The "Kairi" train, which connects Niigata Prefecture and the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture, is one of JR East's "Joyful Train" sightseeing trains. You can enjoy a luxurious trip with a view of the Sea of Japan, including the Sasagawa Nagare (Sasagawa Stream), and the countryside, while savoring the cuisine of Niigata and Shonai. In this issue, we will report on the Kairi train and introduce some of the points of interest on the train, the ryotei restaurants that serve the dishes, and some spots where you can experience the culture of Niigata's Hanamachi district, as the restaurants are located in the Hanamachi district of the city! You will love Kairi more if you read this article! You will enjoy it! You can even learn some trivia about Kairi! Kairi at Kuwakawa Station
What is "Kairi"?
Kairi is a sightseeing train that runs for about 3 hours along the Sea of Japan between Niigata Station and Sakata Station (Yamagata Prefecture), mainly on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The name "Kairi" comes from the concept of "Niigata's food," "Shonai's food," and "the scenery of the Sea of Japan," and from the desire to enjoy the food and scenery of the local sea and villages. Exterior of the train car Kairi is a 4-car train, with the first and second cars having reserved seats for regular passengers, the third car having a store and event space, and the fourth car being a dining car. 4 dining car seats are sold as a travel product with meals and drinks as a set.
On the outbound journey from Niigata to Sakata, passengers will enjoy Japanese cuisine prepared by a prestigious ryotei restaurant in Niigata's Furumachi Hanamachi district, which has a history of over 100 years. and an assortment of dolce. The menu changes with the seasons, so you can enjoy a variety of dishes depending on the time of the year. Seating for two in the dining car
Boarding the "Kairi" from Niigata Station!
This time, I boarded the outbound train from Niigata to Sakata. Kairi departs from Niigata Station at 10:11. The station stamp at Niigata Station is designed as Furumachi Hanamachi, where there is a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant) in charge of Kairi's cuisine. The station stamp could be obtained next to the conventional west ticket gate, right in front of JR East Travel Service Center Niigata.
When I went up to the platform and waited for Kairi to enter the line, a mark with a design of the front of Kairi appeared on the electric bulletin board! It looks very special and makes me feel excited even before the train arrives at the station. Station Stamp at Niigata Station Electric bulletin board On this day, the train arrived at Niigata Station at 9:51 a.m. on Track 4. This is the best time to take pictures of Kairi! Let's take a picture alongside Kairi! If you are lucky, you may be able to take a commemorative photo with the crew. Kairi entering the line The exterior of the train is expressed in a gradation of colors, from sunset orange to white, giving the impression of "fresh snow," giving the train a sense of dignity. The headmark on the front of the train and the body of the train are also beautiful. The headmark is a motif of mizuhiki, an image of snow crystals, and is derived from the "spirit of unity" of people in the Shonai region of Niigata, an area with heavy snowfall, and the spirit of hospitality that is associated with various things. The design also creates a new view of Niigata by incorporating outdoor light to create a sense of unity with the landscape. Kairi" logo Gradation inspired by the setting sun and fresh snow
A gong, a departure signal peculiar to "Kairi
After 10 o'clock, a conductor came out from the last car with a disc-like object. This is a musical instrument called a gong, which is sounded at Niigata and Sakata stations to signal the departure of the train. Gongs were originally used to signal the departure of ships in cultures unique to the Orient. Since gongs were used to pray for safe travel, Kairi also rings gongs to welcome passengers when opening the doors of its trains. The number of times the gongs are struck is three times for "Kai-ri! It is a chic performance. It is a departure signal befitting of the Kairi traveling on the Sea of Japan. Banging of gongs
Inside the train
Car 4 is a dining car where passengers can fully enjoy "Niigata/Shonai cuisine. It is exclusively for passengers who have purchased a travel package that includes a meal and a drink, and is equipped with seating for two and four passengers to enjoy the scenery. On the table, you will find a coaster and a tablecloth with the Kairi logo, which you can take home as a souvenir of your trip. Seating for two Coaster and menu with logo The lighting is also carefully designed, with the orange lights looking like a sunset over the Sea of Japan. There is also a monitor inside the train with a live feed from a camera installed at the front of the train so that passengers can enjoy the view from the driver's seat.
