Mitsui O.S.K. Ferry Sunflower Co., Ltd. (Representative Director: Hirotoshi Ushioku) will implement a special tour in March 2026 that allows travelers to easily enjoy the charm of the JR Nichinan Line. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Osaka/Shibushi (Kagoshima) route and the 100th anniversary of JR Nichinan Line's Shibushi Station, the tour combines ferry travel to Shibushi with chartered train access from Shibushi Station. (Booking/Operating Travel Agency: Ferry Sunflower Travel Co., Ltd.)
This commemorative project combines the unique characteristics of the ferry, which provides easy access to Shibushi from distant locations such as the Kansai region, with the appeal of the JR Nichinan Line, which offers scenic views of nature-rich landscapes departing from Shibushi. The tour features the D&S Train Umisachi Yamasachi as a chartered train, allowing passengers to board the train, which normally operates between Nango and Miyazaki, from Shibushi Station on a special basis. Onboard, passengers can enjoy a bento box (note: not the Umisachi Yamasachi bento), and commemorative original goods are provided as souvenirs.
Two plans have been established: one that allows participation from Ferry Sunflower Terminal Osaka to Miyazaki Station, and another that disembarks at Obi Station and returns to Osaka by ferry.
The JR Nichinan Line runs along the Nichinan Coast and offers beautiful scenery with varied views including mountain landscapes, unique rock formations such as the famous Oni-no-Sentakuban (Devil's Washboard), and the blue sea of Hyuga-nada. Along the way, the route passes through highlights such as the Taninosiro Tunnel, which features the longest straight section of any railway tunnel in Kyushu. The commemorative project aims to provide an opportunity to easily enjoy these attractions.
Shibushi, where Ferry Sunflower operates, is a junction point for railway and sea routes, also home to JR Nichinan Line's Shibushi Station. The company will continue to work with local communities to propose new travel opportunities that combine railway and sea routes, attract visitors to the southern Kyushu area including Shibushi, and promote the region's appeal.
※This commemorative project is implemented using the "Miyazaki Local Railway Utilization Promotion Enhancement Project Subsidy"
※Tour reservations will begin on January 16, 2026 (Friday) at Ferry Sunflower Travel Co., Ltd.
For more information, please visit the following pages:
▼Ferry Sunflower (Kansai to Kyushu Route) news page
https://www.ferry-sunflower.co.jp/news/article/sunflower-train-journey-story.html
▼Ferry Sunflower Travel Co., Ltd. tour reservation page
https://www.ferry-sunflower.co.jp/travel/002935.html
▼Related press release
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000066.000140245.html
