Quick answer: the Hello Kitty Shinkansen ended regular service on May 17, 2026, but Japan has not run out of trains worth planning a trip around. The best current alternatives are SPACIA X for Nikko, AONIYOSHI between Osaka, Nara and Kyoto, Saphir Odoriko for the Izu Peninsula, the POKÉMON with YOU Train in Tohoku, Shimakaze for Ise-Shima and JR Kyushu’s 36+3.
Last checked: September 7, 2026. Special-train calendars change, and a normal ticket does not always guarantee the themed vehicle. Confirm the exact operating date and train number with the railway operator before you build a day around it.
What replaced the Hello Kitty Shinkansen?
Nothing replaced it directly. JR West retired one very specific pink Shinkansen, and there is no new Hello Kitty bullet train running the same Shin-Osaka–Hakata route. That distinction matters because old English-language guides and social posts can continue circulating long after a train has disappeared.
The better question is: which train can turn part of your 2026 itinerary into the experience itself? Japan’s most rewarding sightseeing trains are not all character trains. Some are playful, some are quietly luxurious and some make an ordinary transfer feel like a small event. These are the ones I would actually consider building into a trip.
| Train | Best for | Main route | Booking difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPACIA X | Nikko day trip or onsen stay | Asakusa–Nikko/Kinugawa | Moderate |
| AONIYOSHI | Easy Kansai upgrade | Osaka–Nara–Kyoto | Easy to moderate |
| Saphir Odoriko | Coastal scenery | Tokyo/Yokohama–Izu | Moderate |
| POKÉMON with YOU | Families and Pokémon fans | Selected Tohoku routes | Hard on popular dates |
| Shimakaze | Ise-Shima in comfort | Osaka/Kyoto/Nagoya–Kashikojima | Moderate to hard |
| 36+3 | A slow Kyushu journey | Different Kyushu route by day | Moderate to hard |
1. SPACIA X: the smartest special-train day trip from Tokyo
SPACIA X connects Asakusa with Tobu-Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen. It is the easiest train on this list to place inside a first or second trip to Japan because the route already leads somewhere most visitors want to see.
The train offers six seat styles, from standard seating to private compartments, a Cockpit Suite and the front-facing Cockpit Lounge. There is also an onboard café. The premium spaces photograph beautifully, but you do not need the most expensive seat to enjoy the ride. The practical win is leaving central Tokyo and arriving near Nikko’s shrines or Kinugawa’s hot-spring hotels without treating the journey as dead time.
My pick: use it outbound to Nikko, then stay overnight in the area rather than racing back after the temples close. If the special seats are sold out, take the available seat and keep the destination. Do not let a train reservation become more important than the trip around it.
2. AONIYOSHI: the easiest unusual train in Kansai
Kintetsu’s deep-purple AONIYOSHI links Osaka-Namba, Nara and Kyoto. It is an unusually good fit for travelers who want a memorable train without reorganizing an entire itinerary.
Inside are twin seats and salon-style group seating, with a design inspired by Nara’s history. The route is short enough that the train is a pleasant upgrade rather than a full-day rail excursion. That makes it ideal for pairing Kyoto and Nara or moving between Osaka and Kyoto with a stop in Nara.
The 2026 timetable is current from March 14, and the train generally does not operate on Thursdays. Reserve through Kintetsu or at a station counter and check the operating calendar for your exact date.
3. Saphir Odoriko: a coastal train that earns the upgrade
Saphir Odoriko runs from the Tokyo area toward the Izu Peninsula. It is built around wide windows, Green Car seating, private compartments and a cafeteria car. Unlike a themed train where the exterior is the main event, this one works because the scenery and destination match the train.
Use it when you are already planning Shimoda, Kawazu or another Izu stop. The sea views are most rewarding when you can travel in daylight and avoid spending the entire journey looking at your phone. JR East refreshed the cafeteria menu in 2026, another sign that this is an active service rather than a nostalgic listing copied from an old blog.
Reality check: Izu is not a secret weekend escape. Book early for holidays and cherry-blossom periods, and treat the train as part of a coastal trip—not as an attraction to ride out and back for no reason.
4. POKÉMON with YOU Train: the best character train still running
If the Hello Kitty Shinkansen appealed because the theme took over the whole experience, the POKÉMON with YOU Train is the closest emotional replacement. Pikachu appears throughout the exterior and interior, and the train includes playful spaces and small commemorative items for passengers.
