While Japan’s bullet trains may be famed for their speed, there is a train in Japan that has garnered a more exclusive reputation. Demand is often so high for a trip on this luxury sleeper train -- and space so limited -- that prospective passengers often have to enter a lottery for tickets.

　　日本的子弹头列车因其速度快而闻名于世，但日本有另一辆列车获得了更为独特的声誉。目前人们对豪华型卧铺火车的旅行需求非常高，由于名额有限，乘客必须提前申请订票。

　　Upon boarding the Cruise Train Seven Stars at the busy Hakata Station in the city of Fukuoka, passengers step into another world. The train’s warm wooden interiors and classic design elements evoke another time.

　　在福冈市繁忙的博多站乘坐全日本最豪华的火车—“九州七星号”后，乘客将步入另一个世界。火车里温暖的木制内饰和经典的设计元素唤醒了人们另一段时光。

　　Everything is unique and custom-made for the train, said Seven Stars’ 70-year-old designer, Eiji Mitooka. "From the seats, to the lighting, to the furniture, our theme was to mix elements like mandalas -- drawing inspiration from East and West -- to come up with something we’ve never seen."

　　“一切都非常独特，专门为火车量身定制”， “七星号”70岁设计师Eiji Mitooka说， “从座位、灯光、家具，我们的主题是混合曼陀罗元素，从东方和西方汲取灵感，设计出我们从未见过的东西。”

　　From delicate, handmade porcelain sinks to framed miniature paintings by Mitooka himself, which are hung along the corridors, no detail has been overlooked. In the lounge, a panel of "kumiko," traditional Japanese woodwork, is backlit to showcase its intricate lattice patterns. A star motif is used throughout: the gold symbols adorn ceiling tiles, are carved into table lamps, and colored onto stained glass.

　　从精致的手工陶瓷水槽到Mitooka本人的微型裱框画作，这些作品挂在走廊上，任何细节都没有被忽略。在休息室里，由传统日本木制工艺品“kumiko”组成的面板背光显示着复杂的格子图案，星星始终贯穿其中：镶嵌在天花板的金色符号被雕刻成台灯，映照在彩色玻璃上。

　　When Mitooka was first approached to design the train, he took inspiration from the Orient Express, but he wanted to create something that would resonate with older Japanese travelers, creating a sense of nostalgia.

　　当Mitooka第一次接触设计火车时，他从东方快车中获得灵感，但他想创造一些能够与日本老年旅客产生共鸣的东西，从而产生怀旧感。

　　I think, for a long time, Japanese people believed the greatest journey was to travel to Europe or America; to experience different cultures, see the best things there, eat the best food there, he said.

　　“我认为，很长时间以来，日本人相信最伟大的旅程是前往欧洲或美国，体验不同的文化，看最好的东西，吃最好的食物”，他说。

　　But for those of us in our 50s, 60s and 70s, the most comfortable and relaxing journey is one where Japanese is spoken, we can enjoy Japanese food, served in the Japanese way. We can rediscover Japan.

　　“但对于我们五六十岁和七十岁的人来说，最舒适、最悠闲的旅程就是身边是讲日语的同类，可以享受日本料理，可以重新发现日本。”