Japan Pulse

Some of the new items promoting the Hokkaido Shinkansen.

Japan’s famous shinkansen bullet train is known around the world for its speed, efficiency and safety. Currently, people in Tokyo can take a bullet train all the way to Fukuoka on Kyushu island or to Aomori, at the northern tip of Honshu. But now the high-speed train network is taking it to the next level by extending its reach to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, letting consumers go from Tokyo Station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in about four hours.

As Japan gets ready for the start of the new Hokkaido Shinkansen on March 26, many companies are launching marketing tie-ups — with some odd results. Here are a few of the campaigns on the fast track.

Tomix train set

New train toys modeled after the Series H5 Hayabusa? No brainer.

北海道新幹線開業記念＆職場の運転会でのお子様ウケを考慮し、TOMIXのH5系を買ってもうた〜♪(´ε｀ ) pic.twitter.com/ox8e6vsRKC

— みやみや＠プログレッシヴ華道 (@zeon_miyamiya) February 28, 2016

Tomix’s set comes with all 10 cars, and the interior can even be lit up. If you’d like to buy it outside of Japan, there are sets being sold on eBay.

Suntory beer

One of the best parts about riding bullet trains in Japan is being able to eat food on public transportation without judgment — huzzah! Ekiben, or train lunch boxes, are a given. Like a beer with that? No problem.

＼3/26北海道新幹線開業／
開業記念デザイン缶が北海道・東北エリアで数量限定新発売中♪オンラインショップでもご購入いただけます→https://t.co/xjHzZTD110 #今日はプレモルにしよう
※鉄道模型：TOMIX pic.twitter.com/mu0d9cBfPf

— ザ・プレミアム・モルツ (@PremiumMalts_jp) February 24, 2016

Let the conductor be the designated driver as you can pop a can or three of Suntory’s beer — same taste, new design. If beer is not your thing, Co-op Gurana is repackaging its soda with the Hayabusa train as well.

Lotteria meal

Fast food chain Lotteria is famous for creating food that could kill you, but this time they’re putting it inside a cute Hayabusa box.

新幹線すげー盛り上がってるなー！！

ロッテリア、北海道限定オリジナルBOX仕様H5系セット　道内26店舗で　／北海道（みんなの経済新聞ネットワーク） – Y!ニュース #Yahooニュースアプリ https://t.co/IZJrsGEXlU

— ﾌｼﾞ ﾏｻ (@MATAL_masa) March 23, 2016

A Shinjuku branch is selling meals wrapped up in the Hokkaido Shinkansen train that comes with a rib sandwich, fries and a drink. The meal won’t cost as much as a train ticket though as it’s only ¥1,000 and is available until May 31.

Calbee potato chips

Snack king Calbee is also taking a bite out of the shinkansen commotion with a line of bullet Hokkaido-inspired chips.

出発、進行～！＼つながる！ひろがる！北海道新幹線／開業記念の３商品発売！『ポテトチップス オニオンソルト味』『ポテトチップス のりと明太子味』『かっぱえびせん ガーリックマヨ味』 ※北海道・東北・関東・甲信越にて期間限定販売中。 pic.twitter.com/CgYyZLos3M

— Calbee（カルビー）公式 (@Calbee_JP) March 7, 2016

Calbee has three new flavors for potato chip fans — onion and salt, seaweed and mentaiko, and garlic and mayonnaise. The company has never shied away from strange new flavors, including its tuna-corn-curry flavor. If you can’t stop eating these addictive chips, you can always keep the bag shut with a Hayabusa stapler.

�

Acecook Ramen

It may take four hours to get to Hakodate, but it will only take a few minutes to warm up Acecook’s newest ramen.

祝★鉄道マニア様 北海道新幹線 限定 記念 大吉 ラーメン 2種2個
現在の価格500 円
現在の入札人数0人
詳しくはコチラ⇒https://t.co/i0NHMe6san pic.twitter.com/sdMRRoZ4D1

— 庶民のバザール (@shominbazal) March 7, 2016

The two instant noodles come in salt or soy flavors. The packaging also features the official Hokkaido Shinkansen mascot, Dokodemo Yuki-chan (Anywhere Snow-chan).

McDonald’s pie

The only thing faster than the Hokkaido Shinkansen is the food at McDonald’s. The venerable chain is releasing a line of sweets with nods to Hokkaido’s farming and dairy culture.

来週3/29(火)に #ByMcSWEETS から、こだわりのスイーツが新登場！北海道産のミルクをたっぷり使用したミルククリームがとろーりとろける #北海道ミルクパイ を、楽しみにしていてください! 🐮🎉 pic.twitter.com/lPU0O3IlFk

— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) March 22, 2016

For a limited time, customers can buy its Hokkaido Milk Pie, a fluffy croissant filled with gooey goodness. It’ll also be packaged in a signature purple color to match the stripes on the Hayabusa train.

Sapporo Snow Festival

And bringing this marketing blitz back to where Hokkaido, this year’s Sapporo Snow Festival was decked out in ads featuring the new shinkansen line. There was even a huge snow sculpture shaped like a Hayabusa train that was lit up at night.

今年も雪祭りに行ってきた。今年のプロジェクションマッピングは新幹線。内地の人にはわからないかもしれないが，道民にとって新幹線は憧れの的なのだ。 pic.twitter.com/oGXBlekI5C

— Motomachi Hifuka (@motomachihifuka) February 11, 2016

As the Hokkaido Shinkansen will be extended from Shin-Hakodate to Sapporo Station in 2030, the Sapporo Snow Festival — and Hokkaido itself — is bound to get a jump in tourists as more and more people head north.

• 78% of those who responded to a poll by Goo Research said that they feel Hokkaido is the easiest place to live in Japan.
• 72% of those who were polled by japan.internet.com said  they have never used the warranties attached to their electronic appliances.
• 60% of respondents surveyed by i-share Inc. said that if they had the chance they wouldn’t go back and see what their parents were like before they were born.
• 59% of women in a survey by fashion magazine Very said that the only time they have to themselves is after the rest of the family has gone to sleep.
• 21% of women surveyed by Koibita.com said that they became over emotional, when asked about what big mistakes they have made during past dates.