Sunrise Express Sleeper Train Review | Tokyo to Izumo Travel

8:40 PM — Tokyo Station, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
Tonight’s ride is on the “Sunrise Izumo,” Japan’s only regularly scheduled overnight sleeper train.
My destination is Izumoshi Station in Shimane Prefecture — a journey of about 12 hours and 10 minutes.

With about an hour until departure, I first headed to the “Midori no Madoguchi” ticket office to pick up my reserved ticket.

As expected from Tokyo Station, which serves over a million people daily, the station was still lively and bustling, even at night.

After picking up my ticket, it was time to find an ekiben (station bento).

Tokyo Station’s vastness had me a bit worried, but I quickly found a bento shop.
With its sheer size, the station naturally has a wealth of stores within.

I decided to get a bento for breakfast the next morning.
The shelves were lined with tempting options like “Beef Sukiyaki Bento!” and “Shinshu Special Sanzoku Bento!”

However, I’d eaten a beef bowl not long before arriving at the station, and my stomach was still close to bursting.
So I couldn’t quite go for a heavy, calorie-packed meal.

After much deliberation, I chose the “30-Ingredient Balanced Bento.”
Even the name sounded health-conscious — quite the high-minded pick.

Bento in hand, I headed to platforms 9 and 10.

9:06 PM — 40 minutes before departure.
A long line of passengers had already formed on the platform.

Thinking, “These people must be pros,” I quietly joined the line.
It turns out arriving an hour early was the right move.
Most of the others were likely also aiming to grab a “shower card.”

A shower card is essential for a Sunrise Express journey —
they’re limited in number and always in high demand.
A fierce competition before departure is inevitable, and I was determined to get one.

9:20 PM — The Sunrise Izumo arrived at Tokyo Station.
Its appearance hasn’t changed since its debut on July 10, 1998.
Sunrise red, morning mist beige, and a golden line reminiscent of the horizon —
a fitting color scheme for a train that travels through the night into morning.

Other passengers snapped photos with their cameras.
Seeing this long-admired sleeper train right before my eyes was deeply moving.
But there was no time to soak in the moment.

“One thing on my mind: I need that shower card.”
Let the battle begin.

As the doors opened all at once, passengers hurried into the train.

According to pre-trip research, shower card vending machines are located near the lounges in cars 3 and 10.
However, rumors say it’s actually quicker to board from car 1 or 11.

I lined up in front of car 11 — and it turned out to be the perfect choice.
I made it to the vending machine safely and got a shower card (¥330).
The narrow corridor was packed, shoulders bumping, but I made it through and headed to my reserved room.

I had reserved an upper-level B Sleeper “Solo” —
the most affordable private compartment on the Sunrise Izumo.

Opening the door, I was met with a small staircase.
You can only stand on the stairs, and the overall layout is quite compact.

The lower-level rooms had high ceilings and looked easier for getting dressed,
but the upper level offered a better view.

Though a little inconvenient, it was within acceptable bounds.
I’m the type who feels, “Narrow is part of the charm of night trains,”
so this tiny space only heightened my travel mood.

I placed my luggage down and sat on the bed.
A few minutes later, the conductor came by to check tickets.
With a stamp on mine, my boarding was officially complete.

I spent the last few minutes before departure unpacking and settling in.

9:50 PM — The Sunrise Izumo departed Tokyo Station right on time.

Shortly after, an announcement played:
“Thank you for riding the limited express sleeper Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo.”

The message continued with details about upcoming stops and the train separation procedure mid-route.
After the calm Japanese explanation, an English version followed.

10:50 PM — With shower card in hand, I quietly made my way to the shower room.

Opening the door, I saw a small changing area in front and the shower room on the right.
The card slot was located below a wall-mounted hairdryer.

Gently inserting the card, the timer began —
and my six-minute shower session officially started.

The shower had start and stop buttons, and the timer only ticked while the water was running.
Mindful of saving water, I stepped into the shower.

I’d love to say the shower time was relaxing—but in truth, it wasn’t so simple.

As I shampooed with my eyes closed, I suddenly lost my balance.
Thud—my shoulder hit the wall, and I lurched the other way—bam, my elbow now.

After all, this wasn’t a regular shower room—it was inside a moving train.
It’s like standing tall with your eyes closed on a subway train.
With the water-saving timer and the swaying floor, it became a full-on balancing act.

“Buy the shower card,” “Take a quick shower,” “Maintain balance”—
The whole thing felt more like a mission than a refreshment.

That said, I did keep an eye on water usage and was surprised to find a few minutes left over when I finished—about four, in fact.
I was honestly impressed with my water-saving skills.

I used the rest of the time freely, and then, thinking of the next person, hit the “clean” button to finish.

I moved over to the hair dryer.
But the airflow was incredibly weak.
What usually takes me three or four minutes took nearly eight.
The air conditioning in my room might’ve dried my hair faster…

Once my hair was dry, I left the shower room.

Right in front of the shower room was a vending machine.
I had hoped for a cold bottle of water, but sadly it was sold out.
Instead, I grabbed a can of Coke (130 yen)—a perfect post-shower treat.

