First Class on Japan’s Bullet Train Shinkansen – Tokyo to Kyoto (unusual route)

First Class on Japan’s Bullet Train Shinkansen – Tokyo to Kyoto (unusual route)

Today, from Tokyo to Kyoto, we will experience first class on Japan’s bullet train, the Shinkansen. However, it’s an unusual route. we’ll also be experiencing business class on the Shinkansen. Please enjoy! Our journey begins at Tokyo Station. It’s 6:53 AM, and we’re standing in front of Tokyo Station. The ticket gate for the Shinkansen train is on the opposite side, so we’ll use the connecting passageway to get there. This is the Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station (opposite from where we left earlier). Here, we find the Shinkansen ticket counter. I pick up my reserved tickets from the automatic ticket vending machine. I got the tickets. We’ll be taking three trains, totaling 40,610 JPY (267.6 USD). Go through the ticket gate. After passing through the ticket gate, I head to my usual spot: Ekiben-ya Matsuri (Lunch box shop). They have about 200 varieties of ekiben (lunch box) from all over Japan. Beef ekiben. Heating ekiben. My favorite is the heating ekiben. The Osaka/Kansai Ekiben Fair is currently being held. The matsutake mushroom sukiyaki rice looks delicious. After purchasing the ekiben, we head to the Shinkansen platform. Go through the ticket gate again. The shinkansen information is displayed. Today’s shinkansen is a 12-car train. Car 12 is First Class (Gran Class). I arrive at the Tokyo Station platform. The Tohoku Shinkansen Hayabusa. It’s the fastest shinkansen in Japan, with a top speed of 320 km/h (198 mph). The Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa. It’s coupled with the Tohoku Shinkansen Yamabiko. Its green body and long nose are cool. That white car over there is the Tokaido Shinkansen. The new N700S series. It runs directly from Tokyo to Kyoto (2 hours 15 minutes). However, today we’re taking a different Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. It has a cool exterior. The Shinkansen we will be riding today is the Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki. It departs Tokyo Station at 8:11 AM, bound for Tsuruga. As we saw earlier, the Hokuriku Shinkansen consists of 12 cars, with car 12 designated as First Class (Gran Class). The Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki has arrived! The front shape has a superhero-like design. Refreshing colors include blue, gold, and white. The exterior of car 12. The sign reads “Kagayaki 505, bound for Tsuruga.” Operated by JR East. The Gran Class logo. I’m worried about whether I’ll be able to fit my rather large suitcase. We’re traveling on this Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Tsuruga Station. The fare is 35,210 JPY (231.95 USD). Gran Class is a combination of the French “Gran” and the English “Class.” It’s equivalent to First Class on an airplane or a hotel suite. Gran Class has a total of 18 seats. The seating arrangement is 1-2. There are overhead luggage racks. My slightly larger suitcase (69 x 46 x 27 cm) fit just fine. There are blankets available for rental. There’s space behind the seats, so it looks like I’ll be able to fit my suitcase there as well. The color scheme is a little darker and more subdued than the Gran Class seat on the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayabusa I rode previously. There’s a space for luggage here. Although I can put my suitcase here, I am a little worried that it might be stolen. I don’t think anyone in Japan would go out of their way to steal, but it’s still possible. The shinkansen departed at 8:11 am, right on schedule. There is one attendant on board in Gran Class. There is a service that gives us a small bag after boarding. Inside a small bag, there is a 280ml bottle of mineral water, wet wipes, dried apples, and nuts. The service menu. A welcome message. Light meals are provided early on. Alcoholic drinks. Hot and cold drinks. Free amenities (slippers, shoehorn, blanket). Light Meal menu. Western menu designed by Dean & DeLuca. Japanese menu. Snacks. Sweets. Pound cake. I ordered non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Duc de Montagne, made in Belgium. I ordered a light Japanese meal, which was only 241kcal. The cutlery is eco-friendly. Chopsticks. Pour non-alcoholic sparkling wine into a glass. The glass is small and stylish. Grilled chicken marinated in Edo sweet miso. Ostrich fern. Steamed and fried minced tomato and chicken. I couldn’t quite get it… Hakata chicken liver and cheese pastry. A mochi-like sweet. Vinegared jellyfish, green beans, and eggplant. Grilled rockfish marinated in miso. Pumpkin salad. The portion of the light meals was small and unsatisfying. The Tokaido Shinkansen, which runs directly from Tokyo to Kyoto, does not offer Gran Class. Therefore, today I took a longer route from Tokyo to Kyoto. We are about to arrive at Omiya. Passing another Shinkansen. The Hayabusa and Komachi Shinkansen trains are coupled together. Arrives in Omiya at 8:35 am (24 minutes after departing from Tokyo). The station platform is crowded. Departing Omiya. The Shinkansen travels at approximately 230 km/h (140 mph). That’s pretty fast. I look up the maximum speed of this Shinkansen online. It’s 275 km/h between Omiya and Takasaki, and 260 km/h between Takasaki and Tsuruga. The Shinkansen is getting faster. On this day, it reached 270 km/h (168 mph). Looking out the window, we can really feel its