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Times
8 hours ago
- Times
23 of the world's best luxury holiday destinations
Ever wondered where the one per cent club holiday? When you've got a private jet on standby and an executive assistant to apply your SPF, everywhere from the Arctic Circle to the Maldives is your playground. While UHNW individuals see this as par for the course, the rest of us can enjoy a handful of these trips in our lifetimes — and my, how enjoyable they are. From yacht hopping between islands in Bora Bora, luxuriating in a paddy-side suit in Jimbaran Bay (known as Bali's Beverly Hills to its beautiful friends) and having George Clooney as a neighbour on Lake Como, sometimes paying through the nose feels totally worth it. Here's how to holiday in serious style. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Best for a mix of tradition and modernityThere are plenty of luxurious moments in store in Japan. Soak in a exclusive mountain-top onsen, take a guided tour of the sacred temples in Kyoto, or experience a private tea ceremony in Nara. For something a little wilder, escape to the pristine beaches of Okinawa, or head north for wildlife watching and hiking on the little-visited island of Hokkaido. Or splash the cash in style in Tokyo's Michelin-starred sushi restaurants, designer boutiques and lavishly luxurious hotels. The world's original bullet train, the Shinkansen, makes it absurdly easy to get around — and there are few classier ways to travel. • Best tours of Japan• Best places to visit in Japan• Best things to do in Japan Few of us will manage to get to go to the North Pole, but you can get pretty darn close by visiting the remote, icy Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, which is way up in the Arctic Circle, at 74° to 81° north latitude, and snow-covered for much of the year. A range of adventurous trips to the islands are available, mostly using the island's main town of Longyearbyen as a base of operations: there are some surprisingly swish hotels here, including Basecamp Hotel and Funken Lodge. You'll be spending your time snowmobiling, snowshoeing, kayaking icy inlets and, of course, looking out for wildlife, including polar bears — hopefully at a reassuringly remote distance. With luck, the northern lights will also put in an for modern glamourIt's impossible to talk about luxury holidays without mentioning Dubai. The crown jewel of the United Arab Emirates is dripping in riches. Much of the city was built in the last 50 years, so everything has that shiny and new feel. The hotels are second to none, with lavish suites, award-winning spas and fine dining restaurants a plenty. Dubai's gravity-defying skyscrapers need to be seen to believed. Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, is spectacular. • Best hotels in Dubai• Best things to do in DubaiBest for laid-back sun-seekingThe sun-soaked Caribbean has long been the go to place for lavish holidays. With so many amazing islands to choose from, deciding where to base yourself can be agonising. Will it be the mountainous St Lucia, where you'll encounter some of the most dramatic scenery in the Caribbean? Or does star-studded Barbados get your vote? Its historic sites, golden beaches and luxury hotels are definitely hard to top. How about Jamaica, the home of reggae, and the island where Ian Fleming wrote the original Bond novels? Or perhaps you'd go for the uber-exclusive islands of St Barts and Turks and Caicos — the celebs' choice. Maybe you don't have to choose at all: a Caribbean cruise enables you to explore several islands, including lesser-known ones like Curaçao, Guadeloupe and St Maarten. • Best Caribbean cruises• Best budget Caribbean cruises Best for tropical luxuryBali's laid-back vibe, pristine beaches and mystical temples have made it synonymous with luxury escapes. Whether you're bedding down in a luxury retreat, a beachfront resort, or a self-contained villa, you'll find a slice of heaven. Mountain town Ubud is a great place to soak in traditional Balinese culture while marvelling at lush forests, rice paddies and conservation centres like the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, home to more than 1,200 monkeys. Seminyak is where you'll find some of the most sublime beaches on the Indonesian island, along with trendy beach spas and exclusive fashion boutiques. For maximum luxury, head to Jimbaran Bay, often referred to as 'the Beverly Hills of Bali' for the many high-end hotels located nearby. • Most captivating hotels in Indonesia Best for miles and miles of coastlineIt's not hard to see why this Indian Ocean archipelago is a favourite with the rich and famous. Consisting of around 115 islands, only a handful of which are inhabited, the Seychelles is all about sparkling white beaches and seas so blue they look like they've been Photoshopped. Spend your days snorkelling, eating seafood, cycling around local markets or just