By TAKUMI TERUI/ Staff Writer
March 18, 2021 at 07:00 JST
Passengers take photos with the Iyonada Monogatari sightseeing train at Shimonada Station in Iyo, Ehime Prefecture, on Feb. 21. (Takumi Terui)
MATSUYAMA--Locals celebrated by holding up handmade banners and waving at the Iyonada Monogatari sightseeing train as it ran past them on Feb. 21.
They came out to show support because the train’s total ridership numbers exceeded the 130,000 mark that day. It marks a major milestone for the local tourist attraction amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has sent the tourism industry reeling.
On the red-letter day, the 50-seat Ozu edition of the nearly 7-year-old service was almost fully booked when it left Matsuyama Station at 8:26 a.m.
Tomohiro Yamada, 32, and his co-worker Ayano Kiyota, 25, came from the Kanto region for the ride. The two split open a pinata-like “kusudama” ball containing streamers on board the train to celebrate the occasion.
“The train created an opportunity for us to visit Ehime Prefecture,” Kiyota said.
The ride’s main appeal is a stunning window-side view of the Iyonada Sea. The ride also comes with a delicious meal prepared with local ingredients.
The service was suspended between March and June 2020 due to the pandemic.
After it resumed operation in July, Shikoku Railway Co. (JR Shikoku) introduced anti-virus measures, such as requiring passengers to disinfect their hands and fingers and have their body temperature taken. The company also installed acrylic partitions around the passenger seats.
The service launched in July 2014 as JR Shikoku’s first tourism train.
It does two round trips on the JR Yosan Line between Matsuyama and Iyo-Ozu station or Yawatahama station, mainly on weekends.
The company spent about 150 million yen ($1.4 million) to remodel a KiHa 47 diesel-powered train, built by the former Japanese National Railways, into the retro-themed Iyonada Monogatari to entice passengers into coming to the Shikoku region just to enjoy the ride.
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