Introduction
One thing we get asked a lot is about travelling on overnight trains in Japan, and in particular the Sunrise Express which is the only regular overnight train and the only sleeper train in Japan currently. However, night trains are making a bit of renaissance…
A short history of overnight trains in Japan
Japan used to have an extensive network of long distance sleeper trains, or Blue Trains as they were known as their coaches were painted blue. This network reached its peak, both in the number of trains and their popularity in the first half of the 1970s. At the peak there were 39 named sleeper trains operating.
As well as the blue trains, at busy times, there were also special night time trains, often named “Moonlight✳✳✳”, which were operated by ordinary trains (i.e. no sleeping berths) and provided a cheaper way to travel long distances.
1975 however was a turning point for sleeper trains and the start of their decline. With the completion of the Sanyo Shinkansen Line between Osaka and Fukuoka it became possible to travel to travel from Fukuoka to Tokyo in about 6 hours instead of the 22 hours it took by c 1964 (and 5 hours today), the popularity of sleeper trains decline, the same was happening on the Tohoku, Joetsu and Hokuriku routes as the shinkansen network grew and day time journey times were substantially reduced.
The last regular “Blue Train” ran in March 2015 on the Tokyo~Sapporo Hokutosei service. This left only the Sunrise Express service, which had started in 1998 using a modern double deck (electric multiple unit) train.
As well as the fact that the shinkansen provided faster and more popular services, the JR companies were having difficulty attracting staff for these trains and rolling stock was getting old and in need of replacement so generally both economically and operationally it was becoming difficult to continue operating them.
We are not likely to see the return of the Blue Train as they used to run, but there a few modern day over night trains…
Regular sleeper services – Sunrise Express
Today there are only 2 regular sleeper services. Although described as 2 trains, they in fact operate much of their route as one train, between Tokyo and Okayama, and only operate as two separate services on the Okayama~Takamatsu section (Sunrise Express Seto) and the much longer Okayama~Izumoshi section (Sunrise Express Izumo).
The service and train was introduced in July 1998, The Sunrise Express Seto replacing the Sleeper Limited Express Seto and one of the Sleeper Express Izumo services (the one that operated via the Hakubi Line, the other via the Sanin Main Line and Tottori continued until March 2006)
Unlike their predecessors that were locomotive hauled blue train sleeper cars the Sunrise Express is operated by specially built double deck electric multiple unit trains (285 series 7 car units; 2 units owned by JR Tokai and 5 units owned by JR West).
Each service is made up of 2 seven car units that operate together between Tokyo and Okayama but as separate seven car units on their respective routes to / from Okayama.
The other important thing to note is that the train is double decked and there are some smoking berths cars 4 (2nd floor) & car 10 (2nd floor). there are also longes, 2 shower rooms per 7 car section and toilets and wash basins throughout the train.
The trains offer a selection of different types of accommodation.
| Type | Class | Occupancy | No per / 7 car unit | Cost per person excl basic fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Deluxe (シングルデラックス) | A sleeper | 1 | 6 rooms | ¥17,280 |
| Sunrise Twin (サンライズツイン) | B Sleeper | 1~2 | 4 rooms | ¥22,000 (single occupancy) |
| Single Twin (シングルツイン) | B Sleeper | 1~2 | 8 rooms | ¥12,900 (Single Occupancy) |
| Single (シングル) | B Sleeper | 1 | 80 rooms | ¥11,000 |
| Solo (ソロ) | B sleeper | 1 | 20 rooms | ¥9,900 |
| Nobinobi Seat (ノビノビ座席) | Open plan carpeted area | 1 | 28 spaces | ¥3,830 |
| Max of 154 passengers per 7 car unit (i.e. Sunrise Izumo plus Sunrise Seto) total 308, however some twin rooms are reserved for single travellers, so in practical terms capacity is 150 passengers per each 7 car unit.. Cost is just for reservation (irrespective of distance travelled) and excludes the basic fare. Despite its name the “Nobinobi Seat” is not a seat but a carpeted area separated by low partitions allowing passengers to lay down. There is no privacy. This is the only accommodation that can be used by Japan Rail Pass users without paying extra. “A Sleeper” is first class and “B Sleeper” is ordinary class. | ||||
Services & Facilities
There are no food & drink services on the train except for vending machines. There is a lounge area in each unit.
