Train Suite Shiki-shima: Ueno · Aizu-Wakamatsu · Hakodate · Hirosaki · Matsumoto · Shiogama
A champagne-gold sleeper for 34 guests, out of Ueno
JR East · Sleeper
Train Suite Shiki-shima is JR East's sleeper out of Ueno, on courses of one to three nights to Aizu-Wakamatsu, Hirosaki, Matsumoto and, in summer, across to Hakodate and southern Hokkaido. It has run since May 2017, and its ten cars carry 17 suites for 34 guests. JR East explains the name in two parts: 'Train Suite' is a French-based coinage, and Shiki-shima is an old name for Japan. Its own word for the idea is 'deep exploration'.
The exterior is champagne gold, designed by Ken Okuyama, whose work includes Ferrari and the design supervision of the E6 Komachi and E7 Kagayaki. The train is an EDC formation, able to run on both electrified and non-electrified lines. Cars 1 and 10 are the observation cars, View Terrace Kizashi and Ibuki; Car 5 is Lounge Komorebi, with the bar and a smoking room; Car 6 is Dining SHIKI-SHIMA. The cuisine is supervised by Takuya Saito, the train's fourth Executive Chef, who cooks French dinners on board, and the 2027 courses bring in guest kitchens — Turandot Garyukyo in Akasaka (chef Yuji Wakiya), maison FUJIYA Hakodate, Fujin Tree Taiwanese Cuisine & Champagne, Uga in Niigata, Restaurant UOZEN and Kappo Matsumotokan.
There are three suite categories. Fifteen Suites of about 9 m², in Cars 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9, have a shower and toilet, Joboji lacquer panels and two sofas that become two beds at night; one of them, in Car 4, is a universal room. Car 7 holds the other two: the Deluxe Suite, a flat of about 14 m² with a high ceiling, a fireplace and a cypress bath, and the SHIKI-SHIMA Suite, a maisonette of about 20 m² over two floors, with a tatami room and kotatsu-style table upstairs, the bedroom downstairs and a specially made cypress bath. Prologue SHIKI-SHIMA is the train's own lounge at Ueno Station.
Places on Train Suite Shiki-shima are allocated by lottery, not first come, in one application window per season, and JR East takes applications on an English form. We track the application windows, prepare the application with you, and plan the rest of Japan around the dates you are offered.
- The application window tracked for you, season by season
- Hotels joined either side of the journey, as one trip
The route
Drawn to show the order of the stations, not the exact track.
The journeys
Four-day course, summer
3 nights
Ueno to Aizu-Wakamatsu in Fukushima, across to Hakodate and southern Hokkaido, back through Aomori and Hirosaki, then Murakami in Niigata before Ueno, with three breakfasts, four lunches and three dinners. Nights one and three are on the train; night two is at Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya or Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za, chosen at booking, as is the third day's Jomon Trip or Kuroishi Trip. Monday departures, July to September 2027.
Two-day course, spring and summer
1 night
Ueno to Matsumoto for the Former Kaichi School, a National Treasure, and Kappo Matsumotokan, a night on the train, then Niigata metalcraft at Sanjo and Tsubame before Ueno, with one breakfast, two lunches and one dinner. Saturday departures, April to September 2027.
Three-day course, winter
2 nights
Ueno to Mizusawa in Iwate, Goshogawara and Hirosaki in Aomori, and Shiogama in Miyagi. Tuesday departures, December 2026 to March 2027.
Two-day course, winter
1 night
Mashiko in Tochigi, and Kobuchizawa and Hakushu in Yamanashi. Saturday departures, December 2026 to March 2027.
Four-day course, spring
3 nights
Monday departures, April to June 2027, on a course JR East renewed for 2027.
On board: the cabins
Suite
about 9 m²
Fifteen, in Cars 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9, with Joboji lacquer panels and two sofas that become two beds at night. A shower and toilet, no bath. One, in Car 4, is a universal room.
