Photo/Illutration Rich with a nostalgic ambience, the Sekirei's guest room leads to the bedroom in the back. Photo taken on Feb. 16 in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture (Shogo Ohata)

NAKATSU, Oita Prefecture--Three train cars operated by old Yabakei Railway to carry tourists since the early Showa Era (1926-1989) have been given a new life as guest rooms in the Kishapoppo Bettei hotel in the Manda district here.

Each car is housed in a building inspired by a railway station, attracting not only rail buffs but also fans of unique hotels.

The three units include a KiHa 102 Kawasemi built in 1935, a 1937 KiHa 104 Sekirei and a 1956 KiHa 602 Shiokaze.

Each car is complete with a guest room, bedroom, sofas and a bathroom and restroom. The cars retain the driver's cab and are also placed on railroad tracks.

The total cost for the project was about 155 million yen ($1.4 million).

Each room was designed after a scenic site in the area.

The Kawasemi's Ao-no-Yashiro guest room, with a floor space of 82 square meters, is themed on the hand-dug Ao-no-Domon tunnel, and features stone-covered walls.

In the Sekirei, the Yabakei-no-Yashiro guest room, with a floor space of 89 square meters, is modeled after a sleeper train parked at the now-defunct Morizane Onsen Station in the town of Yamakuni, which is now part of the city. Its splendor interior was designed to conjure up a nostalgic feeling for the Showa Era.

Yabakei Railway started operation in 1913, covering 36 kilometers along the Yamakunigawa river between Nakatsu and Morizane Onsen stations before the company was shut down in 1975.

The train cars were bought by Yoshihide Ito, the late father of Taiyo, 47, in the 1970s.

"I wanted to make use of the train cars that are full of memories of my parents," the hotel manager said.

When the hotel opened on Dec. 10 last year, it drew families, groups of men and other customers from as far as the Kansai and Tokai regions.

Though due to the pandemic the hotel is not attracting the number of guests as it had expected, it is receiving repeat customers, Ito said.

Ito, who aims to make the hotel a sightseeing base in Nakatsu, added that he hopes "it will be a place where people can learn about the Yabakei gorge and other areas and their backgrounds."

An overnight stay for two in any of the rooms on weekdays costs 18,000 yen, including tax, per person. Two meals are included.

For more information, visit the official website at (https://kisyapoppo.com/bettei/#).

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