Despite a challenging year of uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rail fans will be assured to hear that the TOHOKU EMOTION‘s operation schedule for October 2021 to March 2022 has been announced, with a new seasonal menu to boot.
What is the TOHOKU EMOTION?
Affectionately known as the “Tohoku Restaurant Railway”, the TOHOKU EMOTION is part of JR East’s fleet of Joyful Trains that was introduced to support the reconstruction and revitalisation of the Tohoku region.
Featuring a menu that spotlights locally-produced Tohoku ingredients in all of its dishes, this fine dining restaurant train brings “local” and “luxury” together in every culinary voyage.
New chef onboard: Kazuhisa Tashiro
From October 2021 to May 2022, Chef Kazuhisa Tashiro from fine dining French restaurant La Blanche in Omotesando (表参道), Tokyo, will join TOHOKU EMOTION as their new Supervising Chef. At age 29, Chef Tashiro moved to France and trained in several restaurants before returning to Japan to open his own restaurant in Ginza. Following his return, he opened La Blanche in February 1986 and the establishment has been serving immaculate French cuisine ever since.
As a member of the Fukushima Chefs Support Group (ふくしま応援シェフ) for the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, Chef Tashiro’s new appointment in the TOHOKU EMOTION makes it an especially meaningful one.
Combining his passion to “make more delicious food” and TOHOKU EMOTION’s mission in using locally-sourced food to introduce Tohoku to the riders, passengers can look forward to an unforgettable journey that fills both the heart and the tummy.
First glimpse: The new menu
Amuse-bouches, the first course, includes five items:
- Grilled cabbage with salted malt and honey
- A “gentle” scallop flan
- Deep-fried salted mackerel and purple cabbage with sherry vinegar
- Persimmon and radish with sweet mustard
- Smoked duck with two kinds of grapes
The next dish is a fish dish, comprising of a flounder vapour with shallot sauce, seaweed, and red radish in sweet vinegar.
For the main course, diners will be treated to a tantalising rôti of roasted Kawamata Shamo chicken stuffed with black rice, and served with Gobo burdock sauce.
Concluding the meal is a dessert assortment of mushroom brûlée, apple compote jelly with plum wine, and truffle au chocolat.
An assortment of beverages are available, including but not limited to beer, white wine, red wine, soft drinks, and coffee or tea.
Delightful dessert buffet
Passengers who have booked for the return trip can look forward to original dessert selections made by the Chef Patissier of HOTEL METROPOLITAN MORIOKA.
Autumn / winter schedule
The TOHOKU EMOTION will run for a total of 51 days between 3 October 2021 (Sun) and 27 March 2022 (Sun). Passengers can choose between a one-way or two-way package that includes a meal on the TOHOKU EMOTION, as well as a train ticket between Hachinohe Station and Kuji Station. All bookings require a minimum of two people, including one adult.
Note: The information provided above is limited to October–December 2021 only. All photos and menus are for illustration purposes, and are subject to change without notice.
Header image credit: JR East
