Pikachu fans and train otakus, it’s time.
This October, Tanjong Pagar Centre Urban Park will transform into a “Japanese Train” with live music, a wide array of food and movie screenings.
Opened by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Japan Rail Café will be hosting a train-themed event called “Autumn in the Train” at Tanjong Pagar Centre!
In Japan, 14 October is also known as “The Railway Day” (Tetsudou-no-hi), as it marks the opening of the country’s first railway back in 1872. To celebrate this special day, Japan Rail Café, will unfold a train-themed event at Tanjong Pagar Centre from 11 – 14 October.
Pikachu Meet-And-Greet Session
The most exciting part of this 4-day event is definitely the Pikachu meet-and-greet session. If you missed the first Pikachu Parade that was held at Changi Airport in 2017, this is the perfect time to catch this adorable character in action.
Pikachu will be making a special appearance on all 4 days at different times to promote the makeover of the “POKÉMON with YOU” train which runs between the JR Ichinoseki Station and JR Kesennuma Station in Tohoku.
Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to snap a photo with Pikachu at the train photo panel!
If you’re visiting Japan soon, you can purchase the JR-East Pass (for Tohoku) to enjoy unlimited train rides including the special Joyful Train here.
Meet-And-Greet Timings
11 & 12 Oct (Thu & Fri): 1pm – 1.30pm
13 & 14 Oct (Sat & Sun): 2pm – 2.30pm
Food & Movie Screenings
If you’re not into Pikachu or trains, there are plenty of other things to look out for at the event as well such as trying out amazing Japanese food. From onigiri and bentos to cakes and ice cream, you definitely won’t go hungry at this event.
Look out for the autumn-themed cakes by Chef Yamashita, marron cream buns from Hattendo Singapore, roasted sweet potatoes and melon cream buns from Japan Point and much more.
Or catch the critically acclaimed Japanese movie “Jimami Tofu” featuring a Chinese-Singaporean chef discovering his love for Okinawan cuisine. A Makoto Shinkai Anime Marathon will also be held, featuring some of his acclaimed works such as “5 Centimeters per Second”, “Voices of a Distant Star” and “The Garden of Words”.
Jimami Tofu Screening
Date: 11 Oct, Thursday
Time: 7.45pm – 9.45pm
Makoto Shinkai Anime Marathon
Date: 13 Oct, Saturday
Time: 5pm – 7pm
For The Train Otakus
Live your fantasies of driving a train at a train simulation game “Densha de go” – one of the most interesting things to check out at the event, given the depth of the game’s realism.
This game set up has a realistic control system and hyper realistic graphics making it the top train simulator around. Check out videos of the game on YouTube as it’s pretty much a dream arcade game for hardcore train lovers.
This is possibly the closest you’ll get to Autumn in Japan right here in Singapore. Head down to Tanjong Pagar Centre Urban Park from 11 – 14 October for 4 days of food, anime and trains!
Autumn In The Train
Venue: Tanjong Pagar Centre L1 Urban Park
Date: 11 – 14 Oct 2018
Time: 11am to 10pm
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(Header Image Source: Japan Rail Cafe)
