Japan Data
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Mar 16, 2024; updated Apr 18, 2025
In the more than 60 years since the Tōkaidō Shinkansen began running between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan’s high-speed train service has expanded into a broad network of routes that stretches across the nation, and the famous “bullet train” continues to grow.
Below we present information on Japan’s high-speed Shinkansen rail network. Originally launched in 1964 between Tokyo and Osaka, it has grown in the decades since, and today it spans much of the country, with plans underway to extend it still further.
The map also displays “standard plan” lines originally proposed by the government in 1973 to cover areas like Shikoku, eastern Kyūshū, and the Japan Sea coast; lower regional populations and likely ridership figures have kept these proposals from advancing since then.
Shinkansen Routes in Operation
* The Yamagata and Akita Shinkansens connect to Tokyo via the Tōhoku Shinkansen line. They are known as mini-shinkansens as they run on existing railway lines that have been converted to 1,435 mm gauge to accommodate the faster trains.
New Shinkansen Lines Planned or Under Construction
(Originally published in October 2014. Last updated on April 9, 2025. Banner photo © Kimura Takuma.)
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AloJapan.com