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(From left) COTO COTO TRAIN, Mr. Eiji Mitooka and Mr. Takeshi Fukuyama.
Heisei Chikuhō Railway's restaurant car train "COTO COTO TRAIN" starts operating from 21 March 2019. On Saturday March 9th, there was a test ride event, so we went to cover it! Together with the comments of Mr. Mitooka, who handled the train design, and Mr. Fukuyama, who oversaw the cuisine, we report on the many charms of the COTO COTO TRAIN's design, cuisine, and the scenery alongside the railway line!

Mr. Eiji Mitooka
COTO COTO TRAIN's railway car design was being handled by Mr. Mitooka, who is known as the designer of the popular JR Kyushu Cruise train, "Seven Stars in Kyushu." When we tried asking Mr. Mitooka what aspects of the train were good PR in terms of tourists from overseas, he passionately regaled us with the charms of COTO COTO TRAIN, "The train design inserts Japanese elements in various places on a European-style foundation, so I think that even those from overseas can look at it and feel that it is beautiful. Also, not only the railways cars, but also including the large amount of Japan's original natural scenery that remains in the areas alongside the railway line, Japanese culture, cuisine, and so on, is content that can offer 100-point satisfaction. In some sections, we drive up to speeds of 20km/hour approx., but a train that runs this slowly is rare even on a global level, so definitely, please try and ride it."

"La Maison de la Nature Goh" Mr. Takeshi Fukuyama
The food served on COTO COTO TRAIN is being overseen by Mr Takeshi Fukuyama, the owner-chef of "La Maison de la Nature Goh" (Fukuoka City), which is known for twice ranking within Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, a popularity poll conducted by experts well versed in the restaurant world and in tackling "food". Mr Fukuyama, who has been interviewed by asianbeat in the past, commented, "The anticipation is that 20 to 30 percent of COTO COTO TRAIN's passengers will be visitors from overseas, mainly Asia. Via cuisine that adopts the Wa (Japanese) taste, I wish for them to try delicious dishes from the areas along the railway line whilst feeling the sensations of the four seasons of Japan." Also, taking for granted that the cuisine offered will change with the seasons and so align with seasonal ingredients, he also has the desire to increase the range of dishes that can be offered inside the railway cars from now on. Each time one boards the train, it seems that delicious experiences, different from the previous time, will be possible, doesn't it!

The exterior design of the car has a simple, but dignified and thus high-class feeling, deploying black and gold over a deep red base. The interior is as a whole bright, the colourful stained glass ceiling, the wooden seats, and the traditional handicraft products of Fukuoka and the Ōkawa Kumiko wood joinery are all beautiful, and "Wa" (Japanese) and the West are magnificently harmonized. No matter where you snap a photo from, it is undoubtedly a photo spot!

The food served inside the railway cars is French cuisine. The special dishes, which have used seasonal ingredients, are from the food preparation stage to the point where they are served inside the railway cars, ingenuity has been exercised in the various scenarios of transportation, heat preservation, and so on. Please be sure to have a taste!

One example of the appetizers served from, roughly, March to May. Many ingredients from the areas alongside the railway line were used.
Jelly made using onions from Nogata City.
Mt. Hiko Cider-Yuzu, which used the Soeda-machi product, yuzu, is distinguished by a moderate sweetness and refreshing sourness

COTO COTO TRAIN is named for the sound, "coto-coto" that it makes as it runs slowly over the tracks. When passing by especially picturesque places, the train will slow down or stop, so you can enjoy the scenery to your heart's content.

On the test run day, canola flowers spread out right alongside the train tracks!

Please be sure to check out COTO COTO TRAIN, which will without a doubt become a new famous train for the Chikuhō and Keichiku regions! (Editorial Dept.: Mofer)