A well-known and well-loved character, Hello Kitty remains the object of many girls’ adoration today. I suppose its overwhelming cuteness makes up for the lack of a mouth and consequently, speech. Usually, characters’ merchandise include pencil cases, mugs, bottles, apparel, jewellery, and the such, but Hello Kitty is getting her own train in Japan! Totally makes sense, since both Hello Kitty and (bullet) trains are somewhat synonymous to Japan.
About The Hello Kitty Shinkansen Train Project 🎀
Japan’s Shinkansen train operator is West Japan Railway Co. Ltd., and they will be revamping two 500-Series Shinkansen trains into complete Hello Kitty-themed transport. The railway’s aim is to actually revitalise regional communities in Japan, and they’re using Hello Kitty to promote each prefecture the train will be stopping at. So far, eight original Hello Kitty designs have been revealed, and each Hello Kitty is holding a local product to represent the different prefectures. Starting from 30th June 2018, the train will be running daily round trips between Osaka and Fukuoka, and will run for three months. When October arrives, the railway will announce if the Hello Kitty trains will continue to run or not. The interior of the trains will be splashed with pink and frilly bows, and the first two carriages will be especially dedicated to this mouthless cat.
Photo Credit: Hello Kitty Shinkansen[Photo Credit: Hello Kitty Shinkansen]
Car 1: Hello! Plaza 🎀
The very first carriage of the Hello Kitty train will no longer have passenger seats, but rather converted into a makeshift exhibition space and souvenir shop. Here, a variety of regional products and attractions will be displayed, and passengers can even buy souvenirs and specialty products!
[Photo Credit: Hello Kitty Shinkansen]
Car 2: Kawaii! Room 🎀
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the name of the carriage means that this is the ultimate Hello Kitty dedication space. In this carriage, the floor, windows, headrests and armrests of the seats are all Hello Kitty-fied, and they even have a photo booth ready. A Hello Kitty doll in a Shinkansen uniform is ready to be your model, so snap away, my friends, snap away. To complete the whole Hello Kitty experience, the train will play the original Hello Kitty theme tune when it approaches a station, rather than its usual Shinkansen tune.
[Photo Credit: Hello Kitty Shinkansen]
Boarding The Train 🎀
You can view the train timetable here, after you translate it if you don’t understand Japanese. Keep in mind that it will be only running for three months, so if you’re visiting Japan soon, don’t miss out on this great opportunity. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the day of travel, but we strongly suggest to reserve your ticket beforehand, because never underestimate the power of a hardcore fan! As an added bonus if you will visit the Hakata station, there is a special Hello Kitty cafe which has been operating since 1st June 2018, and a souvenir shop selling exclusive merchandise to the Hello Kitty Shinkansen will be launching on 30th June 2018 too!
Photo Credit: test[Photo Credit: Hello Kitty Shinkansen]
Are you a Hello Kitty fan, and will you take this train ride if you had the chance? Let us know your thoughts and opinions! 💕
