This month saw the launch of a new gourmet restaurant train “Izu Craile” by JR East. The Izu Craile is a special excursion train which will run mainly on Saturdays and holidays between Odawara Station in Kanagawa Prefecture and Izukyu Shimoda Station in Shizuoka Prefecture. The route follows the coastline of the Izu peninsula, so passengers can view the scenic beauty of the mountains and sea while eating their specially prepared gourmet lunch boxes.
The all new Izu Craile gourmet restaurant train
The Izu Craile is a four carriage train with 1st class reserved seating throughout. The exterior design in pink and gold represents sakura petals floating on sea breezes and rippling waters. The interior is laid out in an elegant “Japanese Modern” style with carpets patterned to look like flowing rivers, and the illuminated ceiling designed to appear like the morning sun shining through bamboo.
The new train’s layout
Car number 1 has counter seats on the side facing the sea, and paired box seating on the side facing the mountains.
Car number 1
Car number 2 has a bar counter and public lounge area.
Car number 2
Car number 3 has compartment seating suitable for groups and also a compartment suitable for wheelchairs.
Car number 3
Car number 4 has 40 reclining seats that can be rotated, and also 12 fixed box seats in groups of 4 with tables between them.
Car number 4
The gourmet menu has been specially created by Chef Akimoto Sakura of the popular French restaurant Morceau in Tokyo’s Meguro district. The beautiful box lunches will change from season to season and use the freshest ingredients from the Izu region.
Lunch boxes for the coastal journey
The Izu Craile made its debut journey on Saturday July 16th and was seen off from Odawara Station by the station master and Chef Akimoto Sakura.
The Izu Craile’s launch ceremony
Article by Michael Lambe. Images courtesy of JR East. All rights reserved.
