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IT’S GOT MICHELIN-starred chefs, solid cypress bathtubs and a cosy snug complete with roaring fire: the Shiki-Shima could hold its own against any five-star hotel. Not bad for a train.
In a country best known for its super-fast Shinkansen bullet trains, the emphasis in Japan’s latest extravaganza on rails is on savouring the moment, with no expense spared to create a very luxurious travelling experience.
Source: East Japan Railway" title="">
Source: East Japan Railway" title="">
Source: East Japan Railway" title="">The 10-car train has huge viewing windows through which customers can see the northern Japanese countryside used to grow the ingredients in seasonal delicacies prepared by the onboard chefs.
Tokyo to Hokkaido
After dinner they can gather for a drink around the piano or sit and soak up the atmosphere next to the fireplace — actually a trick created by steam and coloured light — on a journey that takes them from Tokyo to the northernmost island of Hokkaido and back again.
The light-gold ‘Train Suite Shiki-Shima’ sleeper — meaning ‘Four Seasons Island’ — departed Ueno Station in Tokyo for its maiden journey on Monday, carrying 33 passengers, according to operator East Japan Railway.
Despite the hefty price tag, there is no shortage of customers — tickets are booked out until March next year.
The Shiki-Shima is not the first uber-luxurious train to hit the tracks in Japan.
In 2013, Kyushu Railway unveiled its Seven Stars service with a piano and a bar, top-end dining and luxury suites, while West Japan Railway will launch the Twilight Express Mizukaze sleeper in June.
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Can we not just have a Patrick’s Day parade?? Do we really need to attach something else to it? I’m all for LGBT rights but you can’t turn on the TV, open a newspaper or browse a site without hearing about it.
Well perhaps when they have the same rights as everyone else we’ll hear no more about it.
Ya, let’s have a drag queen as the head of the parade on our national holiday. Be a great advertisement for the country.
I almost never agree with you Reg, but you are spot on in this one
Oh i feel a poll coming on.
Would you prefer we have the catholic church or perhaps Iona representing our country?
I’d rather not have organizations of hatred representing Ireland
Tom, you’re absolutely right. It would be a great advertisement for the country.
Yes Tom it really would be a great advertisement for our country. It would show that we are well on our way to being an open minded country who eventually will get to the stage where all our citizens have equal rights.
St Patricks day is St Patricks Day. That’s all. Nothing else.
Not a vehicle for pro or anti anything.
I would! Ever hear of the pink pound? International gays are worth millions to economies.
It’s SAINT Patricks day, so that would, unless you change the name, make it pro-church
A national holiday and celebration of our country.
There are plenty of normal people who do great things that should be chosen.
So Reg
What you are saying is on till gay people have equal rights they are going to hijack events that have nothing to do with sexuality
You guys aren’t doing yourselves any favours with that attitude trying to minipulate and cause trouble as a matter of fact that’s borderline terrorisim
So Tom LGBTQ people are not normal?
What does the q stand for? And if the cap fits.
Why would it be a great advert for this country?
Let’s get a little perspective here. We already have a referendum coming down the tracks in 2015. That puts us ahead of most of the rest of the world – not behind it – as you’d be forgiven for thinking round here at times. If you then factor in the public support running at somewhere between 70 and 80% for SSM, then it’s put us firmly into the exceptionally liberal category.
Stop fighting shadows. We are not backward on SSM. We are to the forefront internationally.
The q stands for queer but only some in the community add that letter. Some find it offensive while others embrace it.
Sorry, the q is for queer or questioning.
I was referring to the amount of media coverage Úibh was complaining about Foxys. I made to mention nor did I refer to gay people hijacking events.
Why do people insist on replying to Tom? He trolls every comment section on this site while hiding behind a made up twitter account. Just another keyboard hero who wouldn’t dare make such statements face to face.
being gay is a birth defect money and effort should be spent to find a cure
It’s like troll central today :)
nialls concentrate on a cure for gay and dont mind d trolls
Being straight is a birth defect. Money and effort should be spent to find a cure.
Having the name Jay is a birth defect .Money and effort should be spent to find a cure.
How about finding a cure for small minded Jack asses Jay.
So what’s wrong with wanting a normal st Patrick’s day parade with normal people involved? Just because I don’t want it tarnished doesn’t make me a bigot.