Shower facilities are available on a first come first served basis and you need to purchase a shower ticket from an on board ticket machine. Showers are popular so unfortunately when the train is busy not everyone can get a shower.
[picture – Shower Card vending machine ]
Timetable & Route Map
Tokaido Main line / Sanyo Main Line
Sunrise Express Seto
Sunrise Express Izumo
Seto Ohashi Line / Yosan Line
Sanyo Main Line / Hakubi Line
Sanin Main line
Sanin Main line
Not all stops are shown. Timetable as at Oct 2026. On some holidays an extra service may operate to / from Takamatsu and also Takamatsu service may be extended to / from Kotohira
Sanin Main line
Sanin Main Line
Hakubi Line / Sanyo Main Line
Sanyo Main line
Sanyo Main Line / Tokaido Main Line
Tokaido Main Line
Tickets and Reservations
As well as the basic fare for the journey being undertaken a reservation ticket also has to be purchased. The price of these depends on the type of accommodation and is irrespective of distance travelled. Please see the table above with accommodation information.
These trains are popular particularly on Friday / Sunday nights and during holiday periods. Berths will often sell out shortly after they become available (10am 1 month prior to date of travel) so advance booking is essential.
Scenery
As the trains are travelling through the night there is not much opportunity to see the outside scenery, except on the outbound journey the Sunrise Express Izumo travels during daylight along the scenic Hakubi Line and along the Sanin Main Line Japan Sea Coast / Lake Shinji.
The Sunrise Express Seto travels over the Seto Ohashi Bridge. On the outbound journey from Tokyo you should be able to see the Seto Inland Sea most of the year. On the inbound journey to Tokyo you should get to see a night time view of the sea and the hundreds of little islands, many lit up.
On the inbound journey to Tokyo depending on the time of year you will see parts of Shizuoka and Kanagawa Prefectures (except in Winter) and the Greater Tokyo suburbs.
TS Japan Rail article The Sunrise Express – the only regular Night Train in Japan
West Express Ginga
The West Express Ginga is a special tourist limited train. There is only one train and its timetable and routes are seasonal. The train is actually designed to be able to be used for day time and night time journeys.
The West Express Ginga train was formally a commuter train (117 series) used in the Kyoto Prefecture area, which has been completely gutted and refitted to invoke the atmosphere of a classic Japanese night train. Even the name “Ginga”, which means “Milky Way” is part of that classic image. The train started operations as the West Express Ginga in 2020. The famous railway train designer Yasuyuki Kawanishi was responsible for the internal design. He also designed the Sunrise Express interior.
Routes
The West Express Ginga has 2 seasonal routes and one occasional (mostly in spring) route:
| Sanin Route | Osaka – Kyoto-Izumoshi via Hakubi Line & Sanin Main Line | Spring / Occasional Night Time (both ways) |
| Sanyo Route | Kyoto-Osaka-Shimonoseki via the Sanyo Main Line (Seto Inland Sea & Pacific Coast) | Autumn & Winter Night Time (both ways) |
| Kinan Route | Kyoto-Osaka-Shingu via Wakayama and Kisei Main Line (Kii Peninsula) | Summer to early Autumn Kyoto⇒Shingu – Night Time Shingu⇒Kyoto – Day Time |
As there is only one unit, when it does operate it normally operates outbound one day and returns the following day, but there are gaps in the schedule.
Accommodation
| Car | Type of accommodation |
|---|---|
| 1 | First Seat Green Car reclining/convertible bed-style seats (8 available Large, angled, semi-private seats in Car 1; the seat backs recline/convert to form bed-like sleeping surfaces for night operation. |
| 2 | Ordinary reclining seats (2+2 large with generous pitch) and Couchette spaces ( 12 available Open, flat nobinobi-style sleeping spaces arranged as upper and lower levels, four spaces per compartment-like bay. Each has individual lighting and a small Kurashiki-canvas storage pocket) |
| 3 | Ordinary reclining seats (2+2 large with generous pitch) and Family Cabin (tatami style rooms) |
| 4 | Compartments and the “Myojo” free space (tatami style room) |
| 5 | Couchette spaces, including wheelchair-compatible provision (18 available – Open, flat nobinobi-style sleeping spaces arranged as upper and lower levels, four spaces per compartment-like bay. Each has individual lighting and a small Kurashiki-canvas storage pocket) |
| 6 | Premium Rooms—Green Car private rooms—and free space (5 private rooms, 4 for two persons and 1 for one person) |
Fares
This train does not actually classify as a sleeper train so the normal sleeper supplement is not required, but Green (first class) Limited Express supplements are payable. Examples are below.
