DD51-1183, EF81-44 and their mystery trains

[yakumo381]

Does anyone recognise the mystery train that DD51-1183 is pulling through Shin-Osaka station? Appears to be a "salon car" train of some type but not one that I have seen before.

 

Also attached a picture of EF81-44 pulling another special through Shin-Osaka shortly before the above made up of the Naniwa set..

 

The platform was quite crowded with "Tori-tetsu" but all I could gather was that this was some sort of "memorial" train - again does anyone recognise it, perhaps from the headboard?

 

Pictures were taken last month.

[miyakoji]

That's the Asuka.  JR West's first joyful train, apparently.

 

http://tomodachiya221.at.webry.info/200806/article_4.html

http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~suzuki3309/20050811jrosaka.2009.html (second pic)

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%82%E3%81%99%E3%81%8B_%28%E9%89%84%E9%81%93%E8%BB%8A%E4%B8%A1%29

http://old-staff.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2008/08/jr-dff5.html ("very last time it will go to Tokyo?" the title asks)

http://nihonkai.exp.jp/hm/a/asuka.html (reproduction of headmark, not sure if it's authentic.  makes a cool avatar)

 

two vids:

 

 

 

 

Personally I liked the Okayama-based You You Salon Okayama, with loudly painted EF65 123: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%86%E3%81%86%E3%82%86%E3%81%86%E3%82%B5%E3%83%AD%E3%83%B3%E5%B2%A1%E5%B1%B1#/media/File:JR_West_ef65_123_renew_yuyusalon_okayama.jpg

[velotrain]

 

> Personally I liked the Okayama-based You You Salon Okayama, with loudly painted EF65 123: 

 

I think that's the first painted train that I ever really liked.

[yakumo381]

Thanks for the info, I have a few more mysteries for the forum to puzzle over from my recent Japan trip that I will be posting later. :)