BG Report: Hinotori luxury train to Osaka

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The Hinotori train is a limited express train between the cities of Nagoya and Osaka in Japan. I rode Kintetsu’s Hinotori train one morning to Osaka to check out its famous luxury features.

I had breakfast around 7:30 am, and at that time my blood sugar was as perfect as it gets, 102. I had a muffin and coffee and walked from my hotel to the station for the 2.5-hour train ride.

My seat was in the Premium car, which has an elevated floor and large, open windows for the perfect view of the countryside. The countryside at first was just urban sprawl (with the very occasional view of a river or the sea). So, during those times, I got up to investigate the amenities and facilities on the Hinotori.

An infamous touch is that outside my Premium car, there’s a so-called cafe. It’s actually just two vending machines – one makes fresh-ground coffee and one has some prepackaged snacks alongside some train souvenirs you can buy. Since I’d just had breakfast, I only got some coffee.

It was good, and it did feel luxurious, sitting in my Premium seat and sipping fresh-ground coffee that cost 200 yen (less than $2). And the scenery changed halfway through, to some gorgeous mountains in the Kii range around Mie and Nara Prefectures.

But I was worried about my blood sugar – sitting and relaxing can be good for the soul, but the lack of movement after breakfast, in me at least, can lead to a high BG reading.

Well, the journey ended in Namba in Osaka, and when I got home I checked my final Hinotori BG: it was 88, another perfect reading. As good as it gets. Thanks Hinotori!

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