SL Ginga

This tour train, SL Ginga, began operation by JR East Japan in 2014 between Kamaishi Line’s Hanamaki Station and Kamaishi Station, aiming to support the Tohoku Region’s reconstruction and revitalize the local community. The steam engine is a recreation of C58 style (C58 239) which had been preserved at Morioka City’s transportation park.

Kenji Miyazawa, a prominent writer from Iwate, wrote a children’s story, “Night on the Galactic Railroad.” The story takes place around Kamaishi Line, and the train’s interior and exterior are designed based on Night on the Galactic Railroad. On the exterior, the constellations and animals in the story are painted. The interior is coordinated in the Taisho and Showa Period retro styles when Miyazawa was actively writing, and there is a Kenji Miyazawa Gallery in four themes and also a planetarium which shows an original program.

The train runs on Saturdays and Sundays one way per day. For example, if it leaves Hanamaki Station for Kamaishi on Saturday, Sunday’s train goes from Kamaishi Station for Hanamaki. All seats are reserved and you can get the train ticket and the reserved-seat ticket at the JR ticket window, ticket vending machines or travel agencies. The seat tickets are also available at Ekinet.