This year’s first Hokkaido tour of the luxury sightseeing train ‘The Royal Express’, operated by JR Hokkaido in conjunction with Tokyu Corporation (Tokyo), began on August 13. The fare of 730,000 yen per person (two people per cabin) for a 3-night, 4-day tour is expensive, but the tours are proving popular, as all seven journeys scheduled until late September are almost full.

On this day, a full capacity train carrying 30 passengers departed from Sapporo Station at 11:02 a.m. on a 3-night, 4-day tour of Hokkaido, taking in Tokachi, Kushiro, Shiretoko and Asahikawa. Railside locations were also in a celebratory mood, with approximately 20 railway enthusiasts gathering on the 5th-floor terrace of the Kitahiroshima City Hall to take photos. A self-employed man from Kitahiroshima, who also photographed ‘The Royal’ last year said, “It helps revitalize Hokkaido’s economy, so I hope they operate it on regular basis.”

Continuing on from last year, this is the second year of ‘Royal’ operations, with a 4-night, 5-days plan that also takes in Otaru, newly established this year.