To attract more visitors to the Ise-Shima region, the Kintetsu Group has launched a full-scale restaurant train service between Nagoya and Kashikojima and is developing accommodation and other facilities ahead of the 2033 periodic rebuilding of Ise Jingu.
Kintetsu Group Holdings is stepping up investment to attract visitors to the Ise-Shima region in Mie Prefecture. Its first full-scale restaurant train, Le Saveurs Shima, has reportedly begun operating between Nagoya and Kashikojima.
With the periodic rebuilding of Ise Jingu scheduled for 2033, the company has outlined plans to develop accommodation and leisure facilities at its own assets around Ujiyamada Station and in the Kashikojima area. Its target is to attract around 2 million visitors from the Tokyo metropolitan area in 2033, with the aim of enhancing the area's value as a tourist destination.
The restaurant train was created by converting surplus limited express cars, keeping the investment to approximately ¥800 million, about one-third of the cost of building new cars. The train's offering is centered on authentic French cuisine designed to heighten passengers' interest in food.
Around Ujiyamada Station, the company is considering attracting accommodation facilities and new stores, taking into account visitor flows from the terminal station toward Kashikojima. Renovation of existing facilities and efforts to capture inbound demand are also expected to move forward, while the opening of the maglev line is expected to bring more visitors from the Tokyo metropolitan area.