fall inside a hole

Plarail Yufuin no Mori

First written June 14, 2025

The Kyushu Railway Company began operating the Yufuin no Mori or Yufuin Forest tourist train in March 1989 with new Kiha 71 series trains produced to run the service. Passenger seating is high with tilted windows and there is a buffet and even an on-board art gallery in addition to the scenery. The Plarail Yufuin no Mori train based on the Kiha 71 series was first released in 1996.

Yufuin no Mori (1996)

In July 1996 the Yufuin no Mori (ゆふいんの森) was first released in the seventh generation of boxes. The train is very nicely decorated with the Yufuin no Mori mark on the front and sides of the train and gold accenting around the windows and striped down the body like the real thing.

The train is a very nice emerald green that is well-represented in Plarail form with metallic flecks. It uses a two-speed new power gearbox as the triangle-nose train chassis. This one has a June 1996 production sticker, meaning it is probably from the initial production period.

This train followed Plarail's trend of releasing more specific and niche trains realistic liveries and details in the 1990s leading to the range refresh and even more realistic trains in the 2000s.

S-21 JR Kyushu Yufuin no Mori (2003)

In September 2003 the Yufuin no More was rereleased as S-21 JR Kyushu Yufuin no Mori (S-21 JR九州 ゆふいんの森).

This example is still sealed inside its plastic bag... I don't really have too much of a reason to open it, as I like playing with the older Yufuin no Mori shown above, so it will stay there for now.

The emerald color is not quite as deep (I think I prefer the older style) and the details are slightly updated... there is a new sticker near one of the intermediate car windows, and the wheels are now grey.