Eww, David, it’s a KiHa 187, a grotty little modern two car DMU with a yellow front and blue/yellow stripes down the side. It just looks sad and boring and not in an interesting Japanese utilitarian way.

Two boring-ass narrow grey seats in a horrid velour. The floor is lino the colour of that pink slime they make McNuggets out of, and the wall is a slightly browner version of it.

Looking forward (not in that way) from the seats. Yellowing overhead lights and bins/ceiling that resembles Frankfurt airport in all respects: needlessly ugly, without charm.

Train 4: the シトボクス — that’s “shitbox” in katakana.

IMO the #SuperOki and its grotty 2000s KiHa 187 Series are Japan’s worst Limited Express.

Rattly, overheated, stuffy, uncomfortable and worst of all, charmless, with no #GreenCar or indeed joy.

It’s like Japan took trainspiration from the USA.

A two-car DMU, steel with yellow and blue, looking kind of 80s/90s, at a platform.

Two worn velour-y grey seats next to a window.

Same seats, showing about 40-45 inches of seat pitch

Interior cabin shot of same train, with yellowing overhead fluorescent lights and boring greige interior.

So after the most disturbing Starbucks drink ever, I’m back on a new train, one of my least favourites, the #SuperOki.

Note: there is nothing super about this noisy, rattly shitbox, other than that it exists and is a train service.

It’s proof that Japan does actually have bad trains.