Celebrity Railway Fans Appear Again! Grand Prix to be Decided by Live Vote: '15th Tetsutabi of the Year' Results and Award Ceremony Announced

The ultimate battle for railway travel! Which rail trip from the 2025 offerings will win the Grand Prix? The 'Best Amateur Award,' filled with the dreams of rail fans from general applications, will also be announced!

The Tetsutabi of the Year Executive Committee will hold the results announcement and award ceremony for the '15th Tetsutabi of the Year' at the Railway Museum (Omiya Ward, Saitama City) starting at 13:30 on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. This award, which recognizes excellence in domestic railway travel, celebrates its 15th milestone after its inaugural event in fiscal year 2011, having received significant responses from industry professionals, media, and the public. The awards feature creative works from travel agencies across Japan as well as dream railway travel plans submitted by individual fans. Unique and attractive winning works have been selected through a first round of judging by the committee and a second round by external judges led by Masahiko Yamaguchi.

## The Grand Prix will be decided by a live vote on the day of the ceremony! Which railway trip will win from the heartfelt plans?
This year, the 'Tetsutabi of the Year' winner will be selected from 89 entries! The Grand Prix will be decided by a final vote on the day from three Excellence Award-winning works. In addition to professional entries, the 'Best Amateur Award' will be announced from general submissions. The category winners are as follows:

### 15th Tetsutabi of the Year - Award Winning Products List

**Excellence Awards:**
* **Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd.** - Product: 'A 5-Day Journey Across Japan by Rail, Connecting 5 Limited Express and 3 Shinkansen Trains.'
* **Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd.** - Product: 'Osaka to Nagano via Direct Chartered Train "Nippon Travel Agency 120th Anniversary Special" to Nagano and Zenko-ji Temple.'
* **Club Tourism International Inc.** - Product: 'Ride the World's First Operational DMV on Roads and Rails! Spectacular Views of the Seto Inland Sea, Pacific Ocean, and Shimanto River - A 3-Day Circular Tour of Shikoku via 7 Local Trains.'

*Note: The Grand Prix will be selected from these three works via a vote following presentations on the day.*

**Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) Railway Bureau Director's Award:**
* **Club Tourism International Inc.** - Product: 'Chartered Operations of Iizaka, Yamagata, Yuri Kogen, and Akita Nairiku Local Railways! Enjoy Local Sake from Along the Lines on Board!! A Marriage of "Tohoku Local Train Tour" and "Tohoku Local Sake Tour."'

**Judges' Special Award:**
* **JTB Corp.** - Product: 'Traveling with Former Editors-in-Chief: JTB Timetable 100th Anniversary Special - A Journey on Freight Lines in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.'

**Best Amateur Award:**
* **Chihiro Hashimoto** - Product: 'A 14-Day Journey Across Japan Visiting the 3 Major Luxury Cruise Trains (Shikishima, Mizukaze, Seven Stars) – Riding 9 Sightseeing Trains Too.'

## Three celebrity railway fans will energize the venue again! A 'Special Segment' related to railways will also be held!
This year, the ceremony will be hosted by comedian and railway fan Masahiro Yoshikawa (Darling Honey) and 'Joshi-tetsu' (female rail fan) announcer Tomomi Kuno. During the ceremony, Yusuke Minamida (Horipro's railway-loving manager), known as one of the 'Railway BIG4' on TV, will also join to liven up the event. In the 'Special Segment' by these three celebrities, they will hold a hilarious talk on the theme: 'What if AI planned a railway trip?!' Please look forward to it!

### Performer Profiles
* **Masahiro Yoshikawa:** Comedian, born 1977. Member of the 'Tamori Train Club' and one of the 'Railway BIG4' on TV. Appears in many railway-related programs.
* **Tomomi Kuno:** Free announcer and female rail fan. MC for various railway programs on TV and radio. Also serves as an automated voice announcer for several private railways. Author of six books.
* **Yusuke Minamida:** Manager at Horipro. A certified domestic travel service supervisor who appears on numerous TV programs as a railway enthusiast. Author of 'Freight Train Maniacs.'

## Award Ceremony Overview
* **Name:** 'Tetsutabi of the Year' Award Ceremony
* **Host:** Tetsutabi of the Year Executive Committee
* **Date & Time:** Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 13:30 – 15:35 (Scheduled). Doors open at 13:00.
* **Location:** Teppaku Hall, Railway Museum (3-47 Onari-cho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama)
* **Access:** 1-minute walk from 'Railway Museum Station' via the New Shuttle from JR Omiya Station.

### Information for General Visitors
A viewing area will be set up for visitors to the Railway Museum on the day. Entry to Teppaku Hall starts at 13:00. Numbered tickets will be distributed in front of the hall from 12:45. Admission to the Railway Museum is required.

## 15th Tetsutabi of the Year Overview
* **Travel Agency Category:** Rail travel packages in Japan conducted or scheduled between Jan 2025 and Dec 2025. Must feature the appeal of rail travel as a core element with high creativity.
* **General Category:** Rail tour plans targeting 2026 Destination Campaign locations: Fukushima, Kumamoto, Yamaguchi, or Kyoto.
* **Awards:** Grand Prix (1), Excellence Awards (3), MLIT Railway Bureau Director's Award (1), Judges' Special Award (1), Best Amateur Award (1).
* **Organization:** Hosted by Tetsutabi of the Year Executive Committee with support from all JR companies, MLIT, and various tourism associations.