basking in the equatorial sunshine. The main island of Mahé is the most populous, and has its fair share of hotels and resorts, but for spoils you'll want one of the smaller islands — like La Digue, celebrated for its beaches, including photogenic Anse Source d'Argent (as featured in the Oliver Reed movie Castaway), or Bird Island, a super-swish island resort only accessible by private plane. • Best Indian Ocean holidays to book now• Best time to visit the Seychelles: when to go and what to do Best for beautiful, diverse landscapesIt's not hard to work out why Thailand is known as the 'Land of Smiles'. This enchanting country, as friendly as it is beautiful, would surely put a huge grin on the face of any holidaymaker. While bustling Bangkok is definitely worth a visit, it's the islands that most luxury travellers come for. Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe and the Similan Islands are among the most famous for good reason. Stretch out on sun-bleached sands and take in the rich and diverse natural landscape. Go shopping at floating markets, explore remote jungles, dive among whale sharks and manta rays, and visit elaborate temples. The possibilities are endless. • Best Thai islands to visit• Best hotels in Thailand Best for lagoon-side lazingWhat could be more glitzy than a sun-soaked getaway to Mauritius? Everything about this volcanic island, located in the southern Indian ocean, exudes glamour — from the coral-fringed coastline to the crystalline waters and turquoise lagoons. Did we mention luxurious resorts with everything from infinity pools to golf courses? Forgive us. Mauritius also happens to be circled by about 205 miles of pristine white beaches along its coastline, so you're never too far from a beautiful stretch of sand. The island has a fascinating creole culture too, testament to the hotchpotch of nationalities who have washed up here over the centuries. • Best hotels in Mauritius• Best time to visit Mauritius: when to go and what to do• Best things to do in Mauritius Best for exploring the oceanThe Maldives and luxury go hand in hand. This is a country made up almost entirely of privately owned islands, many of which have been turned into indulgent resorts: palm-thatched overwater villas, seafood feasts o the beach, day-tripping to deserted islands for snorkelling and secluded sunbathing. All-inclusive holidays are very popular on the islands thanks to its remoteness. You can just kick back, relax and enjoy the wonderful scenery around you. The Maldives is also great for diving — its waters are filled with whale sharks, manta rays, turtles and coral reefs. • Best overwater villas in the Maldives• Best hotels in the Indian Ocean• Best affordable hotels in the Maldives Best for volcanic sceneryHonolulu is big, brash, busy and, more importantly, easy to skip as there are direct flights from US west coast cities to other Hawaiian islands. So head straight for the 'Big Island' with its extraordinary volcanoes and beaches that are generally best on the west coast. The big prize is Makalawena beach, where postcard-ready white coves lie at the end of an unpaved road and a 30-minute walk across lava flows. Alternatively, venture up into the island's volcanic centre and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, where you can go stargazing at Mauna Kea, home to the island's observatories, or hike Kilauea. And if you're here between December and April, you can spot breaching humpbacks on a whale watching tour. • Best national parks in the US• Best hotels in Hawaii Best for castaway fantasiesFiji is a fine place for some Polynesian pampering. You won't want to linger too long on the main island of Viti Levu: the more remote archipelagos, such as the Mamanuca Islands and Yasawa Islands, are where the paradise action is at. Some are accessible by ferry, while others can only be reached by sea-plane — a thrilling ride over coral reefs and blue lagoons that's worth the fare on its own. Go for a floating villa at Likuliku Lagoon Resort, or get your own private atoll somewhere like Royal Davui Island Resort or Tadrai Island Resort. • Best hotels in Fiji• Best beach resorts in the world Best for world-class beachesIf it's epic beaches you're after, nowhere outdoes Oz. The most famous are concentrated in the southeast and east, with Queensland's Gold Coast perhaps the most famous of all. The cool, forest-backed coastal towns of Byron Bay and Noosa both have impressive main beaches, plus a series of dainty coves and near-deserted golden arcs accessed via nature trails teeming with wildlife. For quieter, emptier sands, South and Western Australia are the better picks: you could literally drive for months here and still be finding new beaches every day. • Best time to visit Australia: when to go and what to do• Best train journeys in Australia• Best things to do in Australia Best for an up-and-coming luxury sceneTypically Cambodia's been known for its