Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) has been facilitating credit card settlements, issuing E-tickets to ensure smooth purchases and providing fee-based services to reserve seats on popular tourist trains since August 2017 when it launched the JR Kyushu Rail Pass Online Booking website, which specially handles JR Kyushu Rail Pass discount tickets for foreign visitors to Japan. On February 17, 2018, the company newly added SL Hitoyoshi and Aso Boy! to its lineup of reservable trains. (The additional trains can be reserved for boarding on and after March 17, 2018.)

Designated reservable trains (six trains):

Yufuin no Mori, Yufu, Ibusuki no Tamatebako, KAWASEMI YAMASEMI, A-TRAIN and Umisachi-Yamasachi

Additional trains that can be reserved from February 17, 2018 (for boarding from March 17)

SL Hitoyoshi (operated between Kumamoto and Hitoyoshi), Aso Boy! (operated between Beppu/Oita and Aso)

For further information, please go to the following websites.

JR Kyushu official website: http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/

JR Kyushu Rail Pass Online Booking:

https://kyushurailpass.jrkyushu.co.jp/reserve/TopPage

Additionally, the Kyushu District Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism organized a familiarization trip for an influencer last year on the theme of a “railway excursion tour that shows what makes Kyushu special.” It invited an influencer to Kyushu from Thailand, who has a strong sway over the affluent and middle-income bracket in their 20s and 30s. The invitee used “D&S (design and story)” trains -- old rolling stock that are designed anew and carry a local storyline -- including KAWASEMI YAMASEMI (Kingfisher/Crested Kingfisher), which was put into service in March 2017. Experiencing “onsen” hot springs, gourmet dishes including local delights and natural landscapes that are characteristic of each prefecture, he reported to Thailand via SNS about the charms of traveling in Kyushu.

(Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201802271344/?images)

Event outline

Invitation period: August 14-August 19, 2017

Invitee: Mr. Thiti Mahayotaruk

Where he visited: Oita Prefecture (Beppu) - Miyazaki Prefecture (Cape Toi) - Kagoshima Prefecture (Kirishima Open-Air Museum) - Kumamoto Prefecture (Suizenji Park) - Saga Prefecture (Arita) - Nagasaki Prefecture (Dejima) *This list is partial.