Kyushu’s Express Trains Are About to Get a Wizarding Makeover

Rail fans and Harry Potter fans will share a platform in southern Japan this weekend. A Harry Potter-themed 885-series limited express train starts running in regular JR Kyushu service on Saturday, November 14, as part of the Harry Potter x JR Kyushu Magical Journey campaign, Japan Web Magazine reports. The decorated train will appear on routes including the Sonic, Relay Kamome, Midori, Kirameki and Kasasagi services, which link Fukuoka’s Hakata Station with cities such as Oita, Nagasaki and Sasebo.

A second wrapped train, from the 787 series, joins the campaign on January 16, 2027, and both are expected to run until around June 2027, though no firm end date has been set. To mark the launch, a special all-reserved Magical Journey train will run from Hakata to Oita on November 14, with a departure ceremony on Platform 2 at Hakata. Because the themed trains are mixed into the regular timetable, not every Sonic or Kamome departure will carry the design.

The campaign also includes a stamp rally across 21 stations in seven prefectures. The stamps are placed inside the ticket gates, so collecting them requires a valid ticket rather than a platform visit alone. That design nudges visitors to actually ride across Kyushu, which fits JR Kyushu’s broader push to spread tourism beyond Fukuoka. Elsewhere in Japan this week, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake on November 8 rattled parts of Aichi and Shizuoka, and authorities advised staying alert for similar quakes for about a week.

If you want to ride the themed train, check JR Kyushu’s published schedule for which departures carry it, and reserve seats in advance, since campaign trains tend to fill on weekends. Rail passes that cover Kyushu limited expresses can make hopping between stamp stations economical. Allow extra time at busy stations like Hakata, where photo-taking crowds are likely around the launch, and remember that the special November 14 Hakata to Oita run is reserved seating only.

Sources: Japan Web Magazine