Hello Kitty Shinkansen – Hakata Station – Fukuoka, Japan
The 500 series (500系, 500-kei) is a Shinkansen high-speed train type that was operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in Japan. Initially introduced on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line in 1997, it later became a part of the San’yō Shinkansen line starting in 2008. The trains were designed with a capability of reaching speeds up to 320 km/h (199 mph) but were operated at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). The 500 series served on the primary Nozomi service until its retirement in 2010.
Following their retirement from the Nozomi service, the trainsets underwent refurbishment and were repurposed for the all-stations Kodama service, connecting Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata.
In March 2018, JR West introduced a special edition of the 500 series, featuring a distinctive “Hello Kitty” theme. This uniquely themed train commenced its service on Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama routes starting from June 30, 2018. The incorporation of the popular “Hello Kitty” theme added a touch of charm and whimsy to the Shinkansen experience for passengers traveling on these particular services.
Hakata Station (博多駅, Hakata-eki) is a major railway station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest and busiest railway terminal in Kyushu, and is a gateway to other cities in Kyushu for travelers coming from Honshu by rail travel. The San’yō Shinkansen from Osaka ends at this station.
The station was rebuilt in 2011. The main building was demolished and a new, larger station building, as well as office buildings and new platforms, was constructed. The station reconstruction project was initiated specifically for the Kyushu Shinkansen extension from Hakata to Shin-Yatsushiro Station which continues southward through its existing route to Kagoshima-Chūō Station. The new station building has a Hankyu Department Store, its first branch store in Kyushu, as a tenant, as well as other first-in-Kyushu branch retailers including Tokyu Hands.
Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. The area has long been considered the gateway to the country, as it is the nearest point among Japan’s main islands to the Asian mainland. Although humans occupied the area since the Jomon period, some of the earliest settlers of the Yayoi period arrived in the Fukuoka area. The city rose to prominence during the Yamato period. Because of the cross-cultural exposure, and the relatively great distance from the social and political centers of Kyoto, Osaka, and later, Edo (Tokyo), Fukuoka gained a distinctive local culture and dialect that has persisted to the present.
Fukuoka is the most populous city on Kyūshū island, followed by Kitakyushu. It is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Keihanshin. The city was designated by government ordinance on April 1, 1972. Greater Fukuoka, with a population of 2.5 million people (2005 census), is part of the heavily industrialized Fukuoka–Kitakyushu zone.
As of 2015, Fukuoka is Japan’s sixth largest city, having passed the population of Kobe. In July 2011, Fukuoka surpassed the population of Kyoto. Since the founding of Kyoto in 794, this marks the first time that a city west of the Kansai region has a larger population than Kyoto.
AloJapan.com