Twilight Express Mizukaze Launches Lake Biwa Route

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The luxury cruise train Twilight Express Mizukaze, known for its distinctive moss-green exterior, began operating its new Lake Biwa Loop / Setouchi Course on March 21, touring Shiga Prefecture and the Setouchi region.

The new route features sightseeing stops at locations such as Doganji Temple and the Vories Memorial Hall, both in Shiga Prefecture. The one-night, two-day itinerary offers passengers the chance to experience the culture of the Lake Biwa region, along with gourmet meals prepared by top chefs using locally sourced ingredients. The route is also expected to contribute to regional revitalization.

Circling Lake Biwa

The new itinerary adds a full circuit of Lake Biwa to the existing one-night, two-day route between Kyoto and Shimonoseki. On services departing from Kyoto, sightseeing in Shiga takes place on the first day, while on services from Shimonoseki, it is scheduled for the second day.

*An observation car with expansive windows offering views of the sky. Unfortunately, it rained on the day of the press preview.*

On the service departing Kyoto, the train travels along the Kosei Line, makes a switchback at Omi-Shiotsu Station, and enters the Hokuriku Line, where passengers disembark at Kinomoto. Highlights include Doganji Temple, home to the National Treasure Eleven-Headed Kannon statue, and Kogenji Temple, which houses an Important Cultural Property — a wooden standing statue of Thousand-armed Kannon.

The journey then continues to other attractions, such as Kintaikyo Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture, before reaching the final destination of Shimonoseki.

On the service departing Shimonoseki, passengers visit sites such as the Mohri Garden on the first day. After traveling overnight along the Sanyo Line beside the Seto Inland Sea, the train stops at Omihachiman on the Tokaido Line. There, guests can attend a special talk by the museum director at the former residence of Merrell Vories Hitotsuyanagi (born William Merrell Vories), an American missionary who came to Japan in 1905 and built the house to live in with his Japanese wife.

Visitors can also enjoy the town's historic canal-lined streets. The train then continues counterclockwise around Lake Biwa before arriving at Kyoto Station.

*Service crew members in charge of passenger hospitality in front of JR Kyoto Station.*

Supervised by Top Chefs

The Twilight Express Mizukaze debuted in June 2017, carrying on the name and concept of a former luxury sleeper train that was discontinued in 2015.

The train consists of 10 cars with a maximum capacity of 34 passengers. It features two observation cars, six cars with guest rooms, a dining car, and a lounge car. Accommodations are available in three categories: the top-tier "The Suite," which occupies an entire car; 13 "Royal Twin" rooms; and two "Royal Single" rooms.

*The "Royal Twin" guest room aboard the Twilight Express Mizukaze.*

Inside the train, passengers can admire Shiga-related crafts, including Biwa pearls and ceramic panels from historic pottery workshop Uzan Kiln. Meals showcase dishes created by top chefs using locally sourced ingredients.

On the upbound course from Shimonoseki, lunch on the second day features a full-course Italian meal supervised by Takumi Ichiyama, executive chef of the Nagahama-based restaurant Biwa collage. Ichiyama said he focused on incorporating ingredients from Shiga and expressed hope that the train's operation would contribute to the revitalization of the local area.

Room Prices

From the observation cars, passengers can take in the night sky through expansive windows. Stepping out onto the deck offers a chance to feel the breeze along the route and enjoy the scenery up close.

During the press preview ride, the Mizukaze traveled around Lake Biwa, passing through particularly scenic areas along the lake's western shore, where the Hira Mountains rise to the west and the lake stretches out to the east.

At stations where the train made brief stops for schedule adjustments, onlookers could be seen taking photos with the Mizukaze in the background and waving as it passed.

The Lake Biwa Loop / Setouchi Course began operating on March 21 from Kyoto and on March 23 from Shimonoseki. During peak seasons, fares reach as high as ¥875,000 (about $5,500) per person for the top-tier "The Suite," while the most affordable option, the "Royal Single," starts at ¥365,000 per person, both based on double occupancy.

Author: Hiroki Okajima, The Sankei Shimbun

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