Japanese Rail Sim 3D Journey to Kyoto

Overview

Japanese Rail Sim 3D: Journey to Kyoto (known in Japan as Tetsudou Nippon! Rosen Tabi: Eizan Densha-hen, which loosely translates to "Railway Japan! Route Trip: Eizan Electric Train Edition") is a train driving simulation game developed and published by Sonic Powered for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on October 23, 2014 (as a retail release), in North America on August 6, 2015 (as a downloadable title), and in Europe on December 24, 2015 (also as a downloadable title).

The third title in the Japanese Rail Sim 3D / Tetsudou Nippon! Rosen Tabi series, Journey to Kyoto follows the local rail lines from the Eizan Electric Railway, located in the north-eastern Sakyō-ku ward of the Japanese city of Kyoto. Set in the autumn season, the game has players driving the Deo 900 "Kirara" electric train through the combined Eizan Main Line and Kurama Line, from the suburban Demachiynagi Station to the mountainous Kurama Station.

The game was later ported to the Nintendo Switch in Japan on November 28, 2019 and the PlayStation 4 in Japan on December 10, 2020. These versions include new high-definition video, a revamped single-screen interface, an unlockable inbound route, and two alternate routes (the full Eizan Line, outbound and inbound) with an alternate train (the Deo 730 "Hiei"). Both of these versions later received digital-only releases (with the PS4 version released on June 22, 2021 and the Switch version released on January 10, 2022), and the game later received a digital PC release (via Steam) worldwide on June 22, 2022. Outside of Japan, these ports are re-titled Japanese Rail Sim: Journey to Kyoto.

Gameplay

As with other games in the Japanese Rail Sim 3D series, players drive a train from station-to-station while following correct procedures (including following both the speed limit and strict timetable, avoiding penalties for abnormal driving, and stopping the train as close to the correct position as possible).

There are two main game modes:

• Section Mode - Players run through each single section of the route, and are graded based on performance. Earning high grades unlocks bonus tourist information.

• Full Line Mode - Unlocked after playing through all sections in Section Mode. Players run the entire route, and are graded based on performance. Earning a high rank unlocks bonus content.

Routes

Kurama Line

The game's main route (and the only one used in the original 3DS version) has players driving the Deo 900 "Kirara" through most of the Eizan Main Line (Demachiyanagi -> Takaragake) and the entire Kurama Line (Takaragake -> Kurama). The entire route is scheduled to take 35 minutes to complete.

• Demachiyanagi -> Mototanaka
• Mototanaka -> Chiyama
• Chiyama -> Ichiyoji
• Ichiyoji -> Shugakoin
• Shugakoin -> Takaragake
• Takaragake -> Hachiman-mae
• Hachiman-mae -> Iwakura
• Iwakura -> Kino
• Kino -> Kyoto Seikaidai-mae
• Kyoto Seikaidai-mae -> Nikenchiya
• Nikenchiya -> Ichihara
• Ichihara -> Ninose
• Ninose -> Kibuneguchi
• Kibuneguchi -> Kurama

Receiving the highest grade in the Full Line mode unlocks a bonus alternate version of the route that is set at night. This was made a simpler unlockable in the Switch version and was removed completely in the PS4 and PC versions.

While the original game only included the outbound (Down) route, the Switch, PS4, and PC versions of the game add an unlockable inbound (Up) route.

The Switch version received paid DLC on June 25, 2020 that adds a new version of the Down route. Known as "Shinryoku no Kurama-sen" (or "Fresh Green Kurama Line"), this version uses footage from the early summer season, with green maple leaves instead of orange ones. This was included by default in the PS4 and PC versions as unlockable, replacing the Night version.

Eizan Line

Added in the Switch, PS4, and PC versions, has players driving the Deo 730 "Hiei" through the entire Eizan Main Line. Most of the rail line overlaps with the Kurama Line and the entire route is scheduled to take 15 minutes and 30 seconds to complete.

• Demachiyanagi -> Mototanaka
• Mototanaka -> Chiyama
• Chiyama -> Ichiyoji
• Ichiyoji -> Shugakoin
• Shugakoin -> Takaragake
• Takaragake -> Miyakehachiman
• Miyakehachiman -> Yase-Hieizanguchi

The game includes both outbound (Down) and inbound (Up) routes. The Switch version has both routes locked by default, while the PS4 and PC versions has the Down route unlocked by default.