With the can in hand, I headed to the mini lounge.
Though the winter air inside the train was a little chilly, it felt just right after a hot shower.

Looking around, I noticed many signs on the walls and window pillars:
“Please keep quiet to avoid noise complaints.”
Given that the next car had private rooms, the notices made sense.

I quietly finished my Coke and returned to my room.

Around 11:00 p.m., I drifted off to sleep.

But at 3:28 a.m., I suddenly woke up.

The train was stopped.
I gently lifted the blind to find only darkness outside.
Checking my phone, I saw we were at Omi-Nagaoka Station.
Apparently, we had pulled over to let a JR freight train pass.

Soon after, the freight train rumbled past, and we slowly resumed our journey.
I went back to sleep.

At 5:10 a.m., I woke up again—this time needing to use the restroom.
Still half-asleep, I pulled myself up and shuffled down the hallway.

After returning to my room and slipping under the covers again, I couldn’t get back to sleep.

At 5:15 a.m., we arrived at Osaka Station.
Here, we transitioned from the Tokaido Line to the Sanyo Line.
A new conductor and driver boarded, and the Sunrise continued on its way.

We were stopped for about 3 minutes.

At 5:18 a.m., the train pulled out of Osaka Station.

Soon after, an announcement came over the speakers:
“We’d like to inform you of a delay on this train.”

Apparently, the freight train we let pass earlier had struck a small animal, and inspections caused about a 50-minute delay.

It was the same freight train we paused for hours earlier at Omi-Nagaoka.

With most trains, a 50-minute delay would be frustrating.
But oddly, I felt kind of grateful—
More time on the Sunrise train felt like a lucky bonus.

Around 6:20 a.m., dawn began to break.

With the lingering chill of February, a light blanket of snow still covered the ground.

Soon, we would reach Okayama Station—
And witness a signature event unique to the Sunrise trains.

At 7:15 a.m., we arrived at Okayama Station.

Here, the Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo trains are separated—
A special moment only visible to Sunrise Izumo passengers.

The Seto continues on to Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture,
While the Izumo heads for Izumo in Shimane.

The separation began quietly, and we watched the scene unfold in stillness.

Once detached, the Seto train departed first, heading to Takamatsu.
I returned to the Izumo car, and we resumed our journey west.

At 8:10 a.m., we were passing between Bitchu-Takahashi and Niimi.

Having stayed in my room for most of the ride, I went to the mini lounge in Car 10 for a change of scenery—and breakfast.

It was the “Balanced Bento” I had bought the night before at Tokyo Station.
Mostly vegetables, with a single piece of fish—simple, but healthy.

There’s no microwave on the train, so I ate it cold.
Still, it was tasty.
Honestly, it might’ve been the right choice—
Cold, hardened meat would have been far less appetizing than this light, low-fat option.

After finishing my meal, I returned to my room.

After passing Niimi Station, the view outside suddenly turned completely white.

Personally, I’ve always thought the best time to see snowy landscapes is from late January to early February—
And this timing was just perfect.

As I gazed out at the snow-covered scenery, a wave of drowsiness washed over me,
And I decided to take a short nap.

A few minutes before reaching Yonago Station, the conductor made a sightseeing announcement:

“Next to Yonago is Sakaiminato, a major fishing port in Japan.”
“It’s also the hometown of Shigeru Mizuki, the creator of *GeGeGe no Kitaro*.”
“Sakaiminato has a Mizuki Shigeru Road lined with yokai statues.”

Listening sparked my curiosity—
A street full of monster statues sounded kind of fun.
Maybe I’ll visit someday.

But right now, I have a ferry to Oki Island to catch.

After arriving in Izumo, I need to get to Sakaiminato fast—
And unless I catch a taxi from the station, I won’t make it in time.

Checking my phone… taxi fare from Izumo to Sakaiminato: approx. 22,000 yen.
That 50-minute delay was starting to hit hard.

At 10:50 a.m., we finally arrived at Izumo Station—exactly 50 minutes behind schedule.

The journey felt long and short at the same time.
The moment I stepped off the train, I felt a wave of relief.

With the constant motion, I never really got a deep sleep,
But the ride was still enjoyable.

This was my first-ever sleeper train trip—
And the time I spent aboard the Sunrise Izumo has become an unforgettable memory.

Someday, I’d love to try the Seto route to Takamatsu, too.

■ Nobinobi Seat (Cheapest Shared Room)
・Fare (12,210 yen) + Express Train Fee (3,300 yen) + Bed Charge (530 yen)
・Total: 16,040 yen

■ Solo (Cheapest Private Room)
・Fare (12,210 yen) + Express Train Fee (¥3,300) + Bed Charge (6,600 yen)
・Total: 22,110 yen

■ Shower Room Usage Requires a “Shower Card”!
・1 card: 330 yen
・Duration: 6 minutes per use
・Valid for 1 use per card

■ How to Purchase a Shower Card
・Vending machines are located next to the lounges in Cars 3 and 10
・Each car has 20 cards available, totaling 40 cards (due to water tank capacity limitations)

■ Shower Room Location and Usage
・Located in Cars 3 and 10
・The shower rooms are narrow, individual-style with space to remove shoes
・Insert the purchased shower card into the machine in the changing room