For Ordinary reserved: Reclining / Couchette / Family Cabin (all per person)
| Sanin Route: Kyoto~Izumoshi | ¥3,490 + basic fare |
| Sanyo Route: Kyoto~Shimonoseki | ¥3,490 + basic fare |
| Kinan Route: Kyoto~Shingu | ¥3,170 + basic fare |
| For First Seat and Premium Room further supplements are required, so for example travelling from Kyoto to Izumoshi or Kyoto to Shimonoseki the cost would be ¥5,400 plus basic fare and ¥8,450 + basic fare respectively. | |
A night train but not technically a sleeper train
This train should not be regarded as a regular sleeper train as it is very clearly aimed at tourists. There are no services provided on board. The couchette resemble the old “B Sleeper” class with only privacy provided by curtain, so is probably more nostalgic (with a little upgrade) for Japanese and other travellers who used the old Blue Trains, rather than a more modern private room accommodation that some of the latter day blue trains or sleeper express services in other countries.
Nonetheless this train is popular with local tourists and rail enthusiasts. It also fits the TS Japan Rail criteria of making the journey part of the experience.
For more information on this train:
https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/train-usage-guide/trains/westexginga/
TS Japan Rail article Special Train – West Express Ginga
New Train: JR East’s “Luna Azul”
The Luna Azul, similar to the West Express Ginga, is aimed at tourists. It is expected to start operating in the spring / summer of 2027.
The routes
This train will have two seasonal routes. The night train route will operate Spring through Autumn linking Tokyo with Akita and Aomori Prefectures travelling along the Joetsu and Japan Sea coast route as follows:
Shinagawa~Tokyo~Ueno~Omiya~Akita~Hirosaki~Aomori
Interestingly the train will travel via the Joetsu Line to Niigata Prefecture and then along the Japan Sea Coast via the Uetsu Main Line to Akita. From Akita the train will take the inland Ou Main Line route to Hirosaki and Aomori.
Trains will depart Shinagawa (Tokyo) around 21:00 and arrive in Aomori around 09:30 the next morning. The return journey will depart Aomori around 16:00 and arrive at Shinagawa around 07:00.
The train will call at Tokyo, Ueno and Omiya, with then just passenger stops in both directions at Akita, Hirosaki and Aomori. On the northbound journey it is planned that the train will also have a timetabled stop at Takasaki.
The plan is for the train to do two round trips a week.
In the winter months the train will be used for a day time service (returning same day) to the Kusatsu Onsen area in Gunma Prefecture. The train will travel to / from Shinagawa and call at Tokyo, Ueno, Omiya Takasaki, Shibukawa, Nakanojo and Naganohara Kusatsuguchi.
[note the actual timetable has not yet been published so there may be some additional stops in the Tohoku region]
Accommodation
| Car | Type of accommodation |
|---|---|
| Car 1 | Luna Premium Wide – The highest-grade Premium Green private rooms 1 & 2 person occupancy Luna Premium – Premium Green Private Compartment ^ 1 person for night service and 2 for day service |
| Car 2 | Luna Comfort Green Private Compartment (for one person during night services, and two people during daytime services) – 1 person occupancy for night service; 2 people for day service |
| Car 3 | Luna Comfort Wide Green Private Compartment (for 2 passengers for night services and 4 passengers for day service): Luna Comfort Grande Green Private Compartment (for 4 passengers for night services) |
| Car 4 | Luna Comfort Wide (same as car 3) |
| Car 5 | Lounge Car |
| Car 6 | Luna Comfort Green Private Compartment (for one person during night services, and two people during daytime services) – 1 person occupancy for night service; 2 people for day service: Luna Comfort Wide Green Private Compartment (for 2 passengers for night services and 4 passengers for day service) |
| Car 7 | Luna Comfort Green Private Compartment (for one person during night services, and two people during daytime services) – 1 person occupancy for night service; 2 people for day service: Luna Comfort Wide Green Private Compartment (for 2 passengers for night services and 4 passengers for day service) |
| Car 8 | Luna Comfort Green Private Compartment (for one person during night services, and two people during daytime services) – 1 person occupancy for night service; 2 people for day service |
| Car 9 | Luna Comfort (same as car 8) |
| Car 10 | Luna Premium Wide – The highest-grade Premium Green private rooms 1 & 2 person occupancy |
Fares
Fares have not been decided yet, but will be at Green Car & Green Car Premium levels plus sleeping car supplements and other supplements depending on the type of accommodation.
