Luxury Train Tours Boost Japan's Regional Economy and Tourism Growth

Luxury train tours attract tourists to lesser-visited areas, helping struggling regional economies and railway lines.

The recent launch of luxury train tours that allow tourists to experience less-visited places in luxury could provide a much-needed boost to Japan's faltering regional economy.

The development occurs as governments and commercial firms look for methods to attract foreign tourists to locate off-the-beaten-path destinations, as local train lines and villages in grey Japan are under pressure from declining passenger numbers and a falling population.

These trips include those on Tokyu Corp.'s Luxury Royal Express train, which travels throughout Japan. Tokyu and Central Japan Railway Co. join to offer tours in Shizuoka Prefecture in November and December. During these three-day, four-night trips, visitors may enjoy local cuisine, including eel dishes, and take in the breathtaking views of Mount Fuji.

All six trips sold out despite the high cost of the tickets, which ranged from 750,000 yen ($4,800) to 820,000 yen each person. By transporting customers to less-traveled lines in western Japan, the West Japan Railway Co.'s Twilight Express Mizukaze is contributing to the preservation of regional customs. The residents of Tottori Prefecture's Higashihama Station were happy to greet the guests with a traditional song.

The group's dancer, Masuo Hamaguchi, said that the trains "brought more tourists and made the town lively." Takeshi Sakimoto, a professor of sociology and tourist studies at Edogawa University, says there is a lot of space for developing regional attractions.   He noted the industry's potential to attract international tourists and divert them from well-known tourism spots like Tokyo and Kyoto. "Luxury train tours could serve as an effective boost for struggling local railway lines," he said.