Casey Baseel writes: Locally-sourced ingredients served in dining area decorated with woven bamboo, stonework made with samurai-era techniques.

Some of Japan’s sightseeing trains double as hotels, with luxuriously appointed sleeping quarters. Some would argue, though, that there’s no point splurging for amenities you won’t be awake to appreciate.

On the other hand, rail operator Nishi-Nippon Railroad’s Rail Kitchen Chikugo concept is meant to be enjoyed while fully conscious, since it’s also a stylish restaurant.

The central car ot the three-carriage train contains an expansive open kitchen where chefs prepare delicious meals using ingredients sourced from Japan’s Chikugo region, which roughly corresponds with present-day Fukuoka Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. Seating is not on ordinary benches or inside boxed compartments, but at tables that look more like what you’d find inside a fashionable cafe in … (read more)

via SoraNews24