Overview
Since its inception in 2013, the Kyushu Seven Stars, Japan’s very first luxury train, has been selling space based on a lottery system to account for the overwhelming demand for this exclusive and utterly unique rail travel experience.
This “Cruise Train” is a beautifully designed fusion of Japanese and Western elements, painstakingly thought-out with an eye to detail. Intricate woodwork and sumptuous textiles abound in the lounge and dining cars as well as in the fourteen all en-suite cabins.
On the Seven Stars, passengers can enjoy the beautiful Kyushu scenery as it flows by their windows. The stops on the Seven Stars are highlights of the best that Kyushu has to offer. The train does not just push through the journey.
Latest News: Read owner Owen Hardy’s blog about his Japanese adventure on the Kyushu Seven Stars. Spoiler alert: He loved it!
Accommodations
Each of the fourteen all-suite guest rooms on the Seven Stars is unique. Two of these are larger deluxe suites that can accommodate up to three guests.
Deluxe Suite A
At 226 square feet, this room is the largest on the Kyushu Seven Stars. It is the rearmost guestroom on the train and boasts an enormous picture window. The wood used in the walls, floor, ceiling and furniture in the room is mainly Pearwood, with some parts in earthen wall and cherry. The walls in the ensuite are white sycamore with a castor aralia flooring. Passengers in this room also have the luxury of a private projector on which to enjoy a selection of DVDs. Front desk telephone, private ensuite with toilet and cypress-paneled shower stall, Arita porcelain washbasin (made by the late Sakaida Kakiemon XIV), air-conditioning, free wifi, and minibar are also included in this suite.
Deluxe Suite B
The second-biggest guestroom on the Seven Stars is 183 square feet. Rosewood is used for the walls, floor, and furniture of the main room. The bed room and ensuite bathroom are all furnished with maple. Front desk telephone, private ensuite with toilet and cypress-paneled shower stall, Arita porcelain washbasin (made by the late Sakaida Kakiemon XIV), air-conditioning, free wifi, and minibar are also included in this suite.
Suite Rooms
Twelve suite rooms – three each in carriages three through six – offer a high degree of comfort, functionality, and beautiful design. A maximum of two guests can occupy each of these 108- square -foot rooms. Each of these guest rooms has been carefully furnished by local artisans. Walking down the corridors one will see that each Suite room has different wood for the furnishings, as well as differing designs and colors for the upholstery. The Suite rooms have been furnished with wood such as douglas fir, nara oak, maple, cherry, quince, walnut, pearwood, enbuia, white sycamore and castor aralia. Front desk telephone, private ensuite with toilet and cypress paneled shower stall, Arita porcelain washbasin (made by the late Sakaida Kakiemon XIV), air-conditioning, free wifi and minibar are also included in these suites.
One of the Suite rooms in car 3 is wheelchair accessible.
Dining
The Jupiter dining car offers passengers cuisine made from seasonal ingredients that will change throughout the year.
Lounge
During the day, the lounge car is a wonderful place to rest. Here, one can enjoy live musical performances and other entertainment in the evening, with a drink from the Blue Moon bar. The spectacular views from here await all passengers, including those who want to relax on the comfortable sofas.
IRT Insights
Walk the entire train, and keep your eyes peeled for details. Admire the floor-to-ceiling woodwork in the lounge, the little brass frog “climbing” a corridor wall, the gigantic rear window. And “be Japanese” for a week. Try the food, admire in finely sculptured gardens, luxuriate in the hot springs.