The slow train

More than 600,000 Japanese will go overseas later this month during the 'golden week' holiday. That is 13 per cent more than last year, and a new record. But for many, the world's tourist haunts and shopping meccas have lost their lustre.

Instead, they want to stay at home and ride the trains. Not the 'bullet' variety, where speed is paramount - but just the opposite - luxurious 'rolling suites' where the longer the trip takes, the better.

The Twilight Express is nearly always fully booked. Since its launch nine years ago, it has been labelled Japan's best train experience. The train sets out from Osaka in the west, and 21 hours and 1,500km later, it pulls into a station in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost island.

Unlike the slick design of the bullet trains, the Twilight Express is boxy and imposing. It may lack sex appeal, but the trade-off is charm. Private compartments, including 'suites' and 'royal' rooms, come with toilets and showers. The top rooms come with bottles of skin lotion and other items normally associated with hotels.

Best of all are the huge windows that give passengers grand coastline views of the Sea of Japan. For meals, passengers can choose multi-course French or Japanese kaiseki dinners in the elegant restaurant.

Suites sell out a month in advance. Tickets, at 44,810 yen ($3,270), are snapped up as soon as they are available online.