Depending on the day, station staff may see you off as the train departs! We wave to everyone through the window and begin our train journey! Sunset-imaged lighting Monitor with a view from the driver's seat
A wide variety of welcome drinks
About 20 minutes after boarding the train, a welcome drink was brought to us. In addition to a bottle of Kairi original natural water, you can choose one of three kinds of drinks (local beer, local sake, or soft drink). The local beer called "Echigo Beer Pilsner" was easy to drink with a moderate bitterness. The locally brewed sake is "Taiyozakari," a light, dry sake that you will never get tired of drinking. Two soft drinks, "Murakami Tea" and "Yukishiki Soda," allow you to taste the aroma of Murakami Tea or the slight sweetness of Yukishiki Soda, which is similar to rice.
The welcome drink changes between the outbound and return trips, so you will want to take a round-trip ride to taste them all! Welcome drink
Dishes are served!
The food was delivered around 10:30. On the outward journey of the Kairi, a seasonal menu of Japanese cuisine unique to Niigata prepared by three Japanese-style restaurants (Nabechaya, Gyogata-tei, and Isshime) with a history and prestige of over 100 years will be served.
The dishes served on this day are the summer menu of Ryotei Niigata Nabechaya, one of the most famous long-established restaurants in Niigata Furumachi, established in the late Edo period. The tableware is made by Ohashi Western Tableware, which has been in business for over 130 years in Niigata City. The plates are very luxurious, with the lids of the two-tiered plates made of Kumiko work like snow shoji screens, reminiscent of Kairi's concept of "the view of the Sea of Japan". Kumiko work tableware made by "Ohashi Western Tableware Opening the lid reveals a delicious-looking dish, the contents of the two-tiered stacked dish are colorfully arranged with seasonal ingredients, and on this particular day, eggplant, zucchini, corn, and other summer vegetables were used in abundance. The simmered dishes were very tasty with a gentle broth.... The roast beef of Niigata Wagyu oozes deliciousness the more you chew it. The matching sauce is also a perfect match! The menu was filled with the best of Japanese cuisine. It was early in the lunch hour, but the dish was so delicious that I could finish it in one sitting.
In addition to the taste, the dishes were also pleasing to the eye, such as the small bowls of rice with light purple flower ears and the takiai with fu in the shape of maple leaves. You will surely be able to enjoy your meal while admiring the beautiful scenery. Summer menu at "Ryotei Nabechaya" *Please check the latest information for details of the dining menu.【Kairi】Menu is here
Flowing rural scenery and the Sea of Japan
The best part of the Kairi, the Japan Sea, which can be seen after exiting Murakami Station, and the natural countryside scenery of Echigo, the Shonai Plain, and the three mountains of Dewa from the large windows are also highlights of this restaurant. In addition, to better enjoy the Sasagawa Nagare (Sasagawa Stream) between Kuwakawa and Echigo-Kamagawa, Kairi slows down and operates slowly so that passengers can take their time to admire the scenery. Spectacular view of the Sea of Japan A countryside landscape rich in natural beauty
A spectacular view of the Sea of Japan! The Sasagawa Stream
We arrived at Kuwagawa Station around 11:30. There is about a 30-minute stop at Kuwagawa Station, where the Sasagawa Nagare can be seen clearly, and most passengers leave the station to see the Sasagawa Nagare.
The attraction of Kairi is the view of the Sea of Japan. The Sea of Japan, which changes its appearance with the changing of the seasons, is atmospheric and truly spectacular. Sasagawa Nagare is a popular tourist spot with beautiful views of the clear blue sea and the variously shaped rocks created by the erosion of the rough waves of the Sea of Japan. A station name sign at the Kairi stop with an image of "sunset Waiting room of "Yuhi" at Kuwakawa Station When you pass through the ticket gate, the Sea of Japan is right in front of you! Also, "Roadside Station Sasakawaryure" is attached to the station, and "Café R Sun45" on the first floor offers "Sea of Japan soft ice cream," miso soup with mozuku seaweed depending on the season, and souvenirs. Recommended is the special soft serve ice cream available only during the Kairi stop! This luxurious ice cream is made with rich Hokkaido soft serve ice cream topped with Beni Haruka baked sweet potato paste, topped with soy sauce, and served with "mozuku-kki" made with mozuku seaweed from the Sasagawa Nagare. The rich ice cream and baked sweet potato are a perfect match! The mozuku-kki is crunchy and goes perfectly with the ice cream. Sasagawa Stream Special soft ice cream available only during Kairi stop
Tantalizing desserts!
