Japan may famously be home to high-speed bullet-train technology, but it also excels at slowing down in style. Testimony to this are a string of luxury travel experiences – from trains to boats – where the focus lies on savouring the beauty of the moment rather than reaching the destination.

Among a flurry of opulent rail experiences across Japan is Twilight Express Mizukaze. A modern take on the Golden Age of Travel, the opulent train, which travels across western Japan, has a luxurious Art Deco-style interior inspired by a “modern nostalgic” design concept.

As elegant as it is intimate (it accommodates up to 34 guests), there are countless ways to pass the time – from enjoying artisanal tea sets and crafted aperitifs while soaking up the passing scenery of the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea; to relishing an exquisite dinner devised by famed chef Yoshihiro Murata, inspired by the surrounding waters, mountains and regional farms.

Twilight Express Mizukaze

Stepping aboard Train Suite Shiki-Shima is another way to push the luxury boundaries of rail travel while exploring Japan. Inside its champagne-gold exterior lies a world where the art of voyaging on wheels is taken to new luxury heights – from its carefully crafted suites (two with crafted cypress-wood bathtubs), around-the-clock butlers and Michelin-starred chefs to its light-flooded observation car.

The train, designed by Kiyoyuki Ken Okuyama, carries up to 34 passengers at a time from the skyscraper-packed skyline of Tokyo to the atmospheric mountains, rice fields and farmland of various areas such as Yamanashi and Nagano.

Meanwhile, those keen to explore southern Japan on wheels should board Seven Stars in Kyushu. This luxury sleeper train, with its luxurious vintage-tinged interior, gently traverses the island of Kyushu, past temples, hot-spring onsen spots and volcanic mountains.

Expanses of windows capture scenic views while seated in the train’s Jupiter dining car and Blue Moon lounge car, with exquisite food and five-star service rivalled only by the beauty of the passing landscape.

Setouchi Island Cruise

Luxury travel is not confined to land: the serene blue waters of the Seto Inland Sea, which flows between four of Japan’s main islands, can be explored in style on board an exclusive private cruise.

Setouchi Island Cruise arranges bespoke cruises offering an intimate insight into the region’s rich history, delicious seafood cuisine and cultural heritage, weaving guests through light-flecked blue waters scattered with small fishing islands.

The Seto Inland Sea is also home to Naoshima, the so-called art island, which is packed with world-class installations and museums – the perfect creative pit-stop on a private cruise.

Setouchi Island Cruise

Another highlight for travelling in luxury in Japan? The Royal Express, a new-generation train operated by Tokyu Corporation that transports guests on a scenic three-hour journey between Yokohama, just outside Tokyo, and Shimoda, on the Izu peninsula.

Sweeping views of the Pacific steal the show aboard the eight-car, 100-seat train, whose atmospheric interiors were designed by Eiji Mitooka in an artful fusion of traditional materials such as intricate wood panelling and washi paper with calligraphic paintings.

Those keen to delve deeper into the experience of travelling in style on board The Royal Express can also enjoy longer three-night trips to northern Hokkaido in late summer and autumn.