Aoniyoshi Kintetsu Sightseeing Train

Hopping between Osaka, Nara and Kyoto usually means hauling luggage onto commuter cars and bracing through rush-hour crowds. Kintetsu Railway’s AONIYOSHI Sightseeing Limited Express provides an alternative, luxury way to travel.

Debuting in April 2022, the four-car train quickly became trendy on Instagram feeds, recognizable by its rich royal-purple exterior – a nod to the coveted metallic dyes of eighth-century Nara. The name draws from a word once used in ancient poetry to honor the original Japanese capital. Kintetsu, Japan’s largest private rail operator, already has a reputation for design-forward services like their sleek Hinotori Limited express that runs between Osaka and Nagoya. With the AONIYOSHI, they took a retrofitted 12200 series fleet and reimagined it entirely around slow travel.

Onboard the AONIYOSHI

Photo by: PIXTA/ つじ

Instead of dense, forward-facing rows, the carriage interior feels like a refined lounge. Capped at just 84 passengers per trip, the train gives everyone breathing room. Cars 1, 3 and 4 feature a 1+1 layout of comfortable, muscat-green armchairs, angled diagonally toward floor-to-ceiling windows so you can watch suburban Kansai fade into forested hills. Passengers traveling in small groups or as a family can book Car 2’s salon booths, where tall bronze-tinted glass partitions craft a cozy, semi-private compartment.

Despite the vintage aesthetic, practical details like dedicated luggage storage racks in Cars 1, 3 and 4, free onboard Wi-Fi and accessible barrier-free spaces make traveling on the Aoniyoshi comfortable and effortless. Car 2 also houses a sales counter serving craft beer, local sake and Nara speciality desserts. Down in Car 4, a small onboard library stocks books on local craft, temples and rail design. 

Exploring Osaka, Nara and Kyoto

Photo by: PIXTA/ ケン

In Osaka, boarding at Osaka-Namba Station places you moments from the sensory overload of Dotonbori’s neon-lit alleyways. Before stepping onto the train, grab a quick bite in Amerikamura or wander the historic arcades of Shinsaibashi.

Arriving at Kintetsu-Nara Station puts you noticeably closer to the city’s heart than JR alternatives. A short ten-minute walk brings you into Nara Park to see the Great Buddha at Todai-ji and the moss-draped stone lanterns of Kasuga Taisha. To drop away from the peak crowds, slip into the narrow residential lanes of Naramachi, where traditional machiya townhouses have been repurposed as quiet craft shops and neighborhood eateries.

In Kyoto, Kintetsu’s dedicated platforms sit integrated directly into the central Kyoto Station complex. Rather than heading straight for the overcrowded main temple trails, use the location as a pivot to quieter corners. A quick stroll north leads to Shosei-en, a serene temple garden that remains remarkably peaceful even in peak season.