Count on Japanese railway companies to think of ways to put your feet up, or in this case, soak them in footbath tubs.
Not to be outdone by Kyushu’s Sweets Train service, East Japan Railway Co is set to introduce a new train on the Yamagata Shinkansen route fitted with two 2.4-meter long and 50-centimeter wide footbaths to give passengers’ toes a special treatment while traveling.
The new six-car train, dubbed “Toreiyu,” also features tatami reserved seating in three cars and an after-bath lounge car with a bar counter. The other car has regular seats.
This will be the first time a train will operated with footbath facilities on board, JR East said. Each footbath can be used by four people at once. The tubs are built on a raised stone platform to enjoy the rolling landscapes outside their windows. The train’s interior will be decorated with reliefs of cherries, a specialty of Yamagata Prefecture.
The train will run between Fukushima Station and Shinjo Station in Yamagata Prefecture from July—roughly a two-hour journey.
By Maesie Bertumen
Image: Sebra / Shutterstock.com