After leaving Kuwakawa Station, the dessert suigashi was brought to us. The suigashi, made with apricot jelly and seasonal fruits, is exquisitely sweet and can be easily devoured to the last bite. You can choose either "Yukimuro Coffee" or "Murakami Tea" as your dessert drink. Yukimuro is an ancient wisdom of snow country to preserve food in a natural refrigerator cooled by the power of snow. The unpleasant smell that occurs when coffee beans are matured in the snow is suppressed by the power of the snow, and the coffee becomes mellow and mild. Murakami tea has been grown in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture since the Edo period and is characterized by its strong sweet taste.
The cutlery is also of Kairi's original design and is made of ironware with a moderate weight. Fork and spoon sets are available at the store. You can enjoy the Kairi mood at home! Water sweets at Kairi
Car 3 sells "Kairi" goods!
Original goods such as Kairi original "Tenugui" hand towels, key chains, and cutlery were sold at the store in Car 3. They are just right for souvenirs. There is also an event space next to the store where you can take a commemorative photo with a commemorative panel.
*Sales of original goods are subject to availability. Kiosk for sale Event space with sunset motif
Car No. 1 and No. 2 are reserved seats for regular passengers.
Car 1 and Car 2 are available with reserved seat tickets and boarding passes, and Car 1 has been carefully designed with the seats tilted 3 degrees toward the window, so you can enjoy the magnificent view through the large window! You can stretch out your legs and relax as if you were sitting on a tatami mat. In Car 2, you can see the interior decorated with a sunset motif. The beautiful gradation effect of the wall colors and lighting expresses the sunset over the Sea of Japan, and it looks especially beautiful in the dark tunnel. Sunset motif in the aisle of Car 2 If you use Cars 1 and 2, we recommend that you also enjoy the limited-quantity Kairi Original Lunchboxes. You can order the original bento through the "UETRIPPU" service, which is available exclusively for smartphones!
What is "Uketorippu
This new service started in March 2023! This service allows you to pre-order and pay for boxed lunches, sweets, beverages, etc. along the train lines from your smartphone, and easily receive them at the station or on the train where you are traveling.【Uketorippu】Official website *Please see this page from your smartphone.
The "Kairi" logo is also on the uniforms of the crew and attendants!
Kairi also features special crew uniforms. Combining black, gold, and crimson, these uniforms were created for Kairi's crew members. The accents are the same orange as Kairi's, and the gold buttons and chains are stylish and luxurious! This chain is attached only to the conductor's uniform and is inspired by the chain of a pocket watch, which is indispensable for the crew.
The attendant's uniform is a stylish Kairi orange apron with a scarf! If you look closely, you can see the Kairi logo pattern. Kairi conductor's uniform Kairi attendant uniform Not only conductors but also drivers make announcements on the train! They talk about sightseeing information in Niigata and Shonai, as well as things they know only because they live in this area.
This time, he talked about Niigata's edamame. Niigata, where edamame is delicious, is said to have the largest consumption of edamame by prefecture! About 40 varieties of edamame are produced, and half of the year is edamame season in Niigata. The driver of the day recommended a variety called "Yahiko-Musume. Edamame objet d'art at Niigata Station
The train ride takes about 3 hours! Arrival at Sakata Station!
