JAPAN: Seibu Railway has put into service a Class 4000 electric multiple-unit which has been refurbished with just 52 seats for luxury dining excursions.
Each of the four cars is themed on a season, with moss and cherry blossom décor for spring, and a dining car representing a cave in green mountains for summer. One car features an open kitchen decorated with cedar wood intended to provide a soft, warm and comfortable atmosphere inspired by autumn leaves in the Chichibu mountains, the winter car is inspired by ice pillars at Ashigakubo.
Décor features include traditional Japanese paper which has been fireproofed and mounted on aluminium sheets, as well as a wooden lattice ceiling inspired by the source of the River Arakawa which runs through Tokyo.
Design work was co-ordinated by Kengo Kuma, who also designed the new National Stadium in Tokyo. Passengers on the excusions are served food from the well-known Tsukiji-Tamura restaurant.