backpacker digs, not its luxury scene — but new resorts are changing that. Try Six Senses Krabey Island, with herby Cambodian cuisine and a riverside spa, or Zannier Hotels Phum Baitang, a lodge complex near the celebrated temples of Angkor Wat. Don't get stuck at the tourist hotspots — there are scores of temples to visit where most visitors never venture, not to mention many beaches and islands that are exploration-worthy. • Best trips of a lifetime• Best things to do in Cambodia and Vietnam Best for wildlife watching The Costa Rican rainforest is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, and if you want to spot wildlife, it's a paradise. The country has some fabulous rainforest lodges where you can wake up and watch howler monkeys, toucans, macaws and hummingbirds from the comfort of your balcony. Try Casa Corcovado for jungle atmosphere, Origins Lodge for all-round luxury and Pacuare Lodge for the most dramatic method of arrival — you paddle yourself in aboard a white-water raft. • Best things to do in Costa Rica• Best things to do in Central America Best for a South Seas fantasyNowhere is more suited for indulging your inner Robinson Crusoe than Tahiti — or more specifically, Bora Bora, where you'll find some of the fanciest resorts anywhere in the South Pacific. Thatched bungalows, private yachts, beachside banquets, Instagrammable overwater bungalows — you'll find them all here, and more, as long as you're happy to pay through the nose for the privilege. For a more local vibe, and a better insight into Tahitian culture, head for the nearby islands of Moorea or for an icy adventureForget seven-star hotels: a cruise to the bottom of the earth is as exclusive as it gets. For a start, it takes ages to get there (count on a round trip of three to four weeks by sea), and it's eye-wateringly expensive (packages from around £10k, ranging up to £50k-plus). Most cruise ships depart from Ushuaia, and sail across the infamous Drake's Passage before exploring the northern edge of the continent. Zodiac boats sail to remote coves where you can watch the wildlife and even step out onto the Antarctic ice. Walking in the footsteps of Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton: if you can afford it, this is the definition of a once-in-a-lifetime trip. • Best luxury cruises to Antarctica• Best time to visit Antarctica: when to go and what to do Best for Riviera styleThe French Riviera has long been synonymous with the high life, and while it might no longer boast the Jazz Age pizazz of F Scott Fitzgerald et al, it's still a chic spot. St Tropez is the classic choice, once a simple fishing town now a seaside enclave for the super-rich, with luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants. Yachties plump for Antibes, high-rollers make a beeline for Monaco, film-lovers go to Cannes and pretty much everyone else heads to Nice to sunbathe along the Promenade des Anglais. To escape the summer crush, take a boat trip out to one of the offshore islands, such as Îles de Lérins or Île de Porquerolles. • Best villas in the south of France• Best things to do in Nice Best for a luxury safariKenya is home to some of Africa's most incredible safari lodges: places such as Angama Mara on the edge of the Rift Valley overlooking the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and the vintage-style camp of Cottar's Safaris. Go on a private jeep safari with local guides to spot lions, leopards, rhinos and elephants; have a picnic out in the bush; head back to camp for some spa pampering and a slap-up supper cooked up by your own personal chef; then go back out at dusk for yet more animal encounters. You'll need deep pockets, but there's no experience on earth like it. • Best safaris in Kenya• Best time to visit Kenya: when to go and what to do Best for cruisingGalapagos is an archipelago where Mother Nature let loose all her wackiest ideas: swimming iguanas, giant tortoises, rainbow-coloured crabs, giant manta rays and blue-footed boobies, to name a few. Access to the national park is carefully controlled, so the best way to visit is aboard an organised cruise — and there are some beauties to choose from. Expeditions onshore are led by licensed naturalists, and there's a wealth of adventures — from trekking over lava flows to tracking giant tortoises through the undergrowth. • Best Galapagos tours• Best Galapagos cruises Best for old school glamourSince Roman times, this Italian mountain lake has been the go-to place for aristocrats, nobles and the European elite when they're looking for a summer holiday home — and things haven't changed all that much (some of the world's richest people own houses here, and it's one of George Clooney's favourite holiday spots). Palatial mansions and villas line the lakeshore, many of which have been turned into seriously chic hotels, including Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Che bella. • Lake Como v Lake Garda: which one should you visit?