Feel Nikko at the cafe inside Tobu “SPACIA X” – Beer and coffee made by local craftmen

Tobu Railway has decided on the name, detailed products and sales method of the new cafe counter that will open in Car 1 of the new Limited Express “SPACIA X”, which will start operating on July 15, 2023 (Sat).

Tobu N100 series train that will start operation as the Limited Express "SPACIA X" on July 15, 2023 (Sat) (Katsumi/TOKYO STUDIO)
Tobu N100 series train that will start operation as the Limited Express “SPACIA X” on July 15, 2023 (Sat) (Katsumi/TOKYO STUDIO)

Original products that lets you feel Nikko with all five senses

The greatest feature of the N100 series used for the SPACIA X is the never-boring interior, which has a different flavor for each vehicle. The first car in the direction of Tobu Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen is the “Cockpit Lounge” with various sofas for 4, 2, and 1 people. There will be a cafe counter where you can enjoy the atmosphere even before you arrive at Nikko so that you can enjoy drinks and snacks while raising your expectations for your trip.

The name of the cafe is “GOEN CAFÉ SPACIA X”. It seems that the idea is that just by stopping by, you can deepen your “relationship” with Nikko, and connect with the unknown Nikko through your five senses. Visitors are greeted by staff wearing original scarves or bow ties, based on the cafe installed in the Deluxe Romance Car (DRC) that debuted in 1956.

Craft beer and coffee on the recommended menu are limited products developed for SPACIA X by local businesses “Nikko Brewing” and “Nikko Coffee”. As Tobu, it is also a familiar drink that has been provided in the car since the DRC era. Seasonal products such as ale-style red beer using strawberries representing Tochigi will also be available.

The appetizers, sweets, and snacks that go well with drinks are an original line-up jointly developed with meisters who know Tochigi’s ingredients. Popular long-established products in the Nikko area are also available in limited packages for SPACIA X. In addition, Yoku Moku (headquarters: Chiyoda City, Tokyo), which has a factory in Nikko City, will also prepare a limited edition of 5,000 “SPECIA X Special Canned Petit Cigare au Chocolat”.

At this cafe counter, priority sales will be made to those who have reserved seat tickets for the cockpit lounge of Car 1. Passengers boarding cars 2 to 6 will need to purchase after issuing a numbered ticket with a designated time slot online in advance. In addition, payment methods are limited to credit cards and transportation IC cards, and cash cannot be used.

(See the chart below for details such as the cafe menu inside “SPACIA X” and the image of the station renewal.)

[Chart] The cafe menu inside "SPACIA X" and the image of the station renewal.

Renewal of both terminus Asakusa and Tobu Nikko Stations

Renovation work is underway at Asakusa Station on the Tobu Skytree Line and Tobu Nikko Station on the Nikko Line from March 2023, with the aim of creating a sense of connection from before boarding the SPACIA X to after getting off. It is scheduled to be completed in conjunction with the start of SPACIA X operation, and the two stations will be connected with a unified spatial presentation.

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At Asakusa Station, platform 5 and the concourse where SPACIA X departs from will be designed with a wood grain design that will make you feel the nature and majesty of Nikko, as well as lighting effects. At Tobu Nikko Station, brass and wood grain decorations that express the splendor of Nikko Toshogu Shrine are installed in the atrium area of the concourse outside the ticket gates.

In this renewal, the interior of the station and the benches are made of thinned wood cut from company-owned forests, as well as Oya stone and Ashino stone produced in Tochigi prefecture. Tobu intends to use thinned wood and locally produced materials in future station building renovations, aiming to preserve the environment and communicate culture along the railway lines.

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