Joyful Train

Joyful Train is the name given to railway rolling stock or train sets operated by the JR Group in Japan primarily for charters, special events, tourist excursions, and other similar purposes. Traditionally, this term is only used for chartered trains dedicated to large group travel, but in recent years, it has expanded to include sightseeing trains and tourist trains as well, often called 2=のってたのしい列車 in Japanese, and their distinctions are made ambiguous. This page includes all trains considered "Joyful trains" and "Sightseeing trains".

History

Origins

The "Joyful Train" concept can be traced back to 1960, when a 1935-vintage SuHaShi 29 dining car was converted into a Japanese-style o-zashiki train with tatami flooring and shoji paper screens on the windows. This could be coupled to regular service trains for use by charter parties. A second car was similarly modified in April 1961.
The first train to directly be called "Joyful Train" was the Salon Express Tokyo, a European styled train. The term has since been applied in retrospect to all trains produced before then that fits the descriptions. Many conversions of trains were done due to surplus rolling stock after the abolishment of certain express lines, and purpose-built Joyful Trains are rare. All cars on a Joyful Train are considered Green Cars.

Recent years

Since the bursting of Japan's Bubble Economy, small group travel using buses have become more mainstream, and opportunities to use group trains have decreased, and so have been the demand of European style salon trains. Some JR companies such as JR Kyushu has at once completely abolished chartered trains in order to save costs, and European-styled Salon Trains disappeared from JR Central's rolling stock after the retirement of the Euroliner in 2004.
On the other hand, this shift has led JR companies to target individual travellers directly with sightseeing trains, in an attempt to increase regional development. The first JR-operated train to be referred to as a 'tourist train' was the Nostalgic View Train, launched by JR East in 1990. Unlike previous Group trains, the Nostalgic View Train exclusively operated on the Gono Line as a primarily sightseeing-oriented service. Due to the popularity of the train, it was later supplanted and replaced by the Resort Shirakami which continue to operate today, and other JR East lines followed suit with Kirakira Uetsu on the Uetsu Line and Kirakira Michinoku in the Nanbu area of Aomori. Onboard such tourist-oriented trains, one can enjoy local products, famous sake, or other activities. Sometimes, JR companies has not used the term "Joyful Train" to refer to tourist trains, but since tourist trains are often operated as group trains as well, railway hobby magazines often use both terms, if not use them interchangeably.

Lines in operation

JR Hokkaido

DMU

Loco hauled

JR East

EMU

DMU

Loco hauled

JR West

EMU

DMU

Loco hauled

JR Shikoku

Sightseeing trains are operated on each line of JR Shikoku. All of these trains are operated by DMUs, and there are no trains operated by electric trains. This is because most of the lines within JR Shikoku's jurisdiction are non-electrified.

DMU

JR Kyushu

JR Kyushu officially does not operate any Joyful Trains in the traditional definition. However, the following sightseeing trainsets that they operate are classified as "D&S Trains", as according to JR Kyushu, each train has a design and a story based on the region that they operate in. In addition, the Trans-Kyushu Limited Express is classified as a D&S Train as well despite not appearing on this list. Most D&S Trains are converted from regular rolling stock into sightseeing expresses, and are designed by Eiji Mitooka. The Kampachi Ichiroku was designed by IFOO Corporation instead. However, it is important to note that the Seven Stars in Kyushu is not classified as a D&S train, but a "Luxury Sleeper train".

EMU

DMU

Loco hauled

Past Joyful Train sets

JNR

DMU

Name	Japanese	Classification	No. of cars	Accommodation	Introduced	Withdrawn	Converted from	Depot/region	Remarks
Batten Nagasaki	ばってんNAGASAKI	KiHa 58 Series	2	Tatami	1985	December 1986	KiHa 28 series	Nagasaki	Karaokes and Mahjong tables were installed in the two cars, KiHa 28-2006 and KiHa 28-2114.
Rakuda	らくだ	KiHa 58 Series	2	Seating	1983	1987	KiHa 58 series	Kagoshima	Three sets in total, all introduced between 1983 and 1986. All have karaoke machines. Retired due to the Privatisation of JNR and two of the three were converted into Yutopia and Kichishiroku.

