On March 23, Japanese private railway operator Keikyu Corporation launched operation of a special train themed on Kameda Seika’s popular Japanese rice snack “Happy Turn,” called the “Happy Turn Train.” A departure ceremony was held at Shinagawa Station in Tokyo, where the snack’s mascot character “Prince Turn,” along with Japanese comedy trio Borujuku members Haruka Kiriya, Anri, and Tomoka Tanabe, made an appearance.
This is part of a project celebrating the 50th anniversary of the launch of Happy Turn in Japan. Using the yellow body of the 1000 series (set 1057) “Keikyu Happy Yellow Train” as a base, the exterior is decorated with the Happy Turn product package design and illustrations of Prince Turn. Inside the cars, there are hanging decorations modeled after individually wrapped Happy Turn snacks and posters introducing “happy little episodes from everyday life.” Prince Turn is also shown peeking in through the windows, creating a space filled with Happy Turn–themed decorations.
▲ Borujuku members (from left) Haruka Kiriya, Tomoka Tanabe, and Anri touring the interior of the “Happy Turn Train”
Before the departure ceremony, the three members of Borujuku toured the inside of the train and were visibly excited by the world of Happy Turn. They shared their impressions: “Just by riding it, it brings back the taste of Happy Turn. I almost feel like I can smell it,” said Anri; “Once I get on, I don’t want to get off. I could stay on board for 24 hours straight,” said Kiriya; and Tanabe commented, “I’d seen it in photos, but actually riding it in person is even more amazing than I imagined.”
What particularly caught their attention were the giant Happy Turn–shaped hanging decorations suspended from the ceiling. Kiriya remarked in surprise, “The texture of the powder looks so real.” When the emcee asked, “With something this big, would you share it and eat it together?”, all three instantly replied, “No, we wouldn’t share.” Anri added, “I’d hide and eat it all by myself. That’s the kind of group we are,” drawing laughter from the audience.
Keikyu Corporation and Kameda Seika also operated a “Happy Turn Train” from May 27 to August 18, 2024, making this the second time for this collaboration in Japan. Until June 7, the train will run not only on the Keikyu Line but also on through-services via the Toei Asakusa Line, Keisei Line, and Hokuso Line in the Greater Tokyo area.
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This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
