget-conscious nourishment, the three big convenience store chains, Family Mart, 7-Eleven, and Lawson also have locations inside the venue. The bottom line is that you should probably go into the Expo expecting to drop a fair bit of money, much like you would at any theme park. Another thing to note is that most places don't take cash here, which shouldn't bother visitors from overseas but is still a little strange for Japan. There is a limited range of lower priced items so you can still walk away with something though, even when on a budget. I tried to make a game of it by finding something cheap without Myaku-Myaku and came up with this box of T.M. Revolution cakes for just 1,404 yen. It still had Myaku-Myaku but it was the best I could do. I hadn't been sure if Myaku-Myaku was all that popular until actually going to the Expo and seeing people gobble up items with its likeness. It kind of makes me wonder if that gooey creature will still be around in Japan once the event has finished. Photos © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
Piracy on the Rails: All Aboard the 'One Piece' Shinkansen!
On April 12, JR West launched the ' One Piece Shinkansen,' a collaboration with the popular manga and anime series, running on the San'yō Shinkansen line between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Passengers can board the train alongside the aspiring Monkey D. Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Crew, setting off on a journey filled with the thrill of adventure. The first train in the series is the 'Setouchi Blue,' inspired by the beautiful sea views visible from the San'yō Shinkansen. From the Heian (794–1185) through the Warring States (1467–1568) periods, many pirates, led by the Murakami Suigun (naval pirates), were active on the Seto Inland Sea. This route along the coastline has been dubbed the Grand Rail, imitating the Grand Line from One Piece , encouraging travelers to collect treasures—attractions and specialties found at each stop. The Setouchi Blue, photographed at a rolling stock depot in Okayama. (© Kusano Seiichirō) The front car features Luffy on one side, with an image of his powerful 'Gear 5' white form on the other. (© Kusano Seiichirō) Luffy and Roronoa Zoro also appear above the windows. (© Kusano Seiichirō) The Red Force , the ship of Shanks and the Red-Haired Pirates, joins the adventure. (© Kusano Seiichirō) Packed with Popular Characters Inside the train, vibrant designs featuring fan favorites can be found on headrest covers, compartment doors, and more. Some restrooms even feature mirrors decorated with the design of a wanted poster, letting passengers imagine themselves as an infamous pirate with a massive bounty. Adding to the experience, the onboard chime when departing or arriving at stations uses the first opening theme song of the televised anime, 'We Are!' At select stations, in-train announcements are made by the voice actors of Luffy and Tony Tony Chopper, so be sure not to miss them. Original headrest covers featuring the cast of characters. (© Kusano Seiichirō) Compartment doors that make you want to explore between your seat and the deck. (© Kusano Seiichirō) Wanted posters issued by the Navy are scattered throughout the train. (© Kusano Seiichirō) A restroom sink where you can feel like Shanks with a massive bounty, perfect for a photo op. (© Kusano Seiichirō) Luffy and Zoro see you off at the boarding doors. (© Kusano Seiichirō) The One Piece Shinkansen mainly operates between Shin-Osaka and Hakata as part of the Kodama service. On May 28, the 'Tony Tony Chopper Train' will be introduced, followed by the 'Monkey D. Luffy Train' on July 22. Three trains in total will be run at random. Until May 7, operations are limited to certain days; from May 17 through the end of June, the trains will run daily. Since schedules and stops vary by day, and the schedule from July onward remains undecided, make sure to check the official website's Train Guide before planning your adventure with Luffy and his crew. The Car 2 door featuring Nico Robin's name. (© Kusano Seiichirō) Poster showing the full train design. (© Kusano Seiichirō) The One Piece Shinkansen offers the fun of finding your favorite characters, like Buggy (top left) and Nefertari Vivi (top right). (© Kusano Seiichirō) For more information on Japan's Shinkansen network, see our route map. (Originally published in Japanese. Reporting and text by . Banner photo: The Setouchi Blue train and Luffy depicted on the front car. © Kusano Seiichirō.)
02-05-2025
- Business
3 JR Firms Post Sales, Profit Growth
News from Japan Economy May 2, 2025 22:51 (JST) Tokyo, May 2 (Jiji Press)--Three Japan Railways Group firms reported sales and profit growth for the year ended in March thanks to brisk travel demand from visitors to the country. East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, saw its sales increase 5.8 pct from the previous year to 2,887.5 billion yen. Sales at Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Tokai, rose 7.1 pct to 1,831.8 billion yen. West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, posted a 4.5 pct increase in sales to 1,707.9 billion yen. JR Tokai and JR West saw their transportation service revenues exceed those in the year ended in March 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. JR East's transportation service revenues recovered to about 95 pct of the pre-pandemic level. JR Tokai's net profit rose 19.3 pct to 458.4 billion yen and JR West's net profit climbed 15.4 pct to 113.9 billion yen, both hitting record highs. JR East and JR West expect higher sales and profits for the year ending in March 2026, while JR Tokai estimates higher sales but lower profit due to higher labor costs. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
