Photo: Twitter/@tetsudoshimbun
That’s right, it a bullet train, and it’s pink. Starting this weekend, the Japanese obsession with the Hello Kitty character is expanding to the railroad, with the launch of this special machine.
The train was previewed by transportation company West Japan Railway back in May, but this weekend it officially goes into service. It will link the Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka Prefecture to Hakata station in Fukuoka Prefecture.
At a media event on Wednesday, the Japanese company formally presented the shinkansen. It will be running one round-trip a day from June 30, with minor breaks to be taken in each of the following months. Each trip will last approximately two and half hours.
The company that operates the train says the seats for the trains inaugural trip are nearly sold out. No wonder, as Hello Kitty is one of the most beloved characters invented by the Japanese. It is featured on anything from clothing to jewelry and is worth, according to a study published by The New York Times, around $5 billion per year.
The train is part of the 500 series and will feature the color pink both on the interior and the exterior. Even a Kitty-themed photo booth would be fitted for all those willing to remember the ride in the special train.
Even the train’s arrival and departure at its stations are to be Hello Kitty-related. Those waiting for the train will not hear the usual jingle letting travelers know a train is incoming, but the Hello Kitty theme song.
Those planning to reserve a ticket for the train will be met on the company’s website with a pink background and all sorts of ribbons attached here and there.
At a media event on Wednesday, the Japanese company formally presented the shinkansen. It will be running one round-trip a day from June 30, with minor breaks to be taken in each of the following months. Each trip will last approximately two and half hours.
The company that operates the train says the seats for the trains inaugural trip are nearly sold out. No wonder, as Hello Kitty is one of the most beloved characters invented by the Japanese. It is featured on anything from clothing to jewelry and is worth, according to a study published by The New York Times, around $5 billion per year.
The train is part of the 500 series and will feature the color pink both on the interior and the exterior. Even a Kitty-themed photo booth would be fitted for all those willing to remember the ride in the special train.
Most of the cars on the train have their own names and will serve various functions. The first car of the train will be called Hello! Plaza and will have no passenger seats. It will be used instead to promote various regions of Japan by using different interiors, starting with the Shimane and Tottori prefectures from inauguration date to September 30.ÏíüÆ£°yÚ J«2îhttps://t.co/EtbcIE3DpQ pic.twitter.com/8iZUT0PU6o
— DS°^ l¢«¦óÈ (@tetsudoshimbun) 25 iunie 2018
Even the train’s arrival and departure at its stations are to be Hello Kitty-related. Those waiting for the train will not hear the usual jingle letting travelers know a train is incoming, but the Hello Kitty theme song.
Those planning to reserve a ticket for the train will be met on the company’s website with a pink background and all sorts of ribbons attached here and there.
Google News