EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE SEVEN STARS IN KYUSHU, JAPAN’S MOST LUXURIOUS TRAIN
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Japan’s southern island of Kyushu is well-known for its rugged, natural beauty, boasting mighty volcanoes set among six pristine national parks. And when JR Kyushu first introduced the Seven Stars luxury train, the goal was to surpass other upscale train journeys such as the Eastern and Oriental Express between Singapore and Bangkok. India’s Maharaja’s Express and Belmond’s Venice Simplon Orient Express.
With typically Japanese attention to detail, JR Kyushu spared no expense with the Seven Stars, which takes its name from Kyushu’s seven prefectures. Regarded by many as the most luxurious train in the world, the Seven Stars is typically fully booked well in advance.
Those wishing to secure one of the 10 luxury cabin suites must enter a lottery system, and guaranteed spots are already fully booked well though 2024.
Remote Lands is offering guests a special opportunity to experience this ultimate train journey with cabins now available on its 4-Day/3-Night Kirishima itinerary running July 23rd-26th, 2024. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect to experience.
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Scenic Views from from Deluxe Suite A
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According to Seven Stars insiders, the train’s Japanese designer Eiji Mitooka, drove his team to distraction by insisting on details such as irregular-sized windows to make each carriage different, handcrafted woodwork and delicate artwork throughout. With so much love having been poured into the train, it is easy to see why one might get a little smitten. There are musicians, magicians and on-board staff who spent up to a year in pre-launch training. Showers are kitted out with panelling of aromatic hinoki cypress wood and a basket of specially branded toiletries. Ceramic sinks were inspired by Satsuma porcelain; blinds are made from bamboo, while shoji (Japanese paper screens) are a feature throughout the train.
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The Lounge Car “Blue Moon”
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The train’s elegance is reinforced with a formal dress code for dinner, and the cuisine is certainly worth applying the glitz for. Even on the Seven Stars, where the usual rules of train life don’t seem to apply, space is limited. Although, the executive chef and his team are working with state-of-the-art equipment, there’s not much room to move in the tiny galley-like kitchen. Somehow – magically – a succession of exquisite creations will make their way to the dining car. Over the course of multi-course dinners and equally epically proportioned Japanese lunches, dishes utilize the very best of Kyushu produce and include treats such as soft simmered Suzutan pork, roast Nagasaki beef tenderloin and red sea bream cured with seasoned kelp. Kick back between meals in the Blue Moon bar with its full-sized viewing window, the ideal place to watch the scenery zip by with a glass or two of special Seven Stars shochu from Kagoshima prefecture.
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The southwestern-most of Japan’s main islands, Kyushu is one of the country’s most overall appealing areas. Active volcanic peaks such as mighty Mount Aso pour down to rocky, lush and near tropical coastline, with steaming onsens punctuating the landscape over almost every mossy hillock. The Seven Stars traverses some of the island’s most seductive landscapes. On its travels from Fukuoka, the train spears south through pastoral countryside to the hot springs resort of Kirishima, passing by the picturesque towns of Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Along the way guests are treated to exclusive and immersive artisan experiences such as the Onta pottery village and the shochu distilleries and sake breweries of Miyazaki Prefecture. Another highlight is the mid-journey overnight stop at one of Kirishima’s luxury ryokans, Wasurenosato Gajoen or Tenku No Mori, to relax in the volcanic hot spring waters and enjoy haute kaiseki cuisine.
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While combining Kyushu with the Kyoto/Osaka and Tokyo regions may be instinctive, we suggest flying south to the island of Yakushima for its mystic cedar forests and lush waterfalls, or perhaps venturing up to cooler temperatures in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Famous for its world class winter skiing, Hokkaido is often overlooked as a summer destination, and wrongfully so as mild summer temperatures, exquisite cuisine and a multitude of outdoor pursuits await those who visit. Other beautiful mountainous destinations with cooler climates during Japan’s steamy summer include Nikko in Tochigi and Karuizawa in Nagano, both located just a few hours bullet train ride north of Tokyo.
Reach out to Remote Lands today as space aboard the Seven Stars luxury train journey is extremely limited and first come, first served.
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AS FEATURED IN
The Wall Street Journal • Town & Country • Departures • Travel + Leisure • Forbes • Condé Nast Traveler • BusinessWeek • National Geographic Traveler • Palm Beach Post • Chicago Tribune • Financial Times • BBC • Fox Business News • The New York Times
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REMOTE LANDS, INC.
120 East 56th Street, Suite 1600 PH, New York, NY 10022 USA
Phone: +1.212.518.1618
Email: [email protected]
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REMOTE LANDS (THAILAND) CO., LTD
9/F Mahatun Plaza, 888/94-95 Ploenchit Rd., Bangkok 10330 Thailand
Phone: +66.2651.5401
Email: [email protected]
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