Big news for One Piece fans and train lovers: the Sunny-Go Train — the world’s only One Piece–themed train, running on the Minamiaso Railway through the stunning Aso caldera — has announced it will end its regular scheduled service in July 2027. The reason given is vehicle renewal due to aging rolling stock. The official last run is set for July 19, 2027 (Monday, a national holiday).
The announcement, posted by the ONE PIECE Kumamoto Recovery Project on July 10, 2026, is bittersweet — but the project is quick to point out that this isn’t goodbye just yet. The train will keep running its full regular schedule right up until that final date, giving riders roughly a year to make memories on board. The Sunny-Go's current timetable was revised in March 2025, so make sure you check the latest schedule before planning your trip.
The Sunny-Go Train has been a beloved symbol of Kumamoto’s recovery after the 2016 earthquake, as well as a tribute to Eiichiro Oda — Kumamoto’s most famous manga artist and the creator of One Piece. The train’s exterior and interior are decked out in One Piece imagery, making it a bucket-list ride for fans visiting the region. Read our full guide to the Sunny-Go Train for everything you need to know before boarding.
If you’ve been putting off making the trip, now is the time. A ride on the Sunny-Go is a uniquely Kumamoto experience — rolling through volcanic highlands with One Piece characters all around you — and once regular service wraps up next summer, the opportunity will be gone. Watch the ONE PIECE Kumamoto Project website for any announcements about special farewell events or limited merchandise closer to the final run.
Source: One Piece Kumamoto Project