It will not be cheap, but demand for this type of train service is expected to be very high so getting bookings may be difficult, particularly in its early days. (tickets for the old Cassiopeia train used to sell out within minutes of release when it was in regular service).
JR East website https://www.jreast.co.jp/railway/joyful/luna_azul.html/ (note Japanese only)
Tokaido Lumiere Express (over-night Tokaido Shinkansen)
Despite what was written in many social media posts, this was not a true over-night sleeper train, and also only two such services have operated, as an experiment.
Ordinary Tokaido Shinkansen trains were used, and all seats were reserved, although only window seats were available which meant that passengers had use of 2 or 3 seats. There were no sleeping berths and as explained below the trains actually stopped for about 6 hours between Tokyo & Osaka.
The first service, which ran 8th~9th August departed Tokyo at 22:00 and operated as follows:
Schedule
Tokyo ->Osaka
| Tokyo (dep) | 22:00 |
| Shinagawa (dep – board only) | 22:07 |
| Shin Yokohama (dep – board only) | 22:18 |
| Gifu-Hashima – Overnight Stop (arr) | 00:00 |
| Gifu-Hashima – Overnight Stop (dep) | 06:00 |
| Kyoto (arr – alight only) | 06:44 |
| Shin Osaka (arr – alight only) | 06:59 |
| The Gifu-Hashima extended stop is due to a mandatory suspension of shinkansen services between 00:00 & 06:00 due to noise abatement and to allow track etc. maintenance work to be carried out. Passengers can access the platform for short time after arrival and before departure, but cannot go through the ticket barriers. Osaka->Tokyo | |
| Shin Osaka (dep – board only) | 22:03 |
| Kyoto (dep – board only) | 22:18 |
| Nagoya (dep – board only) | 22:54 |
| Shin Fuji – Overnight Stop (arr) | 00:00 |
| Shin Fuji – Overnight stop (dep) | 06:00 |
| Shin Yokohama (arr – alight only) | 06:35 |
| Shinagawa (arr – alight only) | 06:47 |
| Tokyo (arr) | 06:54 |
| The Shin-Fuji extended stop is due to a mandatory suspension of shinkansen services between 00:00 & 06:00 due to noise abatement and to allow track etc. maintenance work to be carried out. Passengers can access the platform for short time after arrival and before departure, but cannot go through the ticket barriers. | |
It should be noted that this is the schedule for the two experimental trains and any future such services could operate differently, although due to various restraints the timings are unlikely to change much, although the overnight stop stations could change.
There was strong demand for both trains, with seats on the first train (Tokyo~Shin Osaka) selling out in 2 days.
It should be noted that there is no food or drink available on the train, although vending machines are available at the overnight stopping station (Gifu Hashima / Shin Fuji) for a short time. Passengers cannot leave the station and the doors were closed after an initial period and until shortly before departure.
To appeal to women, some women only coaches were available and in fact during the experimental runs, 40% of passengers were women.
JR Tokai is considering the possibility of operating such services on an occasional basis in future, although they point out that the dates that they could operate such services are limited.
Fares
The trains were operated as Charter Trains (which means non standard fares can be charged and tickets must be purchased through a travel agent) with ordinary seats costing ¥17,000 (compared to ¥14,920 for Nozomi Reserved seat on a Saturday) and ¥23,000 for Green (first class) car (¥19,790).
Again, if such trains are operated in future, fares may be different, particularly considering the demand.
