<p>On Japan's bullet trains, dogs usually have to travel in a carrier, but on Saturday they could stretch their paws and enjoy the scenery on a special pet-friendly express.</p>.<p>At Ueno station in Tokyo, 21 furry passengers boarded the sleek shinkansen train for a one-hour ride to the resort town of Karuizawa with their owners.</p>.<p>"We're having fun," Yukari Seino, 48, told AFP, petting her seven-month-old chihuahua named Chobi, perched comfortably on her lap.</p>.<p>"We travel a lot together, but in the past I've felt bad about keeping my dog in a cage," she said, adding that the journey had been stress-free so far.</p>.<p>Other four-legged day trippers on board the first ever "doggy holiday" service run by Japan Railways included Pomeranians, a terrier and a pointy-eared, cheerful-looking Shiba Inu.</p>.<p>"It's like we're at home. I'm happy we can ride the train without worrying," said 39-year-old Yoko Okubo, who joined the trip with her corgi.</p>.<p>Pets are allowed on the shinkansen but they must be kept inside a holder, and their total weight including the cage must not exceed 10 kilograms (22 pounds).</p>.<p>A whole carriage was dedicated to the pooches on Saturday's tour, a pilot project organised by railway company JR East and its subsidiary JR East Start Up.</p>.<p>They are keen to organise more regular pet-friendly excursions in the future, Start Up official Shino Furukawa told AFP.</p>.<p>"We've received requests from customers who want to have a relaxing time with their dogs on the train," she said.</p>.<p>"We want to create an environment where people can live in harmony with their pets, who are part of the family. This is a big step towards making pet-friendly public transport a reality."</p>.<p>Japanese trains are famous for being spotlessly clean, and one of the biggest challenges was to maintain the impeccable standards on board, she said.</p>.<p>Staff put plastic covers on all the seats and brought four air purifiers into the carriage, which will be spruced up after the trip to remove all dog hair.</p>
<p>On Japan's bullet trains, dogs usually have to travel in a carrier, but on Saturday they could stretch their paws and enjoy the scenery on a special pet-friendly express.</p>.<p>At Ueno station in Tokyo, 21 furry passengers boarded the sleek shinkansen train for a one-hour ride to the resort town of Karuizawa with their owners.</p>.<p>"We're having fun," Yukari Seino, 48, told AFP, petting her seven-month-old chihuahua named Chobi, perched comfortably on her lap.</p>.<p>"We travel a lot together, but in the past I've felt bad about keeping my dog in a cage," she said, adding that the journey had been stress-free so far.</p>.<p>Other four-legged day trippers on board the first ever "doggy holiday" service run by Japan Railways included Pomeranians, a terrier and a pointy-eared, cheerful-looking Shiba Inu.</p>.<p>"It's like we're at home. I'm happy we can ride the train without worrying," said 39-year-old Yoko Okubo, who joined the trip with her corgi.</p>.<p>Pets are allowed on the shinkansen but they must be kept inside a holder, and their total weight including the cage must not exceed 10 kilograms (22 pounds).</p>.<p>A whole carriage was dedicated to the pooches on Saturday's tour, a pilot project organised by railway company JR East and its subsidiary JR East Start Up.</p>.<p>They are keen to organise more regular pet-friendly excursions in the future, Start Up official Shino Furukawa told AFP.</p>.<p>"We've received requests from customers who want to have a relaxing time with their dogs on the train," she said.</p>.<p>"We want to create an environment where people can live in harmony with their pets, who are part of the family. This is a big step towards making pet-friendly public transport a reality."</p>.<p>Japanese trains are famous for being spotlessly clean, and one of the biggest challenges was to maintain the impeccable standards on board, she said.</p>.<p>Staff put plastic covers on all the seats and brought four air purifiers into the carriage, which will be spruced up after the trip to remove all dog hair.</p>