SHINKANSEN

Shinkansen

Nozomi 500 Series (not the newest, just the coolest!)

All the trains and subways in Japan run like clockwork, but the Shinkansen is especially impressive both for its speed and its frequency of travel. The Tokaido Shinkansen runs from Tokyo to Osaka and points south about every 20 minutes. "Shinkansen" literally means "new trunk line" but has become synonymous with "bullet train". Indeed, the Nozomi 500 Series is shaped like a bullet. It has a top speed of 400 km/hr. All this comes at a price: roundtrip between Tokyo and Kyoto (non-reserved) costs about Y24,000.

Nozomi 700 Series

In 1999, the oldest Shinkansen trains were retired and a new Nozomi 700 series train was introduced. The older, pre-500 series Nozomi trains were then used on the Hikari lines. Since both the 500 and 700 series trains are now used for the Nozomi (super super express) trains, it can be tricky to spot the relatively rare 500 Series trains. Many of the Shinkansen timetables posted in trains and stations tell you the make of the train. I know that the first Nozomi out of Tokyo Station is typically a 500 Series and indeed does the Yokohama-Kyoto run 2 minutes faster than any other train. If you have a Railpass, one good place to see the Shinkansen running at high speed is near the station of Maibara, just east of Kyoto, or at Himeji, neither of which is a stop for the Nozomi trains.

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