Traveling by train in JapanShinkansen
The Shinkansen, being a means of high-speed, cross-country travel, is inherently more luxurious and comfortable compared to other rail cars. Standard car seats are able to be reclined, have front trays for food and drinks, have coat hooks for outerwear and belongings, have large windows that can be opened and shut, and even have power outlets for charging electronic devices. Standard cars are often separated into reserved and non-reserved cars, the latter being able to be freely ridden without prior arrangements for JR Pass users.
Most Shinkansen trains also offer what are called “Green Class Cars,” which can be seen as more luxurious seating that have all the amenities of the standard cars but with additional legroom and further reclining chairs. Green Class Car seating requires a reservation and entails an additional fee for holders of the standard National Japan Rail Pass. There also exists the Green Class JR Pass that allows for Green Class Car seating without additional fees, but riding said cars still requires a reservation ahead of time.
One more step up from the Green Class is the Gran Class. This is the most luxurious option on the Shinkansen, with an upscale interior, even more legroom, and even further reclining seats. While there is no dedicated Japan Rail Pass specifically for the Gran Class Car, both types of National JR Passes can be upgraded to Gran Class Seats for an additional fee depending on the Shinkansen line and destination.
AloJapan.com