Japan’s city Nr 2 Osaka got a new bullet train which is totally pink and unusual even for this country. This week, the shocking pink made its debut
Resplendent in shocking pink, a sleek “Hello Kitty” bullet train, complete with special carriages festooned with images of the global icon from Japan, has been unveiled before it chugs into service from Saturday. According to the West Japan Railway firm, Hello Kitty train will run for the next three months between the western cities of Osaka and Fukuoka.
Hello Kitty, the mouthless character, has spawned a multi-billion-dollar industry since Sanrio introduced it in 1974. The West Japan Railway hope that shocking pink train will become one of the country’s most famous exports will boost tourism. A powerful wave of the selfies is guaranteed thanks to the unusual train’s design.
One car will feature a “life-sized Hello Kitty doll” — the character is “five apples” tall, according to creator Sanrio — so fans can take selfies, a West Japan Railway spokesman told AFP. Passengers will be in left in no doubt what train they are on, with Hello Kitty smiling down from the shades of every window and adorning every passenger seat cover.
Another car will have no passenger seats but offer regional specialities, including a selection of goods and foods, in a bid to boost the local economy and tourism. It adorns everything from pencil cases and pyjamas to double-decker buses and airliners.
Japan is preparing its big cities for the upcoming Olympic Games, in 2020, the hundreds of thousands of guests will come to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka. And original pink train will be one of the Japanese sightseeing, Hello Kitty is the traditional character and the world-famous brand.
