Wikipedia

Blue Train (Japan)

Blue Trains (ブルートレイン, burū torein) in Japan were long-distance sleeper trains, nicknamed as such for the color of the train cars. They consisted of 20-, 12-,583-, 14- or 24-series sleeper cars, and connected major destinations within Japan across long distances. For a time, other routes were served by a fleet of newer limited-express overnight trains, which were not blue.

Fuji sleeper train, June 2004

Services slowly began to be eliminated as the Shinkansen (bullet train) network spread and as regional airports opened in the 1980s and 1990s; afterwards, five Blue Train services were eliminated in 2008 and 2009, six more between 2010 and 2015, and the final services in 2016. Aside from luxury "land cruise" excursion trains such as Seven Stars in Kyushu,[1] this has left just two overnight express trains (the combined Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto) as the only trains in Japan with sleeping accommodation.

History

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The first Blue Train was known as the Asakaze. It ran between Hakata and Tokyo beginning in 1956; air-conditioned cars were added two years later. As was the case with sleeper train services in other parts of the world, the Blue Trains acquired a romantic aspect and, at the peak of their popularity in the late 1970s, appeared in many novels. They were sometimes described as "moving hotels".[1]

 
The final Hayabusa and Fuji service after arriving at Tokyo Station on 14 March 2009

However, as buses, airplanes, and the Shinkansen became faster, more popular, and sometimes cheaper, the Blue Trains saw a severe decline in ridership and therefore revenues. 2005 ridership on sleeper trains traveling west from Tokyo was calculated as one fifth of that in 1987. For this and other reasons, such as aging equipment and a shortage of overnight staff, JR made plans to eliminate the majority of the overnight services.[2]

The Asakaze service connecting Hakata and Tokyo was eliminated in 2005, its average occupancy below 30 percent. The Hayabusa and Fuji were eliminated in March 2009. The daily Hokuriku train from Tokyo to Kanazawa was discontinued on 13 March 2010 along with its former Blue Train counterpart, the Noto.

Services like the Cassiopeia (a Blue Train in all but color) retained some popularity among tourists until the completion of the Shinkansen line to Hokkaido.

Discontinued services

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Limited express sleeper trains

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Express sleeper trains

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  • Amanogawa – connected Ueno and Akita; discontinued in March 1985.
  • Chikuma – connected Nagano and Osaka; downgraded from Blue Train status in October 1997; discontinued in October 2005.
  • Daisen – connected Osaka and Izumoshi; downgraded from Blue Train status in October 1999, discontinued in October 2004.
  • Ginga – connected Tokyo and Osaka; discontinued in March 2008 and replaced by West Express Ginga in 2020.
  • Kaimon – connected Mojikō and Nishi-Kagoshima; replaced by Dream Tsubame in March 1993.
  • Kitaguni – connected Osaka and Niigata; downgraded from Blue Train status in March 1985; discontinued in 2012.
  • Marimo – connected Sapporo and Kushiro; downgraded from Blue Train status in March 1993; discontinued in August 2008.
  • Myōkō – connected Ueno and Naoetsu via the Shin'etsu Main Line; downgraded from Blue Train status in March 1985; discontinued in March 1993.
  • Nichinan – connected Hakata and Nishi-Kagoshima via the Nippō Main Line; replaced in March 1993 by Dream Nichirin.
  • Noto – connected Ueno and Kanazawa via the Shin'etsu Main Line; downgraded from Blue Train status in March 1993; discontinued in March 2010.
  • Rishiri – connected Sapporo and Wakkanai; downgraded from Blue Train status in March 1991; discontinued in September 2007.
  • Sanbe – connected Yonago and Hakata; discontinued in February 1984.
  • Shinsei – connected Ueno and Sendai; discontinued in November 1982.
  • Taisetsu – connected Sapporo and Abashiri; replaced in March 1992 by Okhotsk.
  • Towada – connected Ueno and Aomori via the Jōban Line; discontinued in March 1985.
  • Tsugaru – connected Ueno and Aomori via the Ōu Main Line; discontinued in March 1985.

Notes

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  1. ^ Although not technically a Blue Train, the Cassiopeia is included here as it was a luxury overnight service similar to the Twilight Express.
  2. ^ a b Although the Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto are night trains, they are not considered Blue Trains and are therefore not included on this list.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bye-Bye Blue Train: Japan's Iconic Sleepers Give Way to "Cruise Trains"". nippon.com. 2014-06-30. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  2. ^ Furuya, Masanobu. "JR putting Blue Trains to bed as passengers find faster ways to travel". Asahi Shimbun - English Edition. 11 December 2007. Accessed 12 December 2007.
  3. ^ a b Saito, Masatoshi (7 November 2013). ブルートレイン:廃止へ…ＪＲ３社、北海道新幹線開業で [Blue Trains to be scrapped by 3 JR companies - with opening of Hokkaido Shinkansen]. Mainichi.jp (in Japanese). Japan: The Mainichi Newspapers. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  4. ^ Torres, Ida (8 November 2013). "Japan's sleeper trains to be put to bed soon". Japanpressdaily.com. Japan: Japan Press Daily. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  5. ^ 寝台特急〈北斗星〉ラストラン [Last run of Hokutosei sleeping car limited express]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co. Ltd. 24 August 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Tickets for last Twilight Express run sell out in seconds; pair top ¥1 million". Japantimes.co.jp. Japan: The Japan Times. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.

Further reading

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  • Miyake, Toshihiko (25 December 2008). ブルートレイン [Blue Train]. Japan: JTB Can Books. ISBN 978-4533073502.
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