By TSUKASA FUKE/ Staff Writer
August 10, 2020 at 07:00 JST
KAIYO, Tokushima Prefecture--A Milky Way-themed train and another decked out with soothing wind chimes to beat the heat are making their last runs on the Asato Line here until late August.
The Asa Seaside Railway Corp. operates the special trains every summer on the line, which connects Kaifu Station in Kaiyo and Kannoura Station in Toyo, Kochi Prefecture.
After the trains are retired for the season, the line will be turned into an exclusive route for dual-mode vehicles capable of running on both railway tracks and paved roads.
The Milky Way-themed train, which started operation on July 6, was remodeled from the Takachiho car taken over from Takachiho Railway (abandoned in 2008) in Miyazaki Prefecture.
The ceiling of the train is adorned with 3,000 blue-and-white LED lights to give it the appearance of the Milky Way seen in the night sky. The design imbues its interior with a fantastical ambiance each time it passes through a tunnel.
The Shiokaze car, which has been operated since Asa Seaside Railway started in business, is used for the wind chime-themed train. The interior is decorated with about 40 cool-sounding glass wind chimes hanging from the ceiling along with imitation sunflowers and "tanzaku" paper strips for writing wishes.
Both trains have "sudare" bamboo blinds on the windows facing the mountains and have haiku composed by children of elementary schools along the line also on display.
The trains usually run alternately every three days. For operation schedules, visit the railway's official website at (http://asatetu.com/).
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Three thousand LED bulbs illuminate the ceiling of the Asa Seaside Railway Corp.'s train to give it the appearance of the Milky Way as it enters a tunnel in Kaiyo, Tokushima Prefecture. (Tsukasa Fuke)
