Railway companies across Japan have been racking their brains to find ways to make up for the loss as people are asked to continue to refrain from going out due to the spread of the new coronavirus infections.
One company has begun providing videos that allow people to immerse themselves in the feeling of traveling during the Golden Week holiday season, while another company has prepared train paper crafts for children to enjoy. Each company has faced a significant decline in revenue and hopes that such efforts will lead to many families coming for a ride once the infection is under control.
80,000 views
A video depicting a limited express train, running alongside the Tokaido Shinkansen, from Kanmaki Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line in Osaka Prefecture can be seen on Hankyu Railway's official Facebook page. A lot of families visit the station, located in Takatsuki, from far away to enjoy the great view during the usual holiday season.
"Because this place is popular among children who love trains, we understand they'd want to visit and see the scenery during Golden Week, but we'd instead like them to enjoy it from home," Hankyu Corp.'s spokesperson said.
The Kominato Railway, which runs through the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, posted a 1 hour and 18-minute long movie on YouTube to show the view from the train's conductor area. The video includes the view of the train running about 40 kilometers on a single track through fields and rows of cherry trees and has been viewed more than 80,000 times since early April.
The person in charge of the project proudly said, "It is certain to make people feel as though they are riding on the train themselves."
Paper models.
Kintetsu Railway Co. has started a service that allows its homepage viewers to print 24 types of train cards free of charge, including the limited express Hinotori and the double-decker limited express Vista Car, which debuted in March.
Hinotori, which connects the stations of Osaka Nanba and Kintetsu Nagoya, boasts spacious seats, but the company is now unable to fully promote it to the public.
The company's official said that the card service is to provide a fun activity for children, who are spending time at home with their families.
"As they play with the cards, we hope they will become interested in Kintetsu's luxury limited express and sightseeing trains," the official said.
Wakasa Railway Co., which operates in the mountainous areas of Tottori Prefecture, has launched services to offer free downloads of paper crafts of its diesel locomotives and sightseeing trains. The company official said that the number of tourists has dropped to less than half.
"We want people not to forget the Wakasa Tetsudo."
Calling for design
Mizuma Railway Co., which operates a railway in Kaizuka, Osaka Prefecture, is calling for designs for a metal plate to be displayed on the front of its trains.
"We are looking for designs that help keep people positive and encourage people to do their best. These designs could be a way to use their time staying at home while refraining from going out," the company's official said.
The deadline is May 10, and the grand prize winner's design will be posted on the trains.
Choshi Electric Railway Co. in Chiba Prefecture has seen an 80% drop in passengers. The company began to sell key chains and hard train tickets, which used to be in use decades ago, as a set dubbed the "Choshi Electric Railway Coronavirus Waste Line Crisis Relief Set" for 8,000 yen on March 21. All fifty sets which the company had planned to sell were sold.
The company official delightedly said, "We are grateful for your support so that our operations can continue."
Caption:
1, A screengrab from Kominato Railway's video on YouTube.
2, Courtesy of Wakasa Railway Co.
Examples of train paper crafts for children
Railway companies across Japan have been racking their brains to find ways to make up for the loss as people are asked to continue to refrain from going out due to the spread of the new coronavirus infections.
One company has begun providing videos that allow people to immerse themselves in the feeling of traveling during the Golden Week holiday season, while another company has prepared train paper crafts for children to enjoy. Each company has faced a significant decline in revenue and hopes that such efforts will lead to many families coming for a ride once the infection is under control.
A video depicting a limited express train, running alongside the Tokaido Shinkansen, from Kanmaki Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line in Osaka Prefecture can be seen on Hankyu Railway's official Facebook page. A lot of families visit the station, located in Takatsuki, from far away to enjoy the great view during the usual holiday season.
"Because this place is popular among children who love trains, we understand they'd want to visit and see the scenery during Golden Week, but we'd instead like them to enjoy it from home," Hankyu Corp.'s spokesperson said.
The Kominato Railway, which runs through the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, posted a 1 hour and 18-minute long movie on YouTube to show the view from the train's conductor area. The video includes the view of the train running about 40 kilometers on a single track through fields and rows of cherry trees and has been viewed more than 80,000 times since early April.
The person in charge of the project proudly said, "It is certain to make people feel as though they are riding on the train themselves."
Kintetsu Railway Co. has started a service that allows its homepage viewers to print 24 types of train cards free of charge, including the limited express Hinotori and the double-decker limited express Vista Car, which debuted in March.
Hinotori, which connects the stations of Osaka Nanba and Kintetsu Nagoya, boasts spacious seats, but the company is now unable to fully promote it to the public.
The company's official said that the card service is to provide a fun activity for children, who are spending time at home with their families.
"As they play with the cards, we hope they will become interested in Kintetsu's luxury limited express and sightseeing trains," the official said.
Wakasa Railway Co., which operates in the mountainous areas of Tottori Prefecture, has launched services to offer free downloads of paper crafts of its diesel locomotives and sightseeing trains. The company official said that the number of tourists has dropped to less than half.
"We want people not to forget the Wakasa Tetsudo."
Mizuma Railway Co., which operates a railway in Kaizuka, Osaka Prefecture, is calling for designs for a metal plate to be displayed on the front of its trains.
"We are looking for designs that help keep people positive and encourage people to do their best. These designs could be a way to use their time staying at home while refraining from going out," the company's official said.
The deadline is May 10, and the grand prize winner's design will be posted on the trains.
Choshi Electric Railway Co. in Chiba Prefecture has seen an 80% drop in passengers. The company began to sell key chains and hard train tickets, which used to be in use decades ago, as a set dubbed the "Choshi Electric Railway Coronavirus Waste Line Crisis Relief Set" for 8,000 yen on March 21. All fifty sets which the company had planned to sell were sold.
The company official delightedly said, "We are grateful for your support so that our operations can continue."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