speed. The section where this Shinkansen reaches its maximum speed is only between Omiya and Takasaki. After Takasaki, it only reaches 260 km/h. It’s good that I checked the Shinkansen speed early. Let’s try pound cake from Tochigi Prefecture. You can get one by asking the attendant. The apple dried fruit and nuts are also delicious. I also ordered herbal tea. In Gran Class, drinks are all-you-can-drink. Before I knew it, we had passed Takasaki Station. The Kagayaki Shinkansen does not stop at Takasaki Station. Now, let’s take a closer look at the seats. The interior is elegant and calming. The seats are backshell type, so even when reclined, the back does not feel cramped. The seats are equipped with comfortable headrests. The cream-colored seats are upholstered in genuine leather. The seats have a luxurious feel. Here is the reading light. Cocktail tray. Dining table. A foldable aluminum table. Seat pocket. Each seat is equipped with a power outlet. The control panel has an attendant call button, seat controls, and reading light switches. Let’s try reclining the seat. Let’s also try raising the footrest. The reclining angle is up to 45 degrees. The seat can be reclined all the way to the backshell. Let’s sit in the reclined seat. It’s comfortable. There’s a hook here. Shoe tray. There’s another hook here. The window is slightly horizontal. Blind. The walls are a luxurious wine red color. The floor is covered with wool carpet. An electronic display board is located at the front of the cabin. There are few Gran Class passengers that day, making it easy to film. Here are fluffy slippers. JR East’s in-car magazine, Transveille. JR West’s in-car magazine, Nishi-Navi. Instructions for using the seats. Everything is explained. The reading light cover has “Gran Class” written on it. There’s a partition between the two seats. There’s also a magazine storage space over there. Since there’s no one else there, I’ll try sitting in this seat. Compared to a single seat, this seat feels a bit cramped. Where are we? We’re almost at Nagano. For me, the Shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Nagano feels like a flash. The Shinkansen’s speed is measured at 245 km/h (152 mph). We arrive in Nagano at 9:38 am (1 hour and 27 minutes after departing Tokyo). There are surprisingly few people on the station platform. On the opposite platform is also a Gran Class car. That is the Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama, which runs between Tokyo and Nagano. Departing Nagano. A chime sounds. Let’s check the Wi-Fi. Free Wi-Fi is available on board. The Wi-Fi speed is slow. Nagano Prefecture. Some say it’s like the Switzerland of Japan. Let’s take a look at the facilities in car 12, the Gran Class. Luggage storage on the right. A trash can on the left. The car deck also has a more elegant interior than the others. The Gran Class lettering and logo. The lacquered red panel features a cherry blossom design. If we look closely, we’ll see birds as well. Sink and washrooms. From here, we enter car 11, the Green (Business class) Car . The interior is different from Gran Class. Sink. Wheelchair-accessible washroom. The washroom is spacious. Sink. We can lock the door and use the toilet. This toilet is made by the Japanese manufacturer TOTO. It has a washlet function. A wonderful toilet. There’s also a sink here. There’s a toilet seat cover. Luggage storage in car 11, the Green Car. We return to car 12, the Gran Class. The sink is equipped with soap, a hand dryer, and an outlet. Men’s washroom. Sink and unisex washroom. Gran Class sign and logo. A notice stating “A Gran Class ticket is required for enter.” The red panel apparently features seasonal flora and fauna found in the Hokuriku region, Japan. A lovely Japanese design. I return to my seat. The Gran Class wine list is available online. White and red wine. Japanese Sake. Cognac. I’d like to eat the ekiben I bought at Tokyo Station. Matsutake mushroom sukiyaki and chestnut rice lunch box. It’s surprisingly low in calories at 387 kcal. Pulling the string heats the lunch box. I ordered white wine. It’s from Mann’s Winery in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The lunch box has warmed up. On the left is rice seasoned with mushrooms and chestnuts. On the right is sukiyaki. The seasoned rice is delicious, but the portion is small. A raised-bottom container similar to the ones at 7-Eleven. The sukiyaki meat is delicious. Being able to eat the lunch box while it’s still warm is the best. The bottom contains quicklime and water, and when the two mix, heat is generated. Where are we? We’re already in Toyama Prefecture. We can’t see the ocean. Passing another Hokuriku Shinkansen. We arrive in Toyama at 10:25 am (2 hours and 14 minutes from Tokyo). Leaving Toyama. Come to think of it, we hadn’t even noticed the signs. Next stop: Kanazawa. The Hokuriku Shinkansen ran from Tokyo to Kanazawa until March 15, 2024. Starting March 16, 2024, it was extended beyond Kanazawa to Tsuruga. We arrive at Kanazawa Station at 10:46 am. It took 2 hours and 35 minutes from Tokyo Station. Kanazawa is an attractive place with historical buildings like Kenrokuen Garden, traditional crafts, and cityscapes. This is my first time traveling to Tsuruga by Shinkansen. We leave Kanazawa. Next stop: Fukui. Speaking of Fukui, Tojinbo is famous. However, Tojinbo has a bad image due to the number of incidents and accidents that have occurred there. Fukui’s crab