Nah, calling homosexuals “abnormal” is what makes you a bigot.
Mikey
“Being straight is a birth defect” so it takes a troll like jay to bring out how you think
Classy
I hope that view is not shared by the gay community
i am gay n i want to b cured
Mikey, I never called them abnormal. I said I wanted normal people in the parade. If you choose to take it the wrong way…..
Foxys – I don’t think you understand counter-trolling.
Tom – define “normal people”. I’m actually interested in your definition of this.
Counter- trolling ?
Is that what you call being anti-straight that’s ok I know that you are a minority in the gay community
Well, someone has no sense of humour. Plus, nice reaching you’re doing there.
Mikey
You repeat what a vile troll says
Ehh that’s trolling
There is nothing humours about it simple as
So, the first message about “curing gays” was fine yet when I change the word to “straights” (to mock the original post) out come the pitchforks? Point proved. This is the kind of latent homophobia Panti spoke out against.
Have I not said jay was vile
Why don’t you just be a man and say sorry for offending people and calling me a homophobe which I am not
Ya know what never Mind you and jay are no different as far as I’m concerned trolls the pair of ye
If people got offended by that, then I suggest they re-evaluate their lives. SOMEONE ON THE INTERNET MOCKED THE MAJORITY, WON’T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN?
@ Foxys
you continuously refer to being gay as a “lifestyle choice” I find that insulting and Homophobic
vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice sexual orientation is not.
and i’m sick of straight people telling me what is/isn’t Homophobia – try spending a year walking around Dublin holding another mans hand or waiting for a taxi outside a gay bar.
Then come back to me and tell me what homophobia is.
And you got offended by the gay comment Mikey. Where’s your sense of humour:-)
Shane, I agree with you entirely. It appears that it isn’t homophobia until you’re physically attacked and even then “you probably deserved it”, which is the charming response I got when it happened to me a few years ago.
Yep been there too – and suddenly the Homophobes are now the victims. FFS!
Lol, well played Michelle. There’s just this weird vibe running through the comments here today that I don’t appreciate. It’s, like, “we’re all for your equality as long as you don’t touch our precious parade”. You’ve had someone from frigging Westlife lead it before, it’s hardly a credible position.
I don’t – that’s the point you idiot
that was for my shadow Tom Doyle
I agree, Tom. I much prefer to make out with my fellas in public.
That would be the Viagra…
It would be good publicity and good for tourism to say all are welcome to Ireland and to our st patricks celebrations
Ogochukwu is having lols at some of the ignorance on this and other threads ..lol Oh the self importance of some ..lol Some of the commentators are as straight as the pole that their mothers dance on ..lol
The q is for questioning. Tom your comments are offensive. The fact is that people who join the parade should be able to be who they are. The police are allowed to march with their uniforms. The military in their uniforms with their banners. Baton twirlers with their uniforms. Last year priests in their priestly attire with a banner that says Our Lady’s Shrine, Knock. I am sure there will be beauty queens with sashes. So if you are a gay group marching you are not allowed to display your banner – those are the rules I believe.
This parade is known to be conservative. Why can gay people not join the parade dressed as they wish to and with whatever banner they wish – it is a parade! People dress up!
This is definitely a case of bigotry, no doubt in my mind…
Panti for Grand Marshal! What a fitting tribute that would be especially given all that is going on in Ireland, Russia & the New York parade this year. Ireland should lead the way and show we are not a backward nation but embrace equality for all!!
It’s a parade, not a political platform for last weeks winner of the national popularity contest.
Yeah a parade has nothing to do with popularity O_o why would they put something in ppl want to see!
Imagine having to explain to your 7 year old why there is a man in a dress leading the St Patricks Day parade.
Imagine Jesco. But you could try “there’s a chap called Rory who dresses as a woman for entertainment purposes, kind of like how Daniel Radcliffe *pretended* to be a wizard in Harry Potter”. I think your kid would get it
Imagine having to explain to your 7 year old why priest wear dresses.
Imagine having to explain to your 7 year old why there are still people opposed to equal rights in this country.
i am gay and i want to b cured
Why not a beautiful Downs Syndrome Girl or boy?
Jesco .lol imagine not being able to explain ..lol
The parade should be solely a celebration of Irishness, pure and simple. It should not be used as a platform to promote specific rights, agendas, etc. To allow that would be to allow all groups, pro and anti whatever issue, to undermine and distract from the basic celebration.
