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Peak Japan: Hello Kitty bullet train debuts this week
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This handout picture taken on June 25, 2018 and released by West Japan Railway on June 26, 2018 shows the interior of a Shinkansen train adorned with images of popular character Hello Kitty, at the Hakata car maintenance center in Fukuoka prefecture. (West Japan Railway/AFP/File)
R
esplendent in shocking pink, a sleek "Hello Kitty" bullet train, complete with special carriages festooned with images of the global icon from Japan, has been unveiled before it chugs into service this week.
The special shinkansen or bullet train will run for the next three months between the western cities of Osaka and Fukuoka from Saturday, the West Japan Railway firm said, hoping that one of the country's most famous exports will boost tourism.
Passengers will be in left in no doubt what train they are on, with Hello Kitty smiling down from the shades of every window and adorning every passenger seat cover.
One car will feature a "life-sized Hello Kitty doll" -- the character is "five apples" tall, according to creator Sanrio -- so fans can take selfies, a West Japan Railway spokesman told AFP.
Read also: Shinkansen rampage revives debate over safety and convenience
Another car will have no passenger seats but offer regional specialities, including a selection of goods and foods, in a bid to boost the local economy and tourism.
Hello Kitty, the mouthless character, has spawned a multi-billion-dollar industry since Sanrio introduced it in 1974.
It adorns everything from pencil cases and pyjamas to double-decker buses and airliners.
