JR West said that the Kid's Space, usually set up during the busy season, will once again be available free of charge in Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima Station. And other stations will offer some hospitable welcome.

Overview of Kid's Space

• Implementation period: 10:00 - 18:00 of August 7, 2010 through August 15
• Located at:
  • Shin-Osaka Station: conventional train's concourse
  • Hiroshima Station: Shinkansen concourse
• Intended for: children of elementary-age or younger
• Fee: free of charge

Overview of Other Hospitable Welcomes

• Mihara Station: Between 10am and 3pm of August 14, 2010 and 15, magnetic fishing game will be available in front of Shinkansen's gate. A shooting location where passengers can take pictures with the local objects like octopus and daruma will be also available.
• Hiroshima Station: Between 10am and 5pm of August 14, 2010 and 15, small hopping in which children can play a lottery will be available. A shooting location for families will be also available.
• Tokuyama Station: From August 14, 2010 to 16, the station will serve passengers cold barley tea.
• Shin-Yamaguchi Station: Ice pillars will be displayed in the concourse. Young passengers may get little presents of a paper fan and candies.

To promote traveling by Kodama for family travelers, JR West installed kid's cockpits in eight cars 500 series Kodama trains. Moreover, they are providing additional service of trying on a staff's cap for picture and borrow illustrated books in car 8 of 500 series Kodama between this summer.

The car 8 of those Kodama trains are free seating. Passengers, wanting to travel by quiet cabin, will be recommended taking their seats out of car 8. In those trains, all cars except car 6 are free seating.

Overview of trying on a staff's cap and bollow picture books

• Travel dates: Sat. Sun. and holidays between July 17, 2010 through August 29, and everyday from August 11 through 18
• Trains and sectors:
  • Kodama 737, from Shin-Osaka (07:29) to Hiroshima (10:32)
    
  • Kodama 744, from Hiroshima (13:29) to SHin-Osaka (16:05)
  • Kodama 757, from Shin-Osaka (16:38) to Okayama (18:01)
• Remarks:This service is subject to suspend due to the traffic conditions like vehicle change and being heavily inconvenienced.

JR West announced that Mine Line and Kure Line's services are suspended due to the heavy rain.

Mine Line's service is fully suspended between Asa and Nagatoshi because a bridge was washed out and roadbeds are collapsed. JR West said that recovery work requires an appreciable period.

Kure Line's service is suspended between Mihara and Hiro because of mudslides beside the tracks. It is planed to start the shuttle service between Mihara and Takehara, and Yasuura and Hiroshima. The rest section, between Takehara and Yasuura, will be kept suspended and bus transportation instead will be provided. Similarly, JR West said that recovery work requires long periods of time.

Visit the JR West's web site for up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions.

JR West said that "Chugoku Go-ken Norihodai Kippu" (中国5県乗り放題きっぷ meaning Unlimited Travel Ticket over the Chugoku Five Prefectures) will be released.

This ticket allows unlimited ride of JR's local trains in Chugoku area for two days. The price is JPY 5,000 for a adult and JPY 2,000 for a child. Traveling by Shinkansen between Okayama and Shin-Shimonoseki will be available with additionally paying the express fare. If the passengers will travel between Okayama and Hiroshima, the single fare costs over JPY 2,500, buying this ticket is better than paying regular fare.

Overview of Chugoku Go-ken Norihodai Kippu

• Name of the ticket: Chugoku Go-ken Norihodai Kippu (中国5県乗り放題きっぷ meaning Unlimited Travel Ticket over the Chugoku Five Prefectures)
• Travel dates: two consecutive days of Fri. Sat. Sun. and a holiday between July 16, 2010 through December 19
  # regardless of the day between August 20 through 31
• Period of selling: July 14, 2010 through December 17
  # must be purchased by the day before departure
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows unlimited ride of JR's local trains within the Chugoku area and JR's Miyajima Ferry service.
  # To travel by Shinkansen, other express services and Green-car, required paying the additinal express fares, etc.
• Available sectors: JR lines within Okayama, Hiroshima, Tottori, Shimane and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and JR's Miyajima Ferry service
• Prices: JPY 5,000 for a adult and JPY 2,000 for a child
• Terms of use: This ticket is for at least two persons traveling along.
• Purchasable at: major stations and travel vendors within the five prefectures
• Remarks: This ticket is NOT valid on other railway company's lines like Chizu Express (智頭急行), Ibara Railway (井原鉄道), etc.

Media reports said 100 series will retire by the spring of 2012 and JR West said nothing officially. 100 series painted in white and blue debuted in 1985 and has been operated as 16 cars trains. But they were shortened to four or six-car after 2000 and are running as Kodama trains with kelly green-colored belt on a gray background now. JR West released that three of six-car 100 series trains will be back in white and blue. The cars are now being repainted and the first one will come back at the end of this July.