Japan Airlines reveals new Gundam themed restaurant bus

Gundam themed aircraft and bus parked in an aircraft hangar

WILLER Group and Japan Airlines (JAL) will be operating a specialized “JAL x Gundam Restaurant Bus” in conjunction with the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.

The “Restaurant Bus” is a modified double-decker bus equipped with a fully functional kitchen developed by the WILLER Group.

A graphic showing the design of the JAL x Gundam Restaurant Bus — The JAL x Gundam Restaurant Bus features images of the RX-78F00/E Gundam

The first “Restaurant Bus” was introduced in Niigata City in 2016 and more have since entered service in Tokyo and other regions in Japan, spanning from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

The “Restaurant Bus” concept offers a unique dining experience, with diners sitting approximately three meters above ground level.

The food served typically involves curated courses that highlight the unique food, scenery, and culture of the region it is operating in.

Each bus features a kitchen on the lower floor where chefs prepare each dish.

A person cooking on a portable hotplate — The kitchen area takes up the bottom floor of the Restaurant Bus

Up to 25 passengers can then enjoy these freshly prepared meals at face-to-face tables equipped with custom glass holders on the bus’s second level.

A group of women dining on the top floor of an open-top bus. — Diners can enjoy meals while seated on the top floor of the bus

A retractable roof allows passengers to enjoy open-air dining on clear days and comfortable, climate-controlled dining during inclement weather.

The collaboration between WILLER ACROSS and JAL aims to capitalize on the popularity of the previously announced “JAL Gundam JET” aircraft.

A Gundam themed plane flying in front of Mount Fuji — The new bus is in addition to the previously announced JAL Gundam JET

The “JAL x Gundam Restaurant Bus” will begin operating in areas serviced by the Gundam-themed aircraft between March and October 2025.

The “JAL x Gundam Restaurant Bus” will be wrapped in a custom design featuring imagery from the “GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION,” a private pavilion operated by Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. at the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Images of the GUNDAM NEXT PAVILION at Expo 2025 — Gundam fans can visit the GUNDAM NEXT PAVILION at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo

The bus will feature images of the “RX-78F00/E Gundam (EX-001 Glass Feather Equipped)” that appears in the pavilion’s video presentation, as well as “Myakumyaku”, the Osaka-Kansai Expo’s official character.

Detailed information regarding the operating schedule and routes of the “JAL x Gundam Restaurant Bus” will be released periodically on the JAL x GUNDAM FLY TO THE FUTURE PROJECT website.

Source: Official Website