A shinkansen bullet train featuring Hello Kitty made its final run on Sunday after eight years of operation.
Crowds of fans holding cameras and Hello Kitty merchandise gathered at JR Shin-Osaka Station in western Japan to witness the final departure of the bullet train, which had carried around 1 million passengers since its debut in June 2018.
Featuring pink-themed cars decorated with ribbons and Hello Kitty illustrations on both the exterior and interior, the 500-series Shinkansen operated by West Japan Railway Co ran between Shin-Osaka and Hakata stations.
Fans waved and shouted "Thank you" as the train departed.
Yoshiharu Ikeda, a sixth-grade student visiting from Fukui Prefecture to ride the train, said, "I'm sad that it's retiring, but I'm glad I was able to ride it before it was gone. I want to remember this moment forever.