• Best tours of Italy Best for mountainsThe tiny mountain kingdom of Bhutan has remained wary of embracing mass tourism: visitor numbers are limited, and a government fee covers accommodation, activities and guides, meaning there are few backpackers wandering about, in stark contrast to nearby Nepal. It's a fascinating country, with a rich, complex culture, majestic mountain views and some of the most spectacularly sited temples on earth. Perhaps surprisingly, it also has a few upmarket hotels — the epitome of which is Amankora, a luxury lodge not far from the city of for wild naturePatagonia is nature in the raw: arid pampas, glittering glaciers, snowy peaks and pumas. It's hard to get to and there are few hotels — but if you're prepared to spend, you'll find luxury galore at all-inclusive lodges such as Tierra Patagonia. It provides a pamper-factor quite out of keeping with the wild landscape: gourmet meals, a spa, heated pools and in-house guides to take you on a hiking adventure or find the best spot to watch the sunset over the Torres del Paine. • Best things to do on your Patagonia trip Best for next-level glampingThe Serengeti is legendary among safari aficionados — all of the Big Five can be seen here, along with a rich menagerie of other African wildlife. There are numerous high-end safari lodges to choose from; more fun are the luxury bush stays such as Cherero Camp, which offers solar-powered, safari-style canvas tents on hardwood platforms, minimising their environmental footprint and offering a more immersive — and authentic — safari experience. Indulge in a morning yoga session, hop in a jeep for your first private game drive of the day, then head back for G&Ts as the sun sinks over the savannah: it's a spoil from start to finish. The camp's remote location makes it an ideal place to view the mass annual movement of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles across the Serengeti plains. Additional reporting by Imogen Lepere
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Starchild: All Aboard! Why trains are a hit with Malaysian kids
Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, 10 Train is one of the modes of public transport in Malaysia. The service plays an important role in helping people get to school, work and even go on holidays. A train is a series of connected vehicles that run on tracks and can carry people or goods across short or long distances. Unlike cars or buses that travel on roads, trains don't get stuck in traffic. They move smoothly and can be faster, safer and even more comfortable for long trips. Hubert Chua Way Bo, 9 One of the most exciting train routes in Malaysia is the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL). When it is completed next year, the ECRL will connect the east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang with the west coast states like Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. This means people living in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia can reach the west coast in less time, making it easier to visit family, travel for work or explore different parts of the country. Malaysia also has other important train services like KTM Komuter for daily travel around cities, ETS (Electric Train Service) for inter-state journeys, and the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Transit Transit) systems that help people move around in the Klang Valley. Do you know that the Shinkansen, also known as the Japanese bullet train, is famous for its high speed? The fastest Shinkansen can reach a top speed of 320km/h and it has been in service since 1964. Trains are good for the planet too – they produce less pollution compared to cars and planes. Recently Starchild asked readers to send in letters on the topic, My Dream Train. Here's what they had to say. Asher Wang Qi Chuen, seven, says: 'My train is designed as a hybrid cargo train that runs on both gas and electricity. It's very colourful, has a star logo and can go very fast with wheels of different sizes. My cargo train transports cargo to various destinations quickly. It's the top three fastest and coolest trains in the world.' Asher Wang Qi Chuen, 7 'My dream train is a compact and cosy train made for family travel. It has a small lounge, a telephone room, a toilet and a bedroom with quadruple decker bunk beds for the family to sleep. It is powered by electricity and doesn't emit harmful smoke,' says older sibling, Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, 10. 