I think Rory O’Neill is Irish?
I thought it was Linda Martin on the right
In fairness – he’s got better style than her. – can probably sing better too.
A panti less Saint Paddys day parade.
They will catch their death of cold ..
Only in Ireland…
I dobt have an issue with panti Bliss being Marshall in the parade but I agree with New Yorks policy of not turning the parade into a plattform for protest. The parade is a celebration of being irish and thats how it should remain. Next years parade will have an anti war float, a pro Palestine float, an anti/pro abortion float etc.. where do you draw a line. The day is celebrated around the world for ehat it is, a fun celebration of irishness. Lets keep it thst way. Its not religous or political
But it’s more about being gay, Irish and proud, no? I agree re the other pro/anti floats would be horrendous and cause aggro…
Sara, there is nothing wrong with being gay, irish and proud but celebrate it with an irish flaf etc… there can’t be an allowance for one and bot the other
I imagine they would do it in a fun, celebratory way in keeping with the ethos of the festival rather than push an agenda down our throats. A straight pride float would be awfully dull – do we really need that?! ;-)
Hetrophobe! Lol
Ha!!
Touché pylon, touché!!
Patrick’s Day Parade’s have been very inclusive events. There does be community groups, religious groups, cultural groups, professional groups (like police officers), musical, dancing and artistic groups taking part. I loved seeing groups representing the new Irish and elements from the culture of their country of origin in the parades, highlighting how they have enriched modern Ireland.
Parades have broad spectrum of people with any connection or affinity to Ireland.
While LGBT groups obviously tend to support marriage equality. They are not primarily political groups. The are groups where LGBT people have found support, safety, a sense of belonging and community.
Being LGBT and part of an LGBT community is not a political statement. What is political is singling out LGBT community groups for exclusion.
I’m so tired of this story. Equal rights to all, get it, agree but enough already with this.
The gay community already have there own parade every year y r they making such an issue about this,
St Patricks day parade is not exclusive to heterosexuals any more than pride parades are to homosexuals
True Keith. While we’re at it, let’s move gay kids to their own schools and segregate the buses. Sure they’d be delighted to have their own pink bus.
Probably would
ah fer fecks sake give it a rest will you…stop trying to hijack every bloody thing….maybe if he an I reiterated he didnt go by a stage name of panti ….might get taken a bit more seriously… my gay friwnds ans yes I have them ..have even commented on other posts that all this is doing there cause no good aa getting poeple worked up ans resenting them because of theae stupid pr stunts. .its genuine gay poeple that need to fight the case not pumped up drag Queens looking for publicity
Have you actually looked at the speech?
By the sound of your posting, I take you have not seen it, so be a good chappie there and watch it!
#TeamPanti for Grand Marshal
I CAN’T BE HOMOPHOBIC, I HAVE GAY FRIENDS.
I bet you’re a fan of Mrs Brown’s Boys, Patric.
If I had a birthday party and someone asked me to decorate it rainbow to support gay rights – I’d ask them to do it to their own birthday party. I would even help fund their decorations, I’d spread the word, I’d attend.
I’d like my birthday party to be carefree and I suppose a little selfishly… I want it to be about me. I don’t want my party goers to reflect on the issues of the world. It’s a time to celebrate my birthday. It’s a time to have a fun.
The point is…
We just want Saint Patrick’s day to be about Ireland… I hope we don’t get branded as homophobic over this. Everyone can join our celebration. EVERYONE. Just don’t steal the party from us.
I agree. When what’s his face from the boy band was marshal it made the parade all about music. Turned my stomach
But would Panti not be that be a bit of fun? For heavens sake it’s an honorary role! You don’t get to make laws for the day or anything . It’s a man in drag, a bit if fun. Is everybody else not then representing only one thing? If a politician is in it is it all about politics or their party or lack thereof?
um…yeah…no-one’s demanding that the entire parade has to be gay…just one guy in it
Panti or chris Hadfield. .or both
Channel 4 have gone uber camp/gay for the day to highlight the issues in Russia at the start of the Winter Olympic Games.
While here in Ireland our national broadcaster is kowtowing to the likes of the Iona institute.
We’re leagues behind modern countries.
Whoever the alleged Grand Marshall is would you not give it up and raise your profile hugely by being a champion for human rights?
Just an idea.
Do you remember how, during the ryder cup in Ireland, we cut from live broadcasting across the world so that we could show Shirley temple bar doing telly bingo? We were the laughing stock of world then and this person is causing us to be the laughing stock of the world again.
Actually Tom it seems Panti is gaining respect and support from across the world. Channel 4 are having Rory/Panti on their 7pm news tonight and BBC already did a bit on the idiotic reaction to the Saturday night show bit.
If anyone is attracting negative attention to Ireland its Paddy Manning and his ilk.
oh Dear Tom strikes again and how wrong can he be – are you being Ironic really?? or to you understand the meaning of Irony??
Panti’s speech is being lauded across the world as one of the greatest human rights speech of our time and your bitter little rants will never make a dent on it.
A speech by a drag queen is one of greatest human rights speeches of our time? We really have so much to be proud of in Ireland. Ffs. It’s an attention seeking queen looking to get his head in the papers.
Definitely, then next year we can hopefully get a lesbian priest called Condom Fanni to be grand master.
Does she do a good mass though?
i am in favour of this proposition
Down with this sort of thing
Hats off to the Journal.ie for being so instrumental in their coverage of all this since it broke. Unfortunately, had mainstream media taken the reigns, LGBT people wouldn’t be getting the coverage they deserve. Fairplay.
Yep, fair play to them. Since all this broke I’ve never seen so many people giving out about their eternal moaning on the journal. Well done!
lol stahp
and fair play to you for your relentless trolling – you must be wrecked!!
How is trolling? I give my opinion without giving people abuse. Can’t say the same about you lot. Is this how you’ll be trying to win people over for the referendum?
Panti is an entertainer. I’d be happy to see her be in the parade.
*him
*her.
As the great Kenny Everett would say “it’s all done in the best possible taste”
St Patricks day is a day for celebrating being Irish ?
Let`s see the country goes out gets locked makes a show of themselves.
Best to turn it into a protest.
So long as they haven’t asked John Waters to be Grand Marshal instead…
DONAL OG CUSACK AND CONOR CUSACK AND FORMER PRESIDENT MARY MC ALEESE ARE SO VERY DISSAPOINTINGLY QUIET ON THIS ISSUE. REALLY SAD.
Thank feck!!!
I don’t really see a problem about having a gay float, sure half the floats aren’t about being Irish, it’s more Irish to be easy going bout these things. Though it should be a celebratory float not a protest one
Let make him pipe fecksake gave a speech about been gay now everyone thinks he’s a saint will be laughing all the way to the bank ps gay people are allow to walk in the New York parade so lets put that one to bed not allow to carry banners with statements same as everyone else taught that what they want to be treated the same
St Patricks Day is A celebration Of the Irish peoples culture i do Not Think that st Patricks celebration should be exploited as a protest Regime, Every year children Family and Friends enjoy going to the Parade to enjoy themselves i don’t think it should be A gay Protest, I hope i don’t Sound Like a Homophobia Now, St Patricks Day is a Celebration day to be Irish Proud nothing else should get in the way of that Celebration,
They don’t want to protest. I think you would be banned if you simply wanted to hold a banner saying Proud to be Irish and gay. That is just so wrong. When you can have a banner like in past parades that says Our Lady’s Shrine Knock, or the army in uniform with their banner, then this is prejudiced.
No problem with it in theory but I find the likes of ‘Katie Taylor’ for example are a great boost for young influential children. Not sure Panti really goes with the theme either. A ‘Gay Pride’ float may be better and always bring more to the parade.
St Patricks day symbolises a religious national holiday in the country, a catholic holiday, I’m all for live and let live but I don’t think having “panti” up in front of the parade would be such a good idea, maybe have their own march for equality or something. Place and time and all that jazz
It would draw a huge young crow something missing from a lot of parades. They were seen as mostly boring and trite. This would really give it a shake up for the better the parades are so boring. She would give it some well needed glam.
Methinks this parade is run by conservative Catholics – Ireland has no such ban in its parade… http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/mar/16/gay-ban-st-patricks-day
St Patricks day symbolises a religious national holiday in the country, a catholic holiday, I’m all for live and let live but I don’t think having “panti” up in front of the parade would be such a good idea, maybe have their own march for equality or something.
have your say