Moonlight Rapid trains
The “Moonlight” trains were rapid services, using ordinary day time rolling stock but operated overnight. Some used to operate daily, or on Friday Nights or busy holiday periods, but again, as the shinkansen network and also the express bus network increased they were phased out. Today there are no regular “Moonlight” services although there are some occasional overnight services.
They were popular with students and others who wanted to travel at relatively low cost and did not mind sitting (or lying) on ordinary train seats overnight.
Perhaps the most famous “Moonlight” service was the “Moonlight Nagara” that operated between Tokyo, Shizuoka, Nagoya and Ogaki (Gifu Pref). They were popular as it was a cheap way to travel as the trains were classified as Rapid Services so the supplement fare was much cheaper than Limited Express or later Shinkansen services. It also arrived at Nagoya or Ogaki it time to get a connecting service to Kansai and still arrive there early.
At various times JR Tokai 373系 & JR East 185系 units were used on the Moonlight Nagara services. They just had normal limited express seating.
Other Moonlight services used to operate between Tokyo and Shinshu (Nagano) region; Tokyo and Echigo (Niigata) region; Kyoto and Shimonoseki; Kyoto and the Sanin Region; Kansai and Shikoku and Kansai and Kyushu.
Today there are no regular Moonlight Services, but, as mentioned before, the JR companies do operate the occasional special service, often as part of “Destination Campaigns”.
An example is the Moonlight Kairi service that ran on the 15th~16th May 2026 as part of the Yamagata Shonai Destination Campaign. It made a return journey between Niigata and Ueno via the Joetsu Line (once a line that saw lots of sleeper and other expresses. On the 15th it departed Niigata at 23:30 and arrived at Ueno at 06:28 and returned the following day departing Ueno at 22:22 and arriving at Niigata at 06:15 (the connection to Shonai is the train which is used on the Kairi tourist train service between Niigata and Sakata). In 2025 JR East used the same train to operate a night time train between Niigata and Aomori along the Uetsu Main Line and Ou Main Line.
JR East also operates the occasional Moonlight service on the Chuo Main Line between Shinjuku (Tokyo) and Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture, again usually as part of Destination Campaigns.
Some non JR Rail Companies also operate occasional night time services. Tobu Railway for example operates on some weekends during the summer an overnight service to Nikko from Asakusa (it actually arrives at Nikko very early, but passengers can stay on the train).
Some railway companies (e.g. Gakunan Electric Railway, Kanto Railway have in the past operated special night time services (or even train has been stationary) for rail enthusiasts and (in the case of Gakunan) those interested in industrial sites at night. Gakunan railway is in Fuji City close to Mt Fuji, but in a very industrialised area.
Will sleeper train services expand as we are seeing in Europe?
The answer to this is probably no. A lot of track and other maintenance is carried out overnight. Provision of rolling stock and staff to operate these services is also a challenge. The shinkansen and day time limited express network covers the normal demand for long distance travel
We do expect that the Sunrise Express will continue operating for some time. JR West and JR Tokai have 7 units between them, of which 4 are required each day so there is capacity for heavy maintenance to be carried out, and although the trains are aging, they still provide a reliable and comfortable service.
We also expect that we could see some more “special over night services” using specially adapted trains, like the West Express Ginga and the new Luna Azul. demand for these and the Sunrise Express are high, even from local tourists and the railway companies can charge a premium and logistical challenges are less for non regular services.
Luxury Cruise Trains…
We have deliberately not mentioned these up to now, as they are out of price range for most of our followers and are extremely hard to book (there are often lotteries for the small number of participants who can travel on each tour.
The trains in question are:
- TRAIN SUITE Shiki-shima (JR East: Koshinetsu & Tohoku)
- TWILIGHT EXPRESS Mizukaze (JR West: Sanyo and Sanin)
- Seven Stars in Kyushu (JR Kyushu: round Kyushu)
These are not sleeper trains and operate high end luxury tours. Although overnight accommodation is provided (passengers have their own rooms) the train may not be moving during the night. In some cases accommodation is provided in local hotels as part of the tour.
These trains are expensive (¥500,000~¥1,000,000) and with very limited capacity it is difficult to get rooms. You also have to participate in the whole tour. Tours usually go on sale 6 months in advance and often a lottery is held to select passengers.
There are some tours that are operated on a charter basis whereby selected travel agents are allotted and sell rooms on the train.
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