'My dream train is big, fast and very colourful with 20 carriages. One carriage is a library. Another is a playground with slides and trampolines. There is also a food carriage which has lots of food including different types of main course, ice cream, soup and fresh fruit for everyone to enjoy while they travel.' Lyu Liang Fu, 10 'My dream train can continue on its tracks non-stop using solar power. It can take people to all places without polluting the environment. I hope one day this dream train becomes a reality and I would be able to eat as many burgers as possible on my way home,' writes Lyu Liang Fu, 10. ITEM: Taste is one of our five senses. We taste food using our tastebuds, which are on our tongue. There are five main tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury (umami). What is your favourite food? Is it something your mother or father cooks? Or maybe something you eat at a restaurant? You can also write a story about a funny, yucky or super tasty food. Maybe you tried something new for the first time! Draw your favourite food or a food that made you feel happy, surprised or even a little scared. Email your contributions to lifestyle@ by July 25. Please put 'STARCHILD: My Taste Buds' in the subject line of your email. Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact, and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Buck up, Scotland: what has happened to your sense of self-respect?
That's for the academics. What's clear is that an attitude of "all of the rights but none of the obligations" has taken hold. My late grandparents, proudly working-class Dennistoun folks, took pride in where and how they lived, following a moral code that recognised obligations to yourself and wider society, irrespective of your circumstances. Self-respect instead of self-centredness. They'd struggle to recognise today's Scotland. Colin Montgomery, Edinburgh. • Scott Wright's article brings back memories of a similar visit made by my late wife Florence and me when our younger daughter was working there teaching English. We had a two-night stay in Tokyo waiting for her to collect us and immediately experienced the friendliness, initially when a man stopped when we were scrutinising a street map to confirm the location of our hotel and, having asked if he could help, insisted on escorting us to the door of the hotel, which was in the opposite direction to which he was going. The following day an optician repaired my glasses and refused to take any payment, bowing us to the door of his shop as if we had done him a favour. We decided to go for a drink when walking Tokyo's main thoroughfares in the evening, after our daughter arrived, and entered a bar with a small dancefloor. When a Japanese man requested a dance with our daughter for a second time and then requested her phone number I sent him off with a flea in his ear and we departed, to discover the next day that this was the haunt of some of the Tokyo gangster set. Our departure on the Shinkansen the next day was probably timely. I can confirm the cleanliness and lack of litter, which is probably a combination of pride in their country and a very strict code of behaviour. I understand the level of suicides among school-age children is very high, which relates to pressure to perform at all levels of education and is a downside of the culture. Litter in much of Scotland is a blight on our country, but a recent visit to Thurso proved that it is not universal, but a lack of parental guidance is being perpetuated by much of the present generation and the blame cannot be blithely passed on to local authorities. James Graham, Clydebank. Read more letters The Argyle Street blues Looking at your image of the proposals for Argyle Street ('First look at substantial transformation plans for Argyle Street in Glasgow', The Herald, July 17), I thought "Hmm, that looks nice." Then I thought: "Hang on, single lane, buses, so how will delivery vehicles deliver to the shops, how will taxis pick up/drop off, how will motorists who have a need to collect goods/people from shops manage?" I can just see the long queue when a bus pulls up at a stop and several are stuck until all passengers get on/off. Yet another daft illogical idea to drive folk out of the city centre. Who are these zealots who come up with these ideas? Douglas Jardine, Bishopbriggs. British pride is not allowed If only one of the boys had come to Bilton School wearing a Union Jack dress on "diversity day", then the teachers would have faced a difficult dilemma ("School 'sorry' for row over pupil's flag dress", The Herald, July 16). Should they support the boy's gender-questioning or condemn his patriotism? There was no such dilemma when 12-year-old Courtney Wright turned up in a Spice Girl-style Union Jack dress; she was removed from the class. Other pupils with St George's and Welsh flags were not allowed in. Why are people who clearly have contempt for Britain and native British identities teaching in British schools at all? Pride in Britain and love of this country is the glue which binds us all together, whatever our diverse heritages. Without that common pride, the future will be very dark indeed. Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife. An artist's impression of the Argyle Street East Avenue precinct (Image: Glasgow City Council) Ee, those pronouns Although I cannot join John Birkett (Letters, July 17) in praising Kevin McKenna's article on the Sandie Peggie case, I do agree with him on the problematic use of personal pronouns, particularly the use of 'they' to refer to one person. Language should enhance comprehension, not hinder it. I am becoming increasingly exasperated by having to re-read sentences in an attempt to understand what writers discussing gender and sex are trying to say. I have for some time thought we now need to have a gender-neutral personal pronoun. Having considered the pitfalls of various alternatives this is the best I can come up with: for the nominative and accusative cases I suggest 'ee' and for the possessive 'ees'. Not elegant perhaps, but at least neither of these alternatives is more clearly derived from 'he' or 'she' than the other; a mistake that would no doubt lead to yet more disputation. Peter Martin, Perth. Wisnae right Re discussion of the Scots language: many moons ago a late friend, Katy Agnew, was a paediatric physiotherapist when on a Monday morning as she walked onto the ward a wee Glasgow boy clyping on his pal, pointed and shouted: "Miss! Miss! He wisnae doing his exercises." Katy looked at him and said: "It's 'was not', not 'wisnae.' " The wee lad looked at Katy deep in thought and then said "No it isnae, it's wisnae." Peter Wright, West Kilbride.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Japan and India To Unveil New Bullet Train in High-Speed Rail Collaboration
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. India's Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor will become the launch site for Japan's next-generation E10 Shinkansen bullet trains. The Indian Ministry of Railways announced on Monday that the E10 trains, the successor to Japan's current generation of E5 Shinkansen, would make their debut in both countries simultaneously. Newsweek contacted the Ministry of Railways and the Japanese Ministry of Transport via email for more information on the announcement. An E5 Shinkansen bullet train on tracks in Japan, Tokyo, on May 16, 2012. An E5 Shinkansen bullet train on tracks in Japan, Tokyo, on May 16, 2012. Getty Images Why It Matters The introduction of E10 trains in India shows that there are deepening economic and technological ties with Japan. Japan's bullet trains are a huge part of the country's culture and the envy of the infrastructure world, so the fact that they are willing to share the spotlight with India suggests a high level of trust between the two nations. What To Know The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train initiative will use the E10 model following initial testing of E5s. The E10 series is set for commercial debut in Japan in 2030, at the same anticipated time that the Indian rail project will provide full connectivity to Mumbai. The Indian Ministry of Railways said in a statement on Monday: "The Japanese Shinkansen [system] is currently running E5 trains. Next generation trains are E10. "In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project. It is noteworthy that E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan." The rollout will be the first time Japan has introduced its most advanced rail technology abroad in sync with its own domestic launch. According to the Ministry of Railways, trials for the high-speed trains are scheduled between 2026 and 2027, while full-scale commercial service is targeted for 2027. The trains will connect 12 stations with an end-to-end travel time of just over two hours for limited-stop services, achieving speeds of almost 200 miles per hour, and crossing Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Maharashtra. Earlier in this week, rumors emerged that the Indian government would not be partnering with Japan to run their trains on the project, and would instead be using Indian-made trains. However, the Ministry said that these reports were inaccurate, and that the partnership with Japan remained in effect. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad project began work in September 2017, with construction accelerating in the years after the pandemic. Of 12 planned stations, five are complete, with several others nearing completion. Fifteen river bridges have been constructed, with four close to completion. What People Are Saying India's Press Information Bureau said on Tuesday, in response to reports that the Japanese collaboration had been canceled: "Some articles and social media posts claim that the Ministry of Railways has decided to not run the Japanese bullet train on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route. "This claim is misleading. The Railway Ministry has made no such decision. Work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is progressing as per the planned schedule." What Happens Next Commercial operations are expected by 2027, with the E10 debut anticipated in 2030 to coincide with Japan's own rollout.
