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Japan’s first-ever bunk-bed ‘sleeper bus’ will need you to buckle up while snoozing

A Japanese bus company’s first bunk-bed bus aims to remove accommodation costs for young concert travellers.
Japan’s first-ever bunk-bed ‘sleeper bus’ will need you to buckle up while snoozing

Japan will unveil its first-ever double-decker sleeper bus on March 4, travelling between Tokyo and the southern city of Kochi, located on the island of Shikoku.

Operator Kochi Ekimae Kanko calls the service a “mobile capsule hotel” on its website, saying it is aimed at domestic travellers hoping to avoid the rising cost of hotels, amid increased inbound foreign travel.

According to news outlet Nikkei, the highest demand is likely to come from young travellers on their way to concerts and other events.

The sleeper bus aims to allow passengers to arrive fully rested, attend the event they want and return home without needing to book accommodation, with journeys expected to last up to 13 hours.

The bus has been christened “Sommeil Profond”, French for “deep sleep”. Sommeil Profond will house 12 bunks, allowing for 24 passengers at a time, half the average capacity. The journey between Tokyo and Kochi will cost 7,300 yen (US$47) for a limited period.

Last November, the way was paved for full-flat sleeper buses when Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism established safety guidelines for operators.

These guidelines included design features such as secure plates on all sides to keep passengers from sliding off or out of their sleeping area, as well as a requirement for passengers to wear seat belts while sleeping.

Japan is no stranger to long-distance domestic travel, with options including flights, the Shinkansen bullet train and seated buses. Long-haul bus services include Willer Express, which offers sleeping pod-style seats among other seat types and a range of amenities, while the Ladies Only Nagoya Cherish bus takes female passengers from Tokyo to Nagoya and has reclining seats and privacy hoods.

For a more luxurious travel experience, Kanto Bus’ Dream Sleeper from Tokyo to Osaka and Nara has individual cubicles that feature “zero-gravity” reclining seats at a cost of up to 20,000 yen.

Still, such seats may not be as restful as fully reclined slumber.

A preview video on Kochi Ekimae Kanko’s YouTube channel shows that the seats on the Sommeil Profond can be configured into bunk beds by a mechanism that allows one seat to move upwards and fold flat, and another to slide underneath.

Passengers will also need to be buckled up while sleeping for their own safety. It is unclear whether passengers on the top bunk will be able to get in and out of their bed while the bus is in motion.

It is unlikely that passengers would be allowed to reconfigure the bunk beds back into seated positions on their own, which means they will have to remain horizontal until they arrive at their destination.

Bookings for the Sommeil Profond will be available from Friday, according to the Kochi Ekimae Kanko website.

SCMP’s Asia desk

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