The important difference is geography. This is a Tohoku train with selected operating days and routes, not a daily Shinkansen between major tourist cities. In September 2026, JR East lists Kesennuma services on several weekends and holidays, plus Miyako services on September 26 and 27. Every seat is reserved, and tickets go on sale one month before departure.
I like that the train has a purpose beyond decoration: it was created to bring smiles and visitors to an area affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Build it into a proper Tohoku journey and spend money locally rather than riding in, photographing Pikachu and immediately leaving.
5. Shimakaze: the train for an Ise-Shima detour
Shimakaze connects Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya with Ise, Toba and Kashikojima. Its wide seats, large windows, café car and optional private rooms make the ride feel slower in the best way.
This is the choice for travelers who have already seen the obvious Kansai route and want a reason to continue toward Ise Jingu, Toba’s coast or the islands and bays of Shima. The official timetable was updated for March 14, 2026. Services generally have different non-operating days depending on the route, so check the exact train instead of assuming it runs daily.
My pick: ride from Kyoto or Osaka to Ise-Shima, stay at least one night and return by a different service. The private rooms are appealing for families, but the regular premium seats are already a meaningful upgrade.
6. 36+3: when Kyushu is the journey
JR Kyushu’s glossy black 36+3 is less a fast way from A to B than a sightseeing journey built around the route itself. It follows a different course on each operating day, with all seats reserved and Green Car accommodation throughout. A JR Kyushu Rail Pass covers only the basic fare; riding 36+3 requires separate limited-express and Green Car charges, and the meal plans are sold as separate travel products. See the official 36+3 route and booking page before choosing a date.
Status: September 2026 cancellations
Last checked: September 7, 2026
JR Kyushu lists 36+3 suspensions on September 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25, 2026, following the July 28 Kumamoto earthquake. As of this update, September 3–5 have passed; the future dates on the published cancellation list are September 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25. This is not a notice that every 36+3 service has been suspended. It is also not a guarantee that dates absent from the list will operate. Check the notice at the top of the official 36+3 page again immediately before travel.
Which 36+3 routes are affected?
The affected route depends on the weekday. The mapping below combines JR Kyushu’s cancellation dates with its published day-by-day routes.
| Date in September 2026 | Day | Published 36+3 route | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3, 10, 17, 24 | Thursday | Hakata → Kagoshima-Chuo | Canceled |
| 4, 11, 18, 25 | Friday | Kagoshima-Chuo → Miyazaki | Canceled |
| 5 | Saturday | Miyazaki Airport/Miyazaki → Oita/Beppu | Canceled |
The official notice does not describe a blanket suspension of the Sunday Oita/Beppu–Hakata route or the Monday Hakata–Sasebo–Hakata route. However, do not treat the lack of a listed cancellation as confirmation: operating information can change, and JR Kyushu warns that published timetables may remain valid for only a few months.
What should booked passengers do?
Start with the purchase channel shown in the confirmation email or on the ticket. A conventional train ticket, a JR Kyushu Rail Pass reservation and a lunch plan—including any private-compartment booking—are not the same product, so their refund paths should not be assumed to be interchangeable.
| What was booked | First refund or assistance route | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Standard train ticket or standalone 36+3 ticket | Ask at a JR Kyushu station counter, or use the website through which the ticket was purchased. JR Kyushu’s general policy says that when a passenger abandons a trip because the train is canceled, the rail fare and other rail charges are refundable. | Online, discount and collected tickets can have product-specific handling. Use the purchase channel rather than assuming an automatic refund. |
| JR Kyushu Rail Pass or KRP Option Ticket | For the earthquake-specific arrangement, a station-counter purchase or exchange is handled at a station counter. An eligible online purchase that has not been exchanged must be refunded in JR Kyushu Rail Pass Online Booking before the train’s departure time or the pass start date, then reported through that service’s Inquiry Form. A travel-agency purchase that has not yet been exchanged must be taken back to the seller; if it has already been exchanged, ask JR Kyushu which counter-based procedure applies. | The special notice covers unused eligible products with validity from July 28 through September 18, 2026. It says no refund is available once the pass or ticket has been used. Do not assume this exceptional pass policy covers September 24–25 or a partly used pass. |
| Lunch plan (including a private-compartment booking) | Contact the travel-product booking channel or seller used for the reservation. The official Japanese booking page is the portal linked by JR Kyushu for these packages. | A lunch plan combines a one-way JR ticket and a meal; private compartments are reserved for these travel products. The English 36+3 page does not publish complete cancellation terms for the package, so the standard rail-ticket rules should not be applied to the lunch plan, including any private-compartment booking, without confirmation. |
Useful official paths:
- JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation for eligible one-way, round-trip and reserved-seat bookings
- JR KYUSHU RAIL PASS Online Booking for eligible pass-related online reservations
- JR Kyushu’s ticket change and refund guidance
- Earthquake-specific JR Kyushu Rail Pass refund notice
- JR Kyushu Rail Pass conditions
If an online portal is temporarily unavailable, retain the confirmation and ticket details and try again within the stated deadline; do not wait until after the booked train’s departure or the pass start date where the special notice requires action before that point.
