A1–A2 Level

Vocabulary

• mysterious – difficult to understand. The forest looked mysterious at night.

• immersive – making you feel inside a new world. The movie was very immersive.

• installation – an art object shown in a place. We saw a light installation in the park.

• booth – a small space in a restaurant. We sat in a booth to eat dinner.

• scene – part of a story or film. This is my favorite scene in the movie.

Text

A new restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, is inside a pink train. It is called Future Train Kyoto Diner & Café. The train has three cars. The first car does not have food. Instead, it has an immersive show with lights and music.

The second car looks like a classic dining car but with pink booths. The third car has private seats for small groups and a bar. Outside, people can sit on the platform or buy things in the shop.

The menu is very special. You can eat pink rice omelet, pink pasta, and a big dessert called the Pagoda Parfait, which is taller than 30 cm. There is also a special seven-course meal with a short immersive train ride.

To enter the train, people must pay 700 yen (about $4.75) and order at least one food or drink.

Comprehension Questions

1. What color is the train?

2. How tall is the Pagoda Parfait?

3. How much does it cost to enter the train?

Personal Questions (15)

1. Do you like trains?

2. Have you ever eaten on a train?

3. What is your favorite dessert?

4. Do you like rice or pasta more?

5. Would you try pink food?

6. Have you visited a restaurant in another city?

7. Do you like to sit in a booth?

8. Have you tried Japanese food?

9. Do you like big meals or small meals?

10. Do you like lights and music in restaurants?

11. What is your favorite place to eat?

12. Have you ever been to a fun or strange restaurant?

13. Do you like to eat inside or outside?

14. Would you like to visit Kyoto?

15. Do you like to try new food?

Answers

1. The train is pink.

2. Over 30 cm tall.

3. 700 yen (about $4.75).

B1–B2 Level

Vocabulary

• mysterious – strange and difficult to explain. The cave seemed mysterious in the dark.

• immersive – giving a strong feeling of being inside an experience. The VR game was very immersive.

• installation – an art piece placed in a certain area. The light installation amazed visitors.

• booth – a small, partly closed space for eating. They chose a booth for more privacy.

• scene – part of a story, play, or movie. This scene made the audience laugh.

• pagoda – a tall Asian temple tower. The pagoda is a symbol of Kyoto.

Text

In Kyoto, a unique dining experience has arrived with the Future Train Kyoto Diner & Café. Built inside an old Thunderbird Express train, the restaurant combines futuristic design with traditional Japanese inspiration.

The train has three cars. The first car, called the "Future Bird," is not for eating but for an immersive light-and-sound installation. The second car resembles a traditional dining car but features modern touches, such as pink booths. The third car includes private rooms and the "Future Bar," which looks like a scene from a science-fiction film.

Guests can also enjoy a shop and outdoor seating. On the menu are creative dishes, such as pink omurice and pink pasta, a bento box with nine small dishes, and the Pagoda Parfait, a tall dessert over 30 cm. There is even a seven-course "Future Imagination Course," which includes a ride inside the immersive first car.

Admission costs 700 yen (around $4.75), and visitors must order at least one item from the menu.

Comprehension Questions

1. What is the name of the first train car?

2. What special feature does the third car include?

3. What must guests do to enter the train?

Personal Questions (15)

1. Have you ever seen a train used in a creative way?

2. Would you like to eat food in a train restaurant?

3. What’s the most unusual restaurant you’ve visited?

4. Do you prefer traditional or modern restaurants?

5. Would you order the Pagoda Parfait?

6. What food do you think should be pink?

7. Do you enjoy immersive shows?

8. Would you pay extra money for an experience like this?

9. Do you prefer eating with friends or alone?

10. Do you think themed restaurants are better than normal ones?

11. What’s the most expensive meal you’ve had?

12. Do you enjoy seven-course meals?

13. What makes a restaurant memorable for you?

14. Would you recommend this train diner to a friend?

15. Do you think your city should have a similar train café?

Answers

1. The Future Bird.

2. Private seating and the Future Bar.

3. Pay 700 yen and order one menu item.

C1–C2 Level

Vocabulary

• mysterious – puzzling, difficult to explain. The disappearance of the ship was mysterious.

• immersive – deeply engaging, surrounding the senses. The exhibition was highly immersive.

• installation – a piece of art arranged in a space. The installation changed the whole atmosphere.

• booth – a semi-enclosed dining space. They enjoyed dinner in a quiet booth.

• scene – a distinct part of a narrative or performance. The opening scene set the mood for the play.

• pagoda – a multi-tiered Asian temple structure. The pagoda stood out against the skyline.

Text

Kyoto has unveiled an innovative attraction that blends gastronomy, performance, and design: the Future Train Kyoto Diner & Café. Housed in a restored Thunderbird Express, this restaurant reimagines train travel as a cultural and culinary journey.

The train consists of three distinct cars. The "Future Bird," the first car, is dedicated not to food but to an immersive audiovisual installation, immersing visitors in a futuristic spectacle. The second car references the elegance of a classical dining carriage while modernizing it with vibrant pink booths. The third car offers intimate seating as well as the "Future Bar," a striking setting described as cinematic in its atmosphere.

Beyond the interiors, the establishment includes a shop and open-air seating on the station platform. The menu fuses playful creativity with Japanese tradition: pink omurice and pasta carbonara, a nine-dish bento, and the extravagant Pagoda Parfait, rising over 30 centimeters. The signature experience, the "Future Imagination Course," presents seven courses paired with a 20-minute immersive ride in the Future Bird.

Entry requires a 700 yen fee (approximately $4.75), with every guest obliged to order at least one menu item.

Comprehension Questions

1. How does the restaurant reinterpret the idea of a train journey?

2. What makes the "Future Imagination Course" unique?

3. What are the conditions for entering the train restaurant?

Personal Questions (15)

1. Do you consider dining an artistic experience? Why or why not?

2. Would you classify themed dining as entertainment or cuisine?

3. How does the blending of art and food affect your interest in a restaurant?

4. What role does atmosphere play in your dining preferences?

5. Do you value novelty or tradition more in restaurants?

6. How important is visual presentation in food?

7. Would you pay for an immersive meal experience?

8. Do you think themed restaurants can remain popular long-term?

9. How does this concept reflect Kyoto’s cultural identity?

10. Do you think the $4.75 entry fee is reasonable?

11. How would you compare this to fine dining restaurants in your country?

12. Could such concepts be successful outside Japan? Why or why not?

13. What do you think is the future of dining experiences?

14. Do you believe the Future Train could inspire similar projects worldwide?

15. If you designed a themed restaurant, what would it look like?

Answers

1. By turning a train into both a dining space and an immersive cultural experience.

2. It combines a seven-course menu with a 20-minute immersive train ride.

3. Pay 700 yen and order at least one menu item.