Autumn 2025. We – Sam and Danny, Michel and Wille, and Timothy – are travelling to Japan for a quite classic tour of the Land of the Rising Sun. We are flying separately as we used miles. On the planning: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Osaka, and Expo 2025, Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Hakone, and back to Tokyo. Three weeks plus some extra days.

Prior to the group trip, I – Timothy – am solo in Tokyo. Using artificial intelligence, I concocted a busy four days featuring Ito on the Izu Peninsula and Sawara, also known as Little Edo. I also end this Journey Across Japan with a solo spell in Minato, near Taito and Tamachi Station.  

For my return trip from Ito or Itō on the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, I chose to treat myself to a Premium Green Car seat seat on the Saphir Odoriko. 

Odoriko flow

The Odoriko (踊り子, ‘dancing girl’) is a long-running limited express train service linking Tokyo with the Izu Peninsula, a region famed for its rugged coastline, onsen towns, and sea views. Operated by JR East, JR Central, the Izukyu Corporation, and the Izuhakone Railway, it connects Tokyo with Izukyū-Shimoda on the coast or Shuzenji inland in Shizuoka Prefecture. The service began in 1981 with 185 series trains, replacing older Amagi and Izu express services, and was later joined by the panoramic Super View Odoriko (1990–2020) and the luxury Saphir Odoriko, introduced in 2020.

Today, three Odoriko services operate daily between Tokyo and Izukyū-Shimoda via the Tōkaidō Main Line, Itō Line, and Izu Kyūkō Line, with some trains coupling or dividing at Atami to serve Shuzenji via the Izuhakone Railway. 

Seasonal departures also run from Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, while through services from Abiko and Ōmiya connect the Izu Peninsula with the greater Tokyo area. The route passes through major stations such as Shinagawa, Yokohama, and Odawara before following the coast through resort towns like Itō, Izu-Kōgen, and Kawazu to Shimoda.

The Odoriko’s current trains are refurbished E257 series electric multiple units, replacing the long-serving 185 series in 2020. 

Originally built by Hitachi, Kinki Sharyo, and Tokyu Car Corporation in 2001 for Chūō Main Line express services such as the Azusa and Kaiji, the E257s were later redeployed and upgraded for new roles. 

The refurbished E257-2000 and E257-2500 series feature interiors themed around ‘Peninsula Blue‘, reflecting the colours of the Izu sky and sea, with improved lighting, luggage space, and comfort for medium-distance travel.

The E257 family has since expanded to include versions for other lines, including the E257-5000 and E257-5500 series, used for charter and regional services such as the Akagi and Kusatsu/Shima expresses. 

Together, these trains represent Japan’s ability to modernise existing fleets while maintaining a sense of continuity and character. Travelling by Odoriko remains one of the most enjoyable ways to escape Tokyo, offering a leisurely ride along the Pacific coast to the scenic landscapes that inspired Yasunari Kawabata’s ‘The Izu Dancer‘, the story that gave the train its name.

The Saphir Odoriko

The Saphir Odoriko is JR East’s jewel of the rails. Its name, ‘Saphir‘ (French for sapphire), evokes both elegance and the natural hues of sea and sky that accompany much of the journey. Designed by Ken Okuyama, whose work includes the Shinkansen Hokuriku and the opulent Train Suite Shikishima, the Saphir Odoriko combines refined aesthetics with cutting-edge engineering.

Unlike most trains, the Saphir Odoriko offers only Green Class and Premium Green Class seating — there is no standard class here. 

Green Class cars feature a bright, beach-inspired interior with spacious 2+1 reclining seats, personal lighting, and ample legroom. 

The exclusive Premium Green Car, located at the front, has just fifteen grey leather seats with full electric adjustment, wooden armrests, and panoramic windows that make passengers feel suspended between sky and sea.

For groups and families, private compartments in Cars 2 and 3 offer enclosed lounges with leather seating, wooden tables, and curated décor, creating a tranquil retreat on wheels. 

Meanwhile, Car 4 transforms into a stylish Cafeteria Car, where passengers can enjoy dishes created by chef Miyuki Igarashi — from Izu shrimp noodles to miso pork, black beef, and desserts such as mango cheesecake or cassata ice cream. The signature drink is a bluish-green tea crafted especially for the train, served in a beautifully designed sapphire-themed cup.

Every detail of the Saphir Odoriko reflects the Japanese ideal of travel as an experience in itself — serene, precise, and beautifully crafted. Whether gazing at the Pacific from your seat or savouring a meal inspired by Izu’s coastal bounty, the journey feels less like a transfer and more like an escape.

A short ride

The seat in Premium Green Car is wonderful. With a tablet, seat controls and power outlet. You can rotate the seat obviously. 

There’s an extensive menu from which you can order food and drinks, but I didn’t as I just ate, really. Also the journey wasn’t that long. Some two hours.

So while the train looks great and the options on board are inviting, I think it would make much more sense on a much longer journey. Four hours or even more. 

Also it was dark outside so the panoramic windows had little use. 

Still, it’s great such luxury trains exists. 

2025 Journey Across Japan

1. Japan’s Superconducting Maglev train breaks world speed record at 603 km/h.
2. Japan’s maglev bullet train delayed to 2035 or later as costs rise to ¥11 trillion.
3. QUESTION | Should you be stressed about travelling to Japan, and fear of missing out?.
4. Brussels Airport to Milan Malpensa with Brussels Airlines, operated by Air Baltic, ft. the 2025 check-in and boarding software hack.
5. REVIEW | Sala Montale Exclusive Lounge and Sala Gae Aulentin Premium Lounge at Milan Malpensa Airport, extra Schengen.
6. REVIEW | All Nippon Airways (ANA), Business Class, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Tokyo.
7. REVIEW | Toei Animation Museum in Nerima, Tokyo.
8. JAPAN | Tokyo Station, its Character Street and Pokémon Store.
9. REVIEW | Onyado Nono Asakusa Hotel in Tokyo.
10. TOKYO | Asakusa ft. Sensō-ji Temple.
11. JAPAN | The Odoriko train from Tokyo to Ito on Izu Peninsula.
12. PHOTOS & REVIEW | The Izu Teddy Bear Museum in Izu-Kōgen.
13. JAPAN | A visit to Ito on Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture.