Shinkansen Bullet Train新幹線[ Shinkansen ]

The Shinkansen (新幹線, new trunk line) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen (515.4 km) in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of 2,387.7 km (1,483.6 mi) of lines with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h (150–200 mph), 283.5 km (176.2 mi) of Mini-shinkansen lines with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), and 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of spur lines with Shinkansen services. The network presently links most major cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, with construction of a link to the northern island of Hokkaido underway.

from Shinkansen (Wikipedia) CC BY SA 3.0

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Hokuriku Shinkansen - Gran Class is fabulous even for Japanese! images

Hokuriku Shinkansen - Gran Class is fabulous even for Japanese!

Gran Class is only on Tohoku Shinkansen and Hokuriku Shinkansen. Each train has only 18 seats of Gran Class.Let me put it this way.Normal Reserved Seat - Coach ClassGreen Car - Business ClassGran Class - First ClassAs mentioned, there are only limited number of seats of this class on…(239 words)

KIH image

KIH

Recline and Relax on the Green Car in Japan images

Recline and Relax on the Green Car in Japan

The Green Car facility is offered on selected JR lines including the Shinkansen and the Tokaido and Yokosuka lines in the Tokyo area. Although it requires an extra charge, it is not too expensive and is worth it if you do not want to deal with packed trains and want to relax during rush hours. I us…(228 words)

GenS image

GenS

Watch out for green tea farms on Shinkansen images

Watch out for green tea farms on Shinkansen

You can enjoy drinking tea, as well as watching it grow! Shizuoka-prefecture is the top producing area for Japanese tea, and you can see tea farms from Shinkansen. One hour from Tokyo on the bullet train, you may easily locate those farms on both sides of the railroad. Even if you don't know wh…(113 words)

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ToshiA

Destination Outside Tokyo? How to Use the Ticket Machines images

Destination Outside Tokyo? How to Use the Ticket Machines

For English speakers, the easiest way to purchase Shinkansen tickets will be by using the ticket machines. Lining up to purchase the tickets directly from an attendent will be much more time consuming and a pain since it is likely he or she will not speak English. The ticket machines have English g…(101 words)

GenS image

GenS

Hitachino Nest Beer images

Hitachino Nest Beer

Kiuchi Brewery in Ibaraki prefecture has been making Hitachino Nest Beer since 1996. They offer over ten different kinds of beer including Amber Ale, Espresso Stout, Pale Ale, Weizen, and Japanese Classic Ale. What is also interesting is that one of their beers, the XH (a strong Belgian ale) blend …(117 words)

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Nate

First-Class Cleaning Service on Japan Rails Transforms Into a Science images

First-Class Cleaning Service on Japan Rails Transforms Into a Science

Recently selected as a required course for all 900 students in the Harvard Business School MBA program, TESSEI makes cleaning and keeping the Japanese Shinkansen in mint condition for every single passenger, the new textbook benchmark for efficiency and teamwork.Check out this video report on …(641 words)

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“Promotion Daimyo Character” Ieyasu Kun Rallies for your Success in Hamamatsu City, Japan images

“Promotion Daimyo Character” Ieyasu Kun Rallies for your Success in Hamamatsu City, Japan

Festooned with Symbols of Success for Japan “Ieyasu Kun” will make you smile and help you feel you can do anything you set your mind to.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlwK79Rl3ioHis “Chon Mage” hair fashion says it all! Look closely at Ieyasu Kun’s head and you will see it is not a black ha…(566 words)

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Touge-no-Kamameshi and Daruma Bento images

Touge-no-Kamameshi and Daruma Bento

I would recommend Touge-no-Kamameshi and Daruma Bento from Gunma prefecture. They can be purchased at Nagano Shinkansen stations. They are assortments of traditional Japanese foods in a small ceramic pot (Kamameshi) or Daruma shaped plastic bento box (Daruma Bento). These containers can be reus…(70 words)

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Asiantiger

KAIO Kaitenzushi restaurant in Diver City, Odaiba images

KAIO Kaitenzushi restaurant in Diver City, Odaiba

Kaio is a kaitenzushi restaurant on the 6th floor of Diver City on Odaiba, Tokyo. In addition to the normal conveyor belt, you can use the iPad touch screen to make specific orders, and they are delivered by a little "shinkansen" train on the 2nd level above the conveyor belt. Kids will love this!…(183 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Untouched, Friendly and Awaiting your Arrival; Shizukuishi, Iwate Japan. images

Untouched, Friendly and Awaiting your Arrival; Shizukuishi, Iwate Japan.

I planned to arrive in Shizukuishi, Iwate Prefecture while the sun was still shining, but a speech in Chiba City delayed my arrival until long after the moon rose on this village of just over 17,000 residents in Northeast Japan. It was a sweltering day with temperatures around 36 degrees Celsiu…(1112 words)

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Visit Niigata Japan: Rice Paddies, Toki Birds and Noh Experience images

Visit Niigata Japan: Rice Paddies, Toki Birds and Noh Experience

"Get the latest updates here on Deep Japan as we collaborate with Tokyo Broadcasting System(TBS) Television, JNN(Japan News Network/TBS nation wide affiliates)'s seven-station network across Japan and Vietnam's VTV station to bring the people in Vietnam informative and fun reports from the fantasti…(611 words)

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sarajean

Sea foods bowl restaurant "Kaishu" in Odawara images

Sea foods bowl restaurant "Kaishu" in Odawara

Odawara is the station many people pass by when they visit popular Hakone. We happened to walk around Odawara for the first time when we visited Hakone last time. There, we found a very good restaurant specializing in sea foods bowls(Donburi),"Kaishu". With such a colorful restaurant's front face, …(242 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Visit the Birthplace of the Big Japanese Company, Suzuki Motors images

Visit the Birthplace of the Big Japanese Company, Suzuki Motors

My Dad built a special structure to house his Suzuki Motorcycle out of the rain and wind on our hillside home overlooking Pearl Harbor and my friends in India know Maruti Suzuki with as much familiarity as any homegrown product. http://www.marutisuzuki.comI went to the Suzuki birthplace, Hama…(732 words)

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Wired-In Dining images

Wired-In Dining

One of the most novel, convenient, and custom dining experiences I have come across in all of my travels can be found popping up in restaurants in and around Tokyo. These hybrid systems of food ordering and delivery are truly an entertaining spectacle while you eat. Technology and food combine to o…(412 words)

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Alex

Enjoy Scenery in Japan Without Having to Walk images

Enjoy Scenery in Japan Without Having to Walk

The seishun 18 ticket is a very cheap way to travel long distance on trains in Japan. The ticket is sold in sets of five and one set costs 11,300yen. The amazing thing is that one ticket will allow you to travel on any JR local train in Japan as many times as you want with in 24 hours. This is amaz…(172 words)

GenS image

GenS

Best Way to Get to Yokohama, Japan images

Best Way to Get to Yokohama, Japan

The Tokaido line covers 700km from Tokyo to Kobe station, the longest distance among all local trains in Japan. However, one train on the line will not take you from Tokyo to Kobe. You will have to transfer many times. In the Tokyo area, the Tokaido line runs from Tokyo station South to Yokohama an…(107 words)

GenS image

GenS

Check out JR Rail Pass images

Check out JR Rail Pass

If you purchase a JR rail pass before coming to Japan, you can ride all JR trains and most Shinkansen for no additional fee. One week costs around 28,000 yen and 2 weeks costs around 45,000 yen. Typically, a round trip out to Kyoto or Osaka will cover the cost of a week rail pass.(52 words)

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KurtisW

Should I Get The Japan Rail Pass? images

Should I Get The Japan Rail Pass?

One of the first things travelers often bring up when we’re discussing their trip is purchasing the Japan Rail Pass.However, while it’s commonly thought to be *hands-down* the best – and least expensive – way to travel around Japan, in fact it’s not always the best option!JAPAN RAIL PASS “B…(656 words)

Andres Zuleta, Boutique Japan image

Andres Zuleta, Boutique Japan

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref. images

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref.

Living in the concrete jungle of Tokyo can be overwhelming after a while. (Like the frog being boiled in a pot.)I was looking for a place to get back to nature within a short Shinkansen ride from Tokyo. A friend turned me on to a place called Minakami in Gunma prefecture. There the Tone Riv…(112 words)

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JiyugaokaPaul

Ready for the Queen of New York Breakfasts Eggs Benedict? images

Ready for the Queen of New York Breakfasts Eggs Benedict?

First...the food. A first of a kind anywhere in the world! To tell us about her newest creation, the "Queen of Breakfasts in New York City", Sarabeth Levine, namesake of Sarabeth's at the opening of her third restaurant here in Tokyo at the new, just opened Shinagawa station location describing her…(253 words)

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Kong

Ready to Take a Three-Day Trip From Tokyo, Japan? images

Ready to Take a Three-Day Trip From Tokyo, Japan?

Are you going somewhere in Japan?Planning to adventure anywhere outside of Tokyo? If so, you need the low-down on how to master Shinkansen Bullet Train Travel!Well, here I would like to use my recent trip to Shizukuishi in Iwate, Prefecture as a perfect example of the process on how to fi…(1015 words)

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Unknown but, worth visiting area, Lake Hamana images

Unknown but, worth visiting area, Lake Hamana

Those of you who have an experience of taking Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka or Kyoto probably noticed Shinkansen passes over the lake after one and a half hour ride.The lake is called Hamana and is 10th largest lake in Japan.It used be a fresh water lake nearby Pacific Ocean but, the bank that…(97 words)

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kazmcqueen

Japan offers you a "Retreat of the Heart" images

Japan offers you a "Retreat of the Heart"

I read recently about how it is very important to be able to retreat within yourself. Are you able to do that? Do you find peace and calm for retrospection as you walk around, take care of daily tasks or ride a bus?If you are like me, I bet a lot of the time, you are kind of on alert. One of my…(637 words)

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Try McDonald's and Starubucks images

Try McDonald's and Starubucks

I've seen some McDonald's equipped with free AC outlets. The one in Yoyogi has a counter with ac outlets per seat. Also some Starbucks have free ACs. Newer Shinkansen (bullet train) also has AC outlets per seat so you can use your laptop all throughout your journey to Kyoto!(49 words)

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taro

The best way to buys bullet train tickets images

The best way to buys bullet train tickets

Although it's possible to purchase bullet train tickets at the automated ticket machines, I prefer to stand in line at the train ticket office (usually located near the shinkansen entrance in stations). Even though this sometimes entails standing in line for a few extra minutes, I prefer being abl…(180 words)

Andrea Miyata image

Andrea Miyata

Can't make the scene if you don't have the green. images

Can't make the scene if you don't have the green.

The green car is like business class for the bullet train.Personally any seat on the bullet train is fancy enough for me.If you like the feel of VIP I recommend the green car seats.To ride the green for free.If you can collect points if you have a JR credit card every time you buy a Shink…(77 words)

Yuuki I image

Yuuki I

You can eat and drink in some trains! images

You can eat and drink in some trains!

Shinkansen is OK. Romance Car is OK.Basically, you can eat and drink sitting in box seats, but there are some exception ; Yurikamome is not suitable.Commuter trains are not suitable.When you find a vendor selling Obento by a cargo in train, definitely you can eat there. You need t…(55 words)

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Moo Moo

Kyoto images

Kyoto

You can do a day trip to Kyoto from Tokyo. Take the first Shinkansen at 6:00 from Tokyo or Shinagawa to Kyoto, and return with the last Shinkansen leaving Kyoto around 22:30. Here are tips what to do in Kyoto:http://www.fasol.com/2013/08/26/tips-for-kyoto/(43 words)

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gerhard

Myoko Kogen images

Myoko Kogen

I recommend Myoko Kogen in Niigata. It is not on a shinkansen (bullet train) line so it is a lot less busy to other more famous ski resorts on the shinkansen lines. You can read more about Myoko Kogen here (http://myokokogen.net/resorts/suginohara/)If you prefer nice powder snow, I recommend …(76 words)

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Jase

Golden Week images

Golden Week

Golden Week - that period of many holidays in Japan - is upon us! For some, the long holiday period started on April 29 (Tuesday) and will stretch through Sunday, May 11. A "hearty" few even took April 28th off, giving them 16 days of vacation time with only 7 days of actual vacation days used. Man…(489 words)

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Joe Peters