Asahi Shimbun
4 days ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Yamagata bullet train stoppage cause remains unidentified
An E8 series Shinkansen train halts on the tracks mid-journey due to a technical failure in Tochigi Prefecture on June 17. (Koichi Ueda) One month after technical failures halted the Yamagata Shinkansen Line, train operations remain significantly reduced, affecting tens of thousands of passengers and significantly disrupting regional tourism and transportation. Yoichi Kise, president of East Japan Railway Co. (JR East), apologized on July 15 for the inconvenience, as the operator has yet to identify a definitive cause of the malfunctions and resume normal operations. Direct service between Tokyo Station and Shinjo Station in Yamagata Prefecture has been reduced to a single round trip per day, with passengers often needing to transfer at Fukushima Station in between. JR East plans to increase the number to three round trips beginning July 19. Seat reservations, which typically can be made one month in advance, remain suspended for the busy Obon holiday period due to the uncertain timetable. The ongoing disruptions have dealt a significant blow to Yamagata's tourism industry, particularly during the popular cherry-picking season. According to prefectural officials, local accommodations have recorded at least 6,000 cancellations. Some residents and businesses have expressed frustration over what they perceive as insufficient follow-up support from JR East. "The biggest impact is on tourism and business travel," said Hideya Yano, who represents local chambers of commerce, on July 15 after urging the transportation ministry and JR East to take action. "It's impossible to plan ahead and connections are extremely inconvenient," he added. Yamagata Governor Mieko Yoshimura echoed public sentiment earlier this month, stating that some residents feel as though they've been abandoned. Concerns are also rising among stakeholders in the popular Ginzan Onsen spa resort in Obanazawa. "We're facing serious uncertainty about future bookings," said a spokesperson from the local tourism association. "There's a real fear that Yamagata is vanishing from travelers' destination lists." SAME CHIP SUSPECTED RESPONSIBLE The initial failures occurred on June 17, when four E8 series trains suffered malfunctions mid-journey between Tokyo and Yamagata. A critical power supply unit responsible for cooling the motor control system failed, causing the trains to become inoperable. A fifth train suffered a similar breakdown on June 30, raising concerns about a systemic issue in the new fleet that debuted last year. Investigations revealed that a specific semiconductor component within the power units had been damaged in each case. JR East engineers have since determined that each malfunction occurred under a specific combination of circuit boards and semiconductors. While they suspect the issues arose under particular environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, the root cause remains unknown. Currently, only six E8 trains remain in operation, coupled with other models. They are running exclusively on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, which connects Tokyo Station and Shin-Aomori Station. The stretch between Fukushima Station and Shinjo Station–unique to the Yamagata Shinkansen Line–is currently serviced by older E3 Series trains. However, up to 37 train services are canceled daily due to a shortage of operational vehicles, affecting more than 250,000 passengers so far. (This article was compiled from reports by Ayateru Hosozawa, Koichi Anzai and Toru Saito.)
