To commemorate the 11th anniversary of the start of operation of JR Shikoku’s tourist train “Iyonada Monogatari” on July 26 (Sat), 2025, and the 2nd anniversary of the start of operation of Tobu Railway’s limited express “Spacia X” on July 15 (Tue), they will be holding their first collaboration project.
“Iyonada Monogatari” and “Spacia X”
The Iyonada Monogatari, which features a retro-modern body design incorporating madder and gold colors, is a tourist train where you can enjoy traditional crafts, food, and interactions with people in Shikoku and Ehime while looking out at the Iyonada Sea from the train window. It operates four times a day, mainly on weekends, between Matsuyama Station and Iyo-Ozu Station/Yawatahama Station via the seaside “Aiaru Iyonada Line,” and meals using local ingredients with different themes are served on board, with advance reservations required, depending on the time of operation. The current train, which is equipped with the sea-facing green private room “Fiore Suite,” is the second generation that began operation in April 2022, and the number of passengers since the renewal exceeded 80,000 on June 28 (Sat), 2025.
On the other hand, the Spacia X, with its noble white body inspired by the “gofun” used at Nikko Toshogu Shrine and its exterior lined with window frames like handicrafts, is Tobu’s flagship express train, which makes you feel like you are traveling to Nikko and Kinugawa from the moment you board. It boasts high-quality services to make your travel time enjoyable, such as a cafe counter that serves ingredients from the line, and six types of seating, including private rooms and lounges. Since its launch in July 2023, it has won many awards, including the Railway Friendship Association’s “Blue Ribbon Award” and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Japan Railway Award Special Award,” and was recently selected for Germany’s “Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025,” an international design award.
What do the two trains have in common?
Both tourist trains are equipped with private compartments and offer food made by businesses along the line on board, which is a common feature that has led to this first collaboration project. First, at the cafe counter in car 1 of the Spacia X, “GOEN CAFE SPECIA X,” craft beer “Dogo Beer Yuagari IPA” from Minakuchi Brewery (Matsuyama City, Ehime), which is also served on the Iyonada Monogatari train, will be added to the lineup of draft beer towers for a limited time from mid-August.
In addition, “Ceder X PA,” a craft beer with a Nikko cedar scent brewed specially for the Spacia X by Coedo Brewery (Kawagoe City, Saitama), will be sold as a limited edition canned beer on the Iyonada Monogatari train from mid-September. On August 23 (Sat), the attendant who provides on-board service on the Iyonada Monogatari train will board the “Spacia X 1” train departing from Asakusa Station at 7:50 and provide special hospitality on board. After arriving at Tobu Nikko Station, a JR Shikoku promotional event will be held inside the station until around 1:00 p.m.
