2024 Volume 80 Issue 20 Article ID: 24-20085
Sightseeing trains, which have been introduced in many parts of Japan in recent years, differ from trains used on a daily basis in that they have value in terms of improving and communicating the attractiveness of the areas along the train route and making effective use of local resources. In this study, we grasped the actual operation status of sightseeing trains throughout Japan and organized the relationship between train characteristics and the characteristics of train routes and regions by conducting a cluster analysis based on train attractiveness factors to create a typology. The results of the cluster analysis showed that sightseeing trains in Japan were classified into four types: “train-window type,” “design type,” “service type,” and “comprehensive type.” The results of the analysis for each type showed that the travel time for the “comprehensive type” was significantly longer than that of other clusters, and provided policy suggestions on what type of sightseeing trains can be operated in what areas and what type of attractions can be utilized for sightseeing trains as a means of utilizing regional resources.