The train arrived at Sakata Station at 13:27. About three hours seemed like a blink of an eye! Sakata City has a long history of prosperity as a port of call for Kitamae-bune ships that were active in Japan Sea shipping from the Edo to Meiji periods, and the station is decorated with objects that remind us of this history. Objet d'art at Sakata Station platform
Sakata Station and Niigata Station area! Spots where you can feel "Kairi
We will introduce spots where you can feel Kairi even after getting off the Kairi, such as Hanamachi culture and tableware used in the train around Sakata and Niigata stations, which are the departure and arrival stations of the Kairi! Furumachi Geigi
Sakata Station] Hanamachi experience in Sakata, Minatomachi
Kitamae-bune ships, which were introduced earlier, have a history of coming and going from Kyoto. Influenced by Kyoto's Hanamachi culture, Sakata's Hanamachi culture also flourished. Although this culture once declined, Somaro, once a representative restaurant of Sakata, has been restored, and you can see the glamorous dance of Sakata Mai-musume right in front of you.
Somanro is about a 6-minute drive from Sakata Station. It depends on the time of day you come, but we were lucky enough to visit during the time when Mai-musume was at the reception desk! Depending on the time of day, you may be able to have a commemorative photo taken with Maiko if you order at Maiko Kafu inside the museum. The adjoining Takeshita Yumeji Museum displays hina dolls and antiques. Mai-musume teahouse Soma-ro Mai-musume performance photos
*The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
*All images are for reference only.
Niigata Station] Furumachi, Niigata's flower town
The Furumachi area of Niigata City is a 10-minute drive from Niigata Station toward the Sea of Japan. It is home to the Furumachi Hanamachi, a town of geigi (geisha) on par with Kyoto's Gion and Tokyo's Shinbashi. Unlike the teahouse districts of Kyoto and Kanazawa, Furumachi Hanamachi, dotted with Niigata's ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurants), is the best in Japan as a Hanamachi district centered on large-scale ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurants) that still retain their historical landscape.
The main street where ryotei restaurants and other facilities that invite geiko are located is Nabechaya-dori, a street with more than 100 years of history and prestige. In Niigata, which has prospered as a commercial town since the Edo period (1603-1867), geiko were often invited to entertain guests at ryotei restaurants. The geiko and the guests would play taru-ken, a rock-paper-scissors-scissors game in the tatami room, in which the geiko would clap the taru (a wooden mallet).
Even today, you can invite a geiko to a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant). The Yanagito Café in Furumachi is a café in a part of the waiting room. Geiko serve tea and sweets. The cafe is open only on weekdays, but if you are lucky, you may be able to hear the sounds of shamisen, drums, and flutes practiced by Furumachi geiko, and you may even have a chance to meet the geiko as they come and go from the ryotei. Furumachi Hanamachi Furumachi geiko (ⒸNiigata Convention & Visitors Association)
Approximately 8 minutes from Niigata Station by car
*The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
*All images are for reference only.
Niigata Station] The star of the show is tableware! Ohashi Western Tableware Cafe "SAN&CAFÉ
Ohashi Western Tableware is a long-established western tableware store that has been in Niigata City for over 100 years. Their concept of creating new values through tableware while preserving their traditions in the changing times coincides with the direction that Kairi is aiming for, and so they were incorporated into the dishes served in Kairi's cars.
The second floor of Ohashi Western Tableware in Honmachi features a café where visitors can actually experience such tableware, and SAN & CAFÉ, which opened in December 2022, offers monthly desserts and homemade drinks. The star of this café is the tableware! The desserts are selected to match the tableware, making the tableware and desserts seem like a single work of art.
*"SAN&CAFÉ" is scheduled to shift to a full reservation system from September 1. Display and sale of tableware Sora Utsushi no Soda Float" and "Kuchidoke Peach Tartlet"
Enjoy the charms of Niigata and Shonai at the Sea of Japan View Dining "Kairi
Have you come to like Kairi more? We introduced the thoughts behind Kairi's exterior design and logo, as well as the deeper aspects of Kairi that would make riding Kairi even more enjoyable if you knew about them. We hope you will enjoy riding Kairi and wave to the passengers when you see Kairi. A panel commemorating the "Kairi" train ride*This article is current as of June 2023. *Please check the latest operation information for departure and arrival times.
