It is in service on holidays and Saturdays from April to September. Itinerary: The Banetsu operates on the Banetsu Line and Shintetsu Main Line between Niigata and Aizu-Wakamatsu in Fukushima. In 1999, it was brought back into service for nostalgic trips over bridges and through deep valleys. The Banetsu Monogatari was the last steam locomotive to be retired from regular operation in 1969. It is in operation on Saturdays from March to November.
Itinerary: The SL Yamaguchi operates on the JR West Yamaguchi Line from Shin-Yamaguchi to Tsuwano, in Yamaguchi prefecture. On this trip, you will cross bridges and chug along through the countryside. This locomotive was built in 1937 and restored in 1979. This train operates only during the winter months of January and February. On select days, typically in February, it travels between Kushiro and the Kawayu Onsen. Itinerary: The Winter Shitsugen operates on the Senmo Main line in Hokkaido, between Kushiro and Shibecha Stations. Blanketed in snow, the eastern side of this island presents a barren yet starkly beautiful landscape. You may have traveled through Hokkaido before, but you’ve never seen it like this. You can reach Shin Kanaya taking the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kanaya station with your JR Pass, then you can choose between walk 20 minutes to Shin-Kanaya Station or take an Oigawa Railway train (4 minutes). SL Express – Photo by Smoky Shin This train travels from Shin Kanaya to Senzu Station, in the Shizuoka prefecture. This line operates more than 300 days each year, making it one of the most accessible in terms of bookings. This steam train follows the course of the Oigawa River, at times crossing it via rustic bridges. The latter typically runs only on holidays and weekends. You can choose from Takasaki to Minakami Station, or the Shinetsu Line to Yokogawa Station. Itinerary: This train may take one of two different routes. You’ll also be able to access the Ikaho Onsen from Shibugawa Station, completing the Edo era mystique of your trip with yukata and local cuisine.
You will feel as if you’ve stepped back in time as you meander through the Japanese countryside. Take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Takasaki Station, and you’ll be rewarded with a very special steam train ride on your return trip. Grab your Japan Rail Pass, and have fun exploring the following SL trains. You, too, can experience the nostalgic thrill of the steam locomotive. Japan has preserved many of these trains, some dating back to the nineteenth century. Before the advent of the bullet train and the modern railway system, the steam locomotive, or SL train, was the fastest way to get around.
The haunting whistle of a vintage train is so ingrained upon our collective consciousness that even the youngest of children often recognize the sound.
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