is amazing. We arrive in Fukui at 11:11 am (3 hours from Tokyo). It’s only 25 minutes from Kanazawa to Tsuruga, so it goes by in no time. We arrive in Tsuruga at 11:29 am. The ride from Tokyo to Tsuruga took 3 hours and 18 minutes. There is a 41-minute transfer at Tsuruga. The station platform is new and clean. A photo of an uninhabited island known as the Hawaii of Hokuriku. A photo of the large torii gate at Kehi Shrine. Take the escalator down to the lower floor. There is a transfer gate to the JR line. The ticket is issued at Tokyo Station and can be used to pass through the gate. My next train is the Shirasagi Limited Express, departing at 12:10 pm. Here’s a map of the area around the station. There’s a shopping arcade and Kehi Shrine. It’s about 100m from the ticket gate to the platform. There’s a 7-Eleven. It’s convenient. There’s also a souvenir shop. I want to eat a Hokuriku Shinkansen bento, but I’m full. With Kiyoken shumai. Fukui sauce cutlet bowl. Crab and blackthroat seaperch bowl. Tsuruga coffee. Dinosaur coffee. Ramen from the three Hokuriku prefectures. Snow crab chips and firefly squid chips. Sweet shrimp chips. Dinosaur stuffed toys. Fukui is also famous for its dinosaur museum. Shinkansen goods. To go to Kyoto, I bought a Kyoto matcha latte. Welcome to Tsuruga. Hokuriku Shinkansen. Thunderbird Limited Express. To the station platform. Platforms 33 and 34. I stroll around the station platform. There is an ekiben vending machine. It looked delicious, but I was full, so I resisted. There is also a drink vending machine. The Thunderbird Limited Express can take us to Kyoto and Osaka. However, today we’re not taking the Thunderbird Limited Express, and we’ll be riding the Shirasagi Limited Express Train. The Thunderbird and Shirasagi Limited Express have different exteriors. The exterior gives off an old-looking train vibe. After some research, I found out that this train has been in operation since October 1, 1964. Car 1 is a green car. The seating arrangement is 1-2. The seats look nice. We can place our luggage on top. The padded headrests are nice. The seat pitch is also long. There’s a table inside. It’s a little small. There are scratches here and there. Seatback pocket. Footrest. As it’s an old train, there are no power outlets. The Shirasagi Limited Express goes to Maibara and Nagoya. This train is bound for Maibara. It departs at 12:10 pm and is scheduled to arrive at Maibara at 12:44 pm. The view from the window is beautiful with greenery. I stroll around the car. Go to the washroom. It felt old. Shinkansen toilets are better. There is a sink. No vending machines or in-car sales. There isan electronic display board at the front. I enjoy the scenery from the window until we arrive at Maibara. The train stopped at Nagahama Station along the way. It takes 34 minutes from Tsuruga to Maibara, so we arrive quickly. We arrive at Maibara at 12:44 pm. There is a 9-minute transfer at Maibara. I’m a little worried about whether I’ll make it in time with the short transfer time. I can move between the platforms in about 3 minutes. The Shinkansen just arrived. This is the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari, departing at 12:53 pm, bound for Shin-Osaka. Car 7, S Work, had a business booth. Cars 8 through 10 are Green (Business Class) Cars. This Shinkansen does not have Gran Class car. The seating arrangement is 2-2. The lack of padded headrests is disappointing. The seats are a plain color. The tables are comfortable. Footrest. Leg warmer switch. Reading light switch. Power outlets. Reclining switch. Two magazines for Green Car passengers. Green Car services. Mobile ordering service available. Over there is the new N700S Series Shinkansen. We’re on the older N700A Series Shinkansen. Let’s take a look at the mobile ordering menu. The wait time is five minutes, so I think I’ll just make it… coffees, beers, whiskey, water, carbonated water, orange juice. Ice creams and snacks. I don’t have much time, so I don’t order anything. Departing Maibara at 12:53 pm. Wet wipes are distributed after boarding. Leaving Maibara for Kyoto. The ride to Kyoto takes only 19 minutes. The Tokaido Shinkansen’s maximum speed is 285 km/h (177 mph). That’s a little faster than the Hokuriku Shinkansen we just rode. Measuring the speed of the Shinkansen. For a moment, it measured 285 km/h (177 mph). That’s fast. I head to the washtroom. The washroom is cleaner than the Shirasagi Limited Express train we just took. It had a sink and mirror. The toilet is made by the Japanese manufacturer TOTO. I return to my seat. The LED lighting is beautiful. There is no one next to me, so it’s comfortable. I wish the Tokaido Shinkansen would also introduce Gran Class, but Semi-private seats above the Green Car seats are scheduled to be installed by fiscal year 2027. We’re about to arrive in Kyoto. We will arrive at Kyoto at 1:12 PM. Normally, it takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to get from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen, but this time we took a longer route, so it took 5 hours and 11 minutes. Some may feel it’s a waste of time and money. However, this trip is recommended for train enthusiasts, as it allows you to experience the Shinkansen’s First Class (Gran Class) and ride multiple trains. That Shinkansen will then continue to Shin-Osaka Station. In Kyoto, I stayed in three luxury hotels and then took a luxury sleeper train. Thank you for watching.

