The Railway Hobby Train, modeled after the 0-series Shinkansen, runs like a regular train in Matsuno, Ehime Prefecture
12:15 JST, June 29, 2024
MATSUNO, Ehime — A special conductorless diesel train uniquely modeled after the first-generation Shinkansen 0 Series is running on the Yodo Line between Ehime and Kochi prefectures in southwestern Shikoku.
The Yodo Line stretches 76.3 kilometers from Kita-Uwajima Station to Wakai Station. Despite the line celebrating its 50th anniversary in March this year, falling passenger numbers have raised concerns about its future. In an effort to attract tourists, Shikoku Railway Co. started operating various trains with unique designs.
One of them is the Railway Hobby Train, modeled after the Shinkansen. Inside there are models and Shinkansen seats from the 0 series, making it popular with railway enthusiasts.
Matsumaru Station in Matsuno, Ehime Prefecture features a hot spring. There is a free foot bath under the eaves on the first floor and customers in the open-air bath on the second floor can watch trains pass by. The hot spring opened in 2002 and attracts approximately 100,000 visitors annually, including locals and tourists.
You can see the trains from the open-air bath at Poppo Onsen spa.
While many stations on the Yodo Line are unmanned, Matsumaru Station does have guards during the day. One of them, Mariko Miyoshi, 69, said: “One of the charms here is that ‘Japan’s slowest Shinkansen’ passes through this tranquil landscape. We should promote it more.”
