Seven Stars in Kyushu (Kyushu, Japan) —  

For Japan rail journeys and train tours, the Seven Stars takes travelers on a tour of the Japanese island Kyushu — the gateway to Asia — where guests can explore and enjoy its culture, food, and the warm hospitality of its local villages. Seven Stars offers 2 to 4-night rail journeys that include numerous sightseeing stops for cultural immersion.

A fusion of Western and Japanese design, the train includes a bar in the lounge car, as well as couches and rotating chairs for enjoying live music, while the rear of the lounge car features a large bay window for watching the scenery. The dining car “Jupiter” offers up cuisine made from fresh seasonal ingredients, and occasionally passengers will depart from the train for meals at popular local eating-places. With towering mountains, glittering oceans, and an abundance of natural resources, and Kyushu is a treasure house of gourmet food.

The 4-day journey travels through the five prefectures of Fukuoka – Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Kumamoto. Some highlights include walks around popular areas such as Yufuin, Watching the sun set in the East China Sea, and views of the spectacular scenery of the Aso area. This journey also includes an overnight stay at a Kirishima hot springs resort, where passengers can thoroughly enjoy the famous hot springs.

Seven Stars is the first luxury sleeper train in Japan. It made its inaugural run in Oct 2013. Seven Stars is the creation of JR Kyushu Chairman Koji Karaike and designer Eiji Mitooka. For over twenty years Karaike had dreamed of making this “Cruise Train” a reality. The result is a collaboration of designer Mitooka and local artisans, who have beautifully furnished the train with their masterpieces. 

The fourteen guest rooms feature two huge Deluxe Suites, where one carriage is split into two large rooms, and Suite Rooms, which are one carriage split into three rooms.