A consortium of Tokyu Corporation, JR East, and Tokyo Metro have begun construction on the next major phase in the ongoing redevelopment of the Shibuya Station area.

In 2019, the first phase of the Shibuya Scramble Square commercial complex was completed with the opening of the East Tower, a skyscraper directly connected to Shibuya Station. Now this project has entered its second phase and construction has begun on the Central Tower and West Tower. These new skyscrapers, which are due to be completed by 2031, will create one of the largest commercial facilities in the Tokyo metropolitan area. [Read more…]

The Hakone-Tozan Line will operate a “Yoru-no-Ajisai-Go” or “Night Hydrangea” train for 17 days from Saturday, June 14th to Monday, June 30th, 2025.

The Hakone-Tozan Line is a mountain railway line that runs between Odawara Station in the city of Odawara and Gora Station in the town of Hakone. From mid-June, the mountain railway travels through some 7,000 hydrangeas in full bloom, many of the bushes are so close to the line that the flowers are almost touching the train windows. For this reason the train is affectionately known as the “Ajisai Densha” or “Hydrangea Train” at this time of year. [Read more…]

Thomas the Tank Engine has returned to Oigawa Railway in Shizuoka Prefecture and will be running regular trips on weekends and holidays until December this year.

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JR Hokkaido has announced a revision of plans for the redevelopment project at Sapporo Station.

The project, which has been ongoing since 2023, is a large-scale development by JR Hokkaido and Sapporo City on the site of the former Sapporo Esta shopping complex. [Read more…]

Nippon Travel Agency will offer a temporary luggage storage and hotel delivery service at Kansai Airport Station for the duration of the upcoming Osaka Expo.

The 2025 World Expo will be held in Osaka, Japan for 184 days between April 13th and October 13th. With around 160 countries and regions taking part in the Expo, Kansai International Airport is preparing for a big uptick in overseas visitors.

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Hitachi and JR East have installed a hydrogen fuel cell system at Takanawa Gateway City to charge self-driving mobility vehicles with renewable energy.

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Sagano Scenic Railway in Kyoto, has announced that it will introduce a new train design in the spring of 2027. The current trains, which are notable for their bright red and yellow livery and old-fashioned charm, are to be replaced by trains with advanced safety features and a sleek new design.

Exact details of the train’s appearance are still under consideration but a design image released by Sagano Scenic Railway shows a very modern looking train painted black. [Read more…]

To celebrate the upcoming Osaka World Expo, JR West has introduced special “Parade Trains” that will run along one of the rail routes for the Expo venue. These trains have an onboard “immersive video experience” that is intended to create a sense of anticipation for the Expo.

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Rail passengers in Japan’s western Kansai region will soon be able to use a smartphone app to buy QR tickets that can be used at the stations of seven major railway companies.

KANSAI MaaS is a smartphone app that can be used to perform route searches, access station maps, and look up a train service’s current status as well as to buy digital tickets. The app can also provide tourist information such as model courses and accommodation tips.

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Lots of brand new commercial facilities will open in Japan’s two top cities in 2025 and some older facilities are getting a major facelift! Here are some of the most interesting locations opening or reopening in Tokyo and Osaka this year.

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