On April 24th, Nankai Electric Railway’s new sightseeing train, “GRAN Tenku,” made its debut. This four-car train features reserved seating, with seats designed for enjoying the scenery from the windows, and sofa seating where passengers can enjoy meals made with seasonal ingredients.
In fact, other railway companies in the Kansai region are also competing to introduce similar sightseeing trains, and this is becoming one of the survival strategies for railway companies in an era of population decline. This article explains the appeal of sightseeing trains, their history, and the strategies of various railway companies behind them, based on an interview with railway journalist Jun Umehara. (From the “Fukushima Presentation” segment of MBS TV’s “Yon-chan TV,” broadcast April 24, 2026)
