Early on March 29, a Tsubame shinkansen train car was loaded onto a trailer and departed from a maintenance depot in the city of Kumamoto.

The car was part of the bullet train that derailed in the Kumamoto earthquake which struck on April 14, 2016.

Three of the train's six cars were scrapped, while the remaining three were kept for use in training for painting and maintenance.

JR Kyushu spent about half a year repairing the lead car as part of a project to express gratitude to communities along the Kyushu shinkansen line on the 15th anniversary of its full opening.

The Tsubame, which means swallow, was loaded onto a ship and departed from Kumamoto Port.

About 1,000 people gathered to see it off.

S/ Participant from Fukuoka / I'm just so happy.

S/ Participant from Asagiri, Kumamoto / This is a rare and invaluable experience.

The train car will stop at ports in Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Nagasaki prefectures before being displayed in front of JR Hakata Station in Fukuoka from April 10 to 19.