The Ametsuchi (lit. "heaven and earth", spelled Ametuchi on car itself) is a charter-only express diesel multiple unit operated by the West Japan Railway Company since July 2018.
History[]
In July 2017, the Twilight Express Mizukaze began operation; extremely popular from the start, tickets were often sold out. To aid with this, JR West intended to design a train that would be more affordable than the Twilight Express while still allowing its passengers to traverse the San'in Area with a "familiar feel".
Two cars, KiHa 47 2010 and 47 3016, were modified by Gōto Works to become the Ametsuchi set. These were renumbered to KiRo 47 7006 and 47 7005 respectively. The set was named for the first verse in the kojiki, the Record of Ancient Matters, Japan's oldest history book which contained many myths and legends about the San'in Region; the line read "At the beginning of heaven and earth" (Japanese: 天地初めて発りし時 Ametsuchi hajimete okorishi toki ni). The set entered service on 1 July 2018, although service was suspended barely a week later due to heavy rain. The set is currently used around the San'in region; on sections featuring Mount Daisen, Lake Shinji-ko, the Hii-kawa River and the Sea of Japan, the train intentionally slows down for passengers to enjoy the sights.
Design[]
The Ametsuchi featured the same general design as the KiHa 58 series cars they were converted from. The seats feature a two-tone paintjob featuring a navy blue base coat with silver accents and blue highlighting. The dark blue was intended to represent the sea and sky while the silver was intended to evoke the image of a sword, particularly those with hamon patterns typically associated with swords made through tatara ironmaking. The train was designed in part by film director Yoshinari Nishikori and art director Noboru Yoshida. JR West Technos Ltd. is in charge of carrying out the maintenance works required for this set.
Construction is of steel. Performance statistics are largely identical to that of the KiHa 40 series cars these were based on; this article will still detail some additional statistics about the cars.
The interior of the set features a plain wood feel, with the colors of the floor evoking the mountains of the region. The interior is decorated with local crafts made with materials from the San'in region. The theming of the inside of the car is that of a "Native Japan", based on San'in being home to numerous roots of Japanese culture, which helps to "set the stage for a journey of unique San’in discovery of the old, yet new, Japan".
Drinks are served on board the train, as well as meals; fortune telling is also conducted on board. KiRo 47 7006 features a wash basin made of materials from Iwai and uses wood from the Oki islands as paneling. KiRo 47 7005 features Chizu cedar for wall paneling and a miniature kagura costume is displayed at the rear of the car. In addition, there is a merchandise counter as well as curtains made of fabric from Nishio.
