Attention all Detective Conan fans!
In a collaboration between the Tottori Prefecture Government and the JR West Company/ Chizu Express Ltd, the Detective Conan X Limited Express Super Hakuto Special Train began operations on 3rd December 2023 out of Tottori Prefecture on the JR Sanin Line/ Chizukyuko Railway Line.
As its name suggests, this version of Tottori’s flagship train service is decorated from head to toe in special Detective Conan livery. At the train's launch ceremony held at Kurayoshi Station in Tottori Prefecture, the eye-catching makeover garnered more than a few appreciative ‘Oohs’ and ‘Ahhs’ from an adoring crowd that braved a light drizzle to see Conan launch his eponymous train.
The exterior of the Detective Conan Ver. Train is embellished with pictures of Conan, Ran, Haibara, and Rei/Amuro, amongst other beloved characters. The most heartwarming illustration has to be the group shot of Conan and the Junior Detectives league peering out at visitors through the window.
The inside of the train is also decked out with Detective Conan designs, from headrest covers to sliding doors. In one carriage, panels from the original manga series adorn the windows. Even the toilet car is fully decorated with Conan motifs. Each of the six carriages have slightly different features, giving visitors unique experiences as they move from one train car to the next.
The Detective Conan X Limited Express Super Hakuto Special Train commemorates the 30th anniversary of the serialization of the Detective Conan manga, one of Japan’s most famous manga/anime series with a massive global fanbase. Today, Detective Conan spans more than 100 tankobon volumes and 1,000 anime episodes and continues to serialize in the Weekly Shonen Sunday.
The special decor was unveiled at a celebratory moment in Detective Conan history, but also heralds exciting times ahead for Kansai and Tottori prefectures in the next few years.
A very full calendar of upcoming events:
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30th Anniversary of the Limited Express Super Hakuto Special Train in December 2024
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Opening of Tottori Prefectural Art Museum in March 2025
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Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai in October 2025
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Renewal opening of the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory in 2027
Undoubtedly, the new Detective Conan livery on the flagship Limited Super Hakuto fleet is both a symbolic and literal first step in taking advantage of the aforementioned milestones, with the goals of attracting more foreign and domestic travelers and increasing tourism activity between Tottori and Kansai.
JR West Company's Sanin Branch General Manager Shouichi Saeki expressed similar hopes at the opening ceremony. He hopes that the Detective Conan X Limited Express Super Hakuto Special Train will “increase tourism ridership within Tottori prefecture, increasing attractiveness of the prefecture and as a result, above all else, revitalize the towns and areas along the railway lines”.
The Detective Conan X Limited Express Super Hakuto Special Train Project will run from now until the end of 2025, coinciding with the closing of Expo 2025 in Osaka. Tickets for reserved seating can be made up to one month in advance of the departure date. The Detective Conan Ver. Train embarks on three trips daily between Kurayoshi Station and Kyoto Station.
The Detective Conan Ver. Train runs as part of the Limited Express Super Hakuto fleet that operates six round trips a day. So, the timing of rare Conan-themed trains differs from day to day. Please check the timetable and plan your trips carefully so you do not miss out on riding the specially designed Detective Conan Ver. Train!
The train timetables will be published about one month in advance on the Tottori Prefecture official website. The timetable for December to January is linked below : https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/secure/1337056/202312202401_hakutoconan_timetable_00.pdf
