Romancecar

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The Romancecar (ロマンスカー, Roma'nsukā^?) is Odakyu Electric Railway's name for its limited express services south-west of Tokyo. The name comes from romance seats, two-person seats without separating armrests when one-person seats were a norm. Some of the romancecars are equipped with common seats separating armrests.

Odakyu currently operates several Romancecar services: Hakone and Super Hakone service between Shinjuku and Hakone Yumoto (on Hakone-Tozan Line, terminal station for visiting Hakone mountains and springs), Enoshima service between Shinjuku and Katase Enoshima (in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, opposite side from Enoshima Island), Asagiri service between Shinjuku and Numazu (as Numazu, Shizuoka, on Central Japan Railway Company Gotenba Line), Sagami service between Shinjuku and Odawara Station (in Odawara, Kanagawa), and Homeway trains outbound from Shinjuku for Hakone-Yumoto, Katase-Enoshima and Karakida (in Tama New Town area, south-west of Tokyo) after 6 PM.

Several types of trains are used:

• Series 50000 VSE: The newest and most comfortable Odakyu train, with the driver's compartment elevated over the cabin so as to allow front-row passengers a full view of the railway ahead. VSE trains are primarily used for Super Hakone service, and have cabin attendants who bring food, drinks, and on-board shopping to each passenger's seat during the 80-minute run to Hakone.
• Series 30000 EXE: These currently operate most Romancecar services. Most are equipped with vending machines on board, and some also have cabin attendants.
• Series 20000 RSE: These are mainly used for Asagiri service where they alternate with the very similar Central JR Type 371. They are the only Odakyu trains with first-class seating, located in "semi-compartments" on the upper deck of two bi-level cars in the center of each train.
• Series 10000 HiSE and 7000 LSE: These two types are very closely related, and were once the top grade of Romancecar service. Like the VSE, the driver's compartment is elevated so that passengers at the front of the train have an unimpeded view of the scenery. These trains are currently used for Hakone service, plying the same route as the VSE but stopping more often: the trip to Hakone takes about 90 minutes. Cabin attendants are available for food and drink service, except in the evening.

And, other railroad companies also used "Romance Car" or "Romance Seat" (it's a Wasei-eigo word, made in Japan English, about "love seat") for their spacial accommodated passengercars (see "Romance Car" in Japanse Wiki; ja:ロマンスカー). But Odakyu holds the trademark rights of "Romancecar" name.