Practical rail alternatives
These are transport alternatives, not substitute sightseeing-train services. They do not recreate the 36+3 experience, meal, private room or intermediate hospitality stops, and seats or same-day connections are not guaranteed.
Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo before September 18
Until September 17, JR Kyushu’s official detour is Sonic from Hakata to Oita, Nichirin from Oita to Miyazaki, then Kirishima from Miyazaki to Kagoshima-Chuo. JR Kyushu gives approximate running times of two hours, three hours 30 minutes and two hours respectively, before connection time. This is a long journey, and the revised services may not connect neatly. Check every leg rather than relying on the former 36+3 departure and arrival times.
Kagoshima-Chuo to Miyazaki
The regular Kirishima limited express is the practical rail option identified in JR Kyushu’s recovery plan, with an approximate journey time of two hours. Its timetable and connections may be revised during recovery work, so confirm the exact service on the day.
Miyazaki to Oita or Beppu
Use a regular Nichirin limited express toward Oita; JR Kyushu’s recovery plan gives an approximate Miyazaki–Oita running time of three hours 30 minutes. For Beppu, check whether the selected train continues or whether a change at Oita is required. Build in connection time and verify the latest timetable.
After the scheduled September 18 Shinkansen restoration
JR Kyushu plans to restore full-line Kyushu Shinkansen service on September 18, 2026, making regular Shinkansen service the practical rail alternative between Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo. The operator also says trains between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo will run at reduced speeds on a timetable different from the regular schedule. Most importantly, the restoration plan does not reinstate 36+3: JR Kyushu separately lists 36+3 as canceled on September 18, 24 and 25.
See JR Kyushu’s official future-service and revised-timetable notice before building a connection.
Recheck before travel
JR Kyushu’s recovery dates are plans, and revised timetables—especially connections involving Kirishima—can change. Check both the 36+3 operating notice and the latest recovery timetable notice immediately before departure. The fact that no October cancellation is currently listed in this September notice should not be read as a guarantee of normal October operation.
For broader pass planning, compare the Japan Rail Pass—but confirm 36+3’s separate supplements and reservation rules directly with JR Kyushu before booking.
Can you still ride a Hello Kitty train in Japan?
Yes, but not the retired Hello Kitty Shinkansen. Hello Kitty-themed Haruka airport express designs continue to appear on Kansai Airport services. This is a normal airport train with themed decoration, not a dedicated attraction, and a specific design may not be guaranteed on the departure you choose.
That makes the Haruka a lovely bonus if it fits your airport journey, but a weak reason to reshape a day. For the full history, final-run date and the difference between the two trains, read our updated Hello Kitty Shinkansen guide.
How to book special trains without ruining your itinerary
- Start with the destination. Decide whether you actually want Nikko, Izu, Nara, Tohoku, Ise-Shima or Kyushu.
- Check the operating calendar. Special trains often skip one weekday or run only on selected dates.
- Confirm the exact train number. A route may also have ordinary trains that do not use the special design.
- Book when sales open. Many JR reserved seats go on sale at 10 a.m. Japan time one month before departure.
- Keep a normal-train backup. A sold-out lounge should not destroy a well-designed trip.
Japan’s rail system is often described as efficient, which is true but incomplete. Its more interesting talent is turning movement into memory. A purple train to Nara, Pikachu in Tohoku or lunch on a black train across Kyushu will not make your trip more “authentic.” It can, however, make the space between destinations feel less like a transfer and more like Japan.
Official booking and timetable sources
- Tobu Railway: SPACIA X
- Kintetsu: AONIYOSHI
- JR East: Saphir Odoriko
- JR East: POKÉMON with YOU Train
- Kintetsu: Shimakaze
- JR Kyushu: 36+3
Continue your Japan rail journey
Next, compare hidden onsen towns you can reach by train, learn how to buy Shinkansen tickets online, or start with the Hidden Japan trip-planning guide.
Continue exploring: Turn the journey into part of the meal with our guide to the best regional ekiben in Japan.