The Shinkansen, or bullet train, is of the backbones of Japan’s passenger rail network. These high-speed rail lines stretch across nearly the entire country, and some trains travel at speeds of up to 320 km/h!
Knowing what a rarity long-distance passenger trains are (especially high-speed ones) where I come from, I knew I had to try one of these trains for myself!
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REFERENCES:
Hiroshima City: https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/333234.html
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775/
https://www.mayorsforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/1990s/file-990513_speech_en.pdf
https://www.livemint.com/news/world/drums-of-nuclear-war-are-beating-once-again-japan-marks-hiroshima-day-advocates-for-nuclear-disarmament-11691282804353.html
JR West Sanyo Shinkansen: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/train/shinkansen/tokaido-sanyo-shinkansen/interior-design/
Nozomi Service: https://www.jrpass.com/blog/what-is-the-nozomi-train
Shinkansen General Information:
https://www.jrailpass.com/shinkansen-bullet-trains
https://shinkansen-ticket.com/pages/all-about-shinkansen-the-bullet-train
https://www.jrpass.com/blog/why-shinkansen-bullet-trains-no-longer-look-like-a-bullet
https://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia43/en/feature/feature13.html
N700 Series Shinkansen:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/train/shinkansen/tokaido-sanyo-shinkansen/interior-design/
Pronunciation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gACPdcvXt3M
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Outro song – “Take Flight” by Nyhtian: https://youtu.be/bCTTwQ_269c
© Alex Praglowski Aviation 2023
This video is the property of Alex Praglowski Aviation and may not be used for any purpose without prior permission. Contact me at the email in the “About” section of my channel for usage.
31 Comments
Yoooo 🔥🔥🔥 Love to see it man! Wonderful trains.
Very interesting and informative video! I’m from Ont but have family in Alberta so understand about no bullet trains here in our Country. We have the slower older intercity ones as well as the cross country CP and CN ones.
These speedy trains look enticing. I don’t know how the speed would affect persons with heart disease issues as changes in air pressure in planes can be a problem. Glad you enjoyed the experience as Japan is a fascinating locale to visit! Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
Wish they were in Canada, it would make connecting across this huge country much easier, especially because ticket prices for domestic flights are always crazy. Great review as always!
Canadian man discovers high speed trains exist
Would love to see you on German ICE 1.Class.
I’m going to Japan next month and am very much looking forward to travelling on the Shinkansen. I’ve been on the Frecciarossa in Italy, but the Shinkansen is the granddaddy of high speed trains and the gold standard for efficiency. It’s incredible to think the Japanese built the first Shinkansen line between 1958 and 1964. They didn’t invent new technology. They just used maximized the possibilities of what was already discovered.
Great video and totally different. I found it very interesting👍👍👍
I rode the bullet train many years ago from Tokyo to Akita (northwest Honshu). It was an amazing experience. Thanks for the nostalgia trip Alex, hope you enjoyed your time in Japan!
Will be taking this exact route next month! Great video!
Hey Alex! The 'Green Car' is the Business Class equivalent on Shinkansen Trains! There is also a 'Gran Class' which is the First Class equivalent on select shinkansen services.
Awesome Video!
I too wish there were high speed rail systems in Canada, but the tickets would be so overpriced. And the distance between cities would make it even harder. The only places I think could work would be Windsor – Quebec City, and Edmonton – Calgary. I Love your content!
I definitely think you should be doing more train reviews Alex I remember when you did that review video of via rail and I’m happy that you’re doing the video on the Shinkansen train definitely wanna see more train videos
Alex, just curious if you have a secret passion for trains? I love all the information you presented, right down to the train model and number! As I said in that Japan Airlines video, please keep the Japan content coming, it’s such a refreshing change from the usual content. Also, just a note. That buy-on-board service will stop for good on Oct 31st.
It's a shame that JR Pass is going up to almost $500 for 7 days by the end of this year.
American man discovers high speed trains exist! 😂
I’ll definitely be riding one of these when I’m in Japan (hopefully sooner rather than later).
In Japan there doesn't seem to be any difference between a railway terminal and an airport terminal. That is the most beautiful railway terminal i have ever seen. By the way, 10:25, that is the smallest bottle of coke i have ever seen..❤ 😊
What app do you use to track your speed?
What a fun experience. I enjoyed you're perspective on the Shinkansen. It's always fun to see it through the eyes of a newbie.
3:02 except in your case you selected a ride on a NOZOMI service. Before the Fall 2023 price adjustment these NOZOMI and MIZUHO (through to the Kyushu Shinkansen) would not be covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Thanks for setting the bar really high for Japanese train reviews though. Very crisp Japanese pronounciation too.
Wow, my dad is going over to Japan soon, will definitely try to convince him to experience this!
I've been to Japan several times and travelled on several Shinkansen lines, I've travelled between Shin Osaka and Hiroshima several times so this is the part of the Shinkansen network I'm most familiar with. I have stopped at the intermediate stations on this route such as Shin Kobe, Himeji, Okayama and Mihara. I really want to try out the newest Shinkansen line between Nagasaki and Takeo Onsen some time. Unfortunately they are hiking the prices of the JR rail passes for foreigners by 60%. I am definitely going to Japan again next year to go to Nagoya l. I will probably fly into Tokyo and get the Shinkansen from Shin Yokohama to Nagoya.
0:55 looks like this was also filmed some time after Golden Week, a week of national holidays which sees the highest ridership on the Shinkansen network, and in particular the Tokaido/San’yo Shinkansen.
In a recent announcement by JR Central and JR West, the companies plan to make all NOZOMI services reserved seating during select national holidays in order to better guarantee seat patronage.
Very cool video, Alex.
Japan has so much to teach the rest of the world. I am totally impressed with anything in everything that is Japanese. Their kindness is unparallel, Their efficiency knows no bounds. I am totally impressed with that country.
I rode that route in June 2023 in the reverse direction. When we were not in one of the numerous tunnels, looking out of the window was amazing. Couple comments, the Shinkansen is standard gauge, (same as Canada), most other trains in Japan have a smaller gauge. Big suitcases you must pay to store behind the last row of seats. There are also baggage shipping services at major hotels to cities along the route of the Shinkansen.
I loved the Shinkansen so much when we were there literally a week or so before you! We were staying in Osaka on our last few days and since the trains are so good we got to book our flight out from Tokyo without panicking about getting back on time it was so amazing. I love the walkability of Japan in general compared to Canada as well just the whole infrastructure is awesome
If you want to go faster your only option is the Shanghai Maglev. When we visited we were lucky on our arrival trip into the city we were on one of their max speed runs and achieved 430KPH (268MPH) that was an even more crazy experience, especially when both trains passed each other at that speed the explosion sound from the shockwave created made quite a few people jump on the train.
It's definitely more fun taking the Shinkansen through the Seikan tunnel or out to some of the more extreme points of Japan.
"Canadian man discovers that high speed trains exist"
2:40 nice controller! 😄
Dude, going full speed over those shinkansen bridges with trusses will always be a trippy experience.