The Yume Kūkan (夢空間, lit.'Dream Space') was a set of three luxury railway coaches operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on overnight sleeping car services in Japan between 1989 and 2008.
The three coaches were attached to the end of Hokutosei overnight sleeping car services between Ueno and Sapporo during holiday seasons, and branded as Yume Kūkan Hokutosei.[1]
ORoNe 25 901 was a deluxe sleeping car with three compartments accommodating a total of six passengers.[4] One compartment was a suite room consisting of a semi-double bed, a living room and bath/toilet facilities. The two other compartments were designated as "twin rooms" with two single beds and bath/toilet facilities.[4] The suite room also featured a TV with satellite channel and video facilities.[4]
Following a Sayonara Yume Kukan Hokutosei run between Ueno and Sapporo, the three coaches were taken out of service from March 2008, and stored at Oku Depot in Tokyo.[6]
The OHaFu 25 901 lounge car and OShi 25 901 dining car were sold to Mitsui & Co.,[5] and in May 2009, the two coaches were moved to the Lalaport Shin-Misato shopping mall in Misato, Saitama, next to Shin-Misato Station, where they were used as cafe and rest area facilities when the mall opened in September of that year.[3][7] The two coaches were not officially withdrawn from JR East books until 3 June 2009.[5]
The ORoNe 25 901 sleeping car was moved to Koto, Tokyo in December 2011, and opened in February 2012 providing additional seating accommodation for the French restaurant "A ta Gueule".[8][9][10]
OShi 25 901 outside the Lalaport Shin-Misato shopping mall in September 2009
OHaFu 25 901 outside the Lalaport Shin-Misato shopping mall in September 2009
^ 最新特急大カタログ [Modern Limited Express Catalogue]. Japan: JTB. November 1992. p. 103.
^ こだわりの新幹線＆特急列車ガイド [In-depth Shinkansen & Limited Express Guide]. Japan: Ikaros Publishing. August 2000. p. 191. ISBN4-87149-284-2.
^ abc夢空間 [Yume Kūkan]. Lalaport Shin-Misato (in Japanese). Japan: LaLaport Management Co., Ltd. 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
^ abcdefgJR全車輛ハンドブック1995 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 1995]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 1995. pp. 431–439.
^ abc 車両のうごき2009-2010 [Rolling Stock Movements 2009-2010]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 50, no. 591. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. July 2010. p. 79.
^"さよなら夢空間北斗星号"，北海道へ [Sayonara Yume Kukan Hokutosei runs to Hokkaido]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
^ 5/29, 「夢空間」2両が越谷貨物ターミナルへ [29 May: 2 Yume Kukan coaches moved to Koshigaya Freight Terminal]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 49, no. 580. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. August 2009. p. 172.
^もと「夢空間」オロネ25 901が江東区へ [Former Yume Kukan ORoNe 25 901 moved to Koto-ku]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 24 December 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