Loco hauled

JR Hokkaido

DMU

Loco-Hauled

JR East

EMU

DMU

Loco hauled

JR Central

EMU

DMU

Loco hauled

JR West

EMU

DMU

Loco hauled

JR Shikoku

DMU

Loco hauled

JR Kyushu

DMU

Name	Japanese	Classification	No. of cars	Accommodation	Introduced	Withdrawn	Converted from	Depot/region	Remarks
Aqua Express	アクアエクスプレス	KiHa 58 series	3	Seating	1988	2002	KiHa 58/28 series	Hakata -> Kumamoto	After 1994 when JR Kyushu withdrew all Joyful Train services, the set was moved to Kumamoto and ran local services on the Hohi Line before being scrapped in 2002.
Aso 1962	あそ1962	KiHa 58 series	2	Seating	July 2006	26 December 2010	KiHa 58 series	Kumamoto	After withdrawal, the train was dumped in Kumamoto Yard until scrapped in 2018
Hayato no Kaze	はやとの風	KiHa 47/147	3, 2	Seating	March 2004	March 2022	KiHa 47	Kagoshima	Former KiHa 140 series car converted to become Ibusuki no Tamatebako car in March 2012. Rest of the train was converted to become Two Stars 4047.
Holland Village Express	オランダ村特急	KiHa 183-1000 series	4	Seating	20 March 1988	July 1992	Purpose-built	–	Operated in conjunction with 485 series Ariake EMU services between Kokura and Hakata. Converted to become Yufuin no Mori II.
Siebold	シーボルト	KiHa 183-1000 series	4	Seating	March 1999	March 2004	KiHa 183-1000 series	–	Converted from former Yufuin no Mori II. Converted to become Yufu DX. Named after German botanist Philipp Franz von Siebold.
Toro-Q	TORO-Q	KiHa 58 + ToRa 70000 + KiHa 65	5	Seating	October 2002	August 2010	KiHa 58 + ToRa 70000 + KiHa 65	–	DMU cars repainted and reverted to regular use following withdrawal of train.
Yufu DX	ゆふDX	KiHa 183-1000 series	4	Seating	March 2004	January 2011	KiHa 183-1000 series	Oita	Formerly Holland Village Express, Yufuin no Mori II, and Siebold. Withdrawn 10 January 2011 and converted to become Aso Boy.
Yufuin no Mori II	ゆふいんの森II	KiHa 183-1000 series	4	Seating	July 1992	March 1999	KiHa 183-1000 series	–	Converted from former Holland Village Express. Converted to become Siebold.
Isaburo / Shinpei	いさぶろう・しんぺい	KiHa 47 series	1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 2	Seating	March 2004	March 2023	KiHa 47 series	Kumamoto	KiHa 140 2125 was the initial car, and was also used as a spare car for Kawasemi Yamasemi before being converted to become a car for Two Stars 4047, relabeled as Kishi 140-4047. KiHa 47 9089 added in October 2004. KiHa 47 8159 was added in 2009. Except KiHa 140 2125, rest converted to become Kampachi / Ichiroku.
Kusenbou	九千坊	KiHa 31	1	Tatami	March 1996, 2004	April 2009	KiHa 31 series	Kumamoto	Original Isaburo / Shinpei before being replaced by a KiHa 47 series based train in 2004. Replaced by SL Hitoyoshi in 2009.
Kawasemi Yamasemi	かわせみやませみ	KiHa 47	2	Seating	2017	2025	KiHa 47	-
Kitchomu	吉四六	KiHa 58	2	Mixed	1985	1993	KiHa 28/58	Oita	Kiha 58 190 has a tatami interior, while Kiha 28 2487's interior is half seating, half tatami. Converted from a Rakuda set, and it was later known as Joyful Train Oita before being combined into the Shiranui.
Yutopia	ゆ〜とぴあ	KiHa 58	2	Mixed	1987	1993	KiHa 28/58	Oita	Frontmost passenger doors were removed, with large windows in its place. Converted from a Rakuda set, it was later combined into the Shiranui.
Shiranui	しらぬい	KiHa 58	2	Tatami	1993	1994	KiHa 28/58	Oita	Combined from Kiha 58 190 of Joyful Train Oita and Kiha 28 2436 of Yutopia, the Shiranui was intended to be an updated version of the Japanese-style tatami car. However, with JR Kyushu withdrawing group charter trains just 10 months later, the Shiranui was withdrawn and scrapped.
Sound Express Hinokuni	サウンドエクスプレスひのくに	KiHa 58 & KiHa 65	4->2	Seating	1986	1994	KiHa 58 & KiHa 65	Kumamoto	'Sound Express' nickname came from the karaoke machine installed. Equipped with reclining seats. Kiha 65 61 and Kiha 58 700 were taken out of the train in 1992 for use on Huis Ten Bosch services, and the other two cars continued in service until 1994, when they were reconverted into standard Local trains.
BUNBUN	BUNBUN	KiHa 58	2	Tatami	1987	1994	KiHa 58	Kumamoto	The train's name, BUNBUN, was painted across the front end. Withdrawn and scrapped in 1994 due to JR Kyushu abolishing group charter trains.
Joyful Train Nagasaki	ジョイフルトレイン長崎	KiHa 58 & 65	2	Seating	1988	1994	KiHa 58 & 65	Nagasaki -> Kumamoto	Renamed to Joyful Train Kumamoto when the train was transferred there in 1992. Withdrawn and scrapped in 1994 due to JR Kyushu abolishing group charter trains.
Saloon Express	サルーンエクスプレス	KiHa 58 & 65	2	Seating	1988	1994	KiHa 58 & 65	Kumamoto	Withdrawn and scrapped in 1994 due to JR Kyushu abolishing group charter trains.
Fureai GO	ふれあいGO	KiHa 58 & 65	2	Seating	1988	1994	KiHa 58 & 65	Kitakyushu	Withdrawn and scrapped in 1994 due to JR Kyushu abolishing group charter trains.