Today we’ll be traveling from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station in First Class (Gran Class) on Japan’s bullet train, the Shinkansen.

Date: September 2025

(First Train)
Train Name: Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki 505
Section: Tokyo (8:11 AM) – Tsuruga (11:29 AM)
Stops: Tokyo, Ueno, Omiya, Nagano, Toyama, Kanazawa, Fukui, Tsuruga
Fare: Reserved Seat ¥16,360 JPY, Green Car ¥24,210 JPY, Gran Class ¥35,210 JPY
Time: 3 hours 18 minutes
Class: Gran Class
Seat: Car 12, Seat 1A
Gran Class: https://www.jreast.co.jp/granclass/en/seat.html

(Second Train)
Train Name: Limited Express Shirasagi 56
Section: Tsuruga (12:10 PM) – Maibara (12:44 PM)
Class: Green Car
Seat: Car 1, Seat 3C
Time: 34 minutes

(Third Train)
Train Name: Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari 639
Section: Maibara (12:53 PM) → Kyoto (1:12 PM)
Class: Green Car
Seat: Car 8, Seat 4D
Time: 19 minutes

Total Fare: ¥40,610 JPY
Total Time: 5 hours 11 minutes

■Table of Contents
00:00 Intro
00:25 Pick up my tickets at Tokyo Station
01:22 Buy an Ekiben (a lunch box)
02:06 Viewing the Shinkansen on the Tokyo Station Platform
03:22 Boarding the Hokuriku Shinkansen
04:45 First Class Cabin
06:08 First Class Service
07:03 First Class Light Meals
08:42 Shinkansen’s Maximum Speed ​​(Omiya to Utsunomiya)
11:20 First Class Seats
15:18 Nagano
16:09 Wi-Fi
16:35 Facilities
19:12 Enjoying Ekiben and Wine
20:51 Toyama – Kanazawa
22:09 Kanazawa – Fukui – Tsuruga
23:00 41-minute transfer at Tsuruga Station
25:51 Limited Express Shirasagi (Tsuruga – Maibara)
29:34 9-minute transfer at Maibara
30:04 Business class on Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari (Maibara – Kyoto)
34:06 Arriving in Kyoto – Was it a waste of time and money?

#Shinkansen #Japan #BulletTrain #GranClass