Deluxe Suite
about 14 m²
One only, in Car 7: a flat with a high ceiling, a fireplace and a cypress bath.
SHIKI-SHIMA Suite
about 20 m²
One only, also in Car 7, and the largest room on the train: a two-floor maisonette with a tatami room and kotatsu-style table upstairs, the bedroom downstairs, and a specially made cypress bath.
The carriages
View Terrace Kizashi and Ibuki
The two observation cars, Cars 1 and 10.
Lounge Komorebi
Car 5, with the bar and a smoking room.
Dining SHIKI-SHIMA
Car 6. Takuya Saito, the train's fourth Executive Chef, supervises the cuisine and cooks French dinners on board.
Prologue SHIKI-SHIMA
The train's own lounge at Ueno Station.
Booking this train
Pick the season first, since each has its own courses and its own lottery. The summer four-day course is the one that reaches Hokkaido, with a night at Noboribetsu or Lake Shikotsu, and the two-day course to Matsumoto suits a shorter trip; winter has a three-day course into Iwate, Aomori and Miyagi and a two-day course to Tochigi and Yamanashi, and there is an autumn season in October and November. JR East allocates places by lottery in one application window per season, months before the departures, and the fare is paid by credit card. The course, date, hotel and day-three route cannot be changed once you have applied, so we settle those choices with you before the application goes in. Only some dates are sold by JR East Tourism & Sales, the company that plans and runs the tours; the rest go through other major travel agencies. Travel to and from Ueno is not included, and we build the hotel nights in Tokyo either side. Every passenger must be 12 or older. JR East's terms ask for a 20% deposit; cancelling costs nothing until 21 days before departure, then 20% from the 20th day, 30% from the 7th, 40% the day before, 50% on the day and the full fare after departure or for a no-show.
Questions, answered
How do you get a place on Train Suite Shiki-shima?
By lottery, not first come. JR East opens one application window per season, months before the departures: you choose your preferred date and apply on its English form, participants are selected in a draw, results come by post, and the fare is paid by credit card. The course, date, hotel and day-three route are fixed once the application is in, so we prepare it with you, track each season's window, and plan the rest of Japan around the date you are offered.
Which course should I take?
For Hokkaido, the summer four-day course: Ueno to Aizu-Wakamatsu, Hakodate, Aomori, Hirosaki and Murakami, with the second night at Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya or Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Bessou Ao no Za. The two-day course goes to Matsumoto for the Former Kaichi School, then to Sanjo and Tsubame in Niigata. In winter there is a three-day course to Mizusawa, Goshogawara, Hirosaki and Shiogama, and a two-day course to Mashiko, Kobuchizawa and Hakushu.
Which suite should I book?
Fifteen of the 17 are Suites of about 9 m², with a shower and toilet and two sofas that become two beds at night. The two in Car 7 are the ones with a bath, a cypress bath in each: the Deluxe Suite, about 14 m² with a high ceiling and a fireplace, and the SHIKI-SHIMA Suite, a two-floor maisonette of about 20 m² with a tatami room upstairs. There is one of each.
What does the fare include?
JR East's terms include the transport fares and charges on the itinerary, shuttles among them, and each course lists its meals — three breakfasts, four lunches and three dinners on the summer four-day course. Not included: personal expenses, medical costs, optional tours, travel to and from Ueno, insurance, and some special drinks and meals. The train crew act as tour conductor.
Who designed Train Suite Shiki-shima?
Ken Okuyama designed the champagne-gold exterior; JR East notes his work for Ferrari and his design supervision of the E6 Komachi and E7 Kagayaki. The train is an EDC formation, so it runs on both electrified and non-electrified lines, and it has been in service since May 2017.
Enquire
Hold a cabin on the Train Suite Shiki-shima
Tell us your dates and we will confirm live availability, hold the strongest cabin category, and plan the hotels at either end around the journey.
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