Bullet Train

Japan's Bullet Trains (Shinkansen) have fascinated foreign tourists since they first ran in October 1964. The Shinkansen was developed as the fastest and safest train in Japan, and is a symbol of Japan's industry. Heavily admired by the nation, the shinkansen run at an average 300 kmh (186 mph). The Nozomi line, the fastest of the Shinkansen, can travel between Tokyo & Osaka within two and a half hours. In addition to the speed, the shinkansen depart every 10 minutes. The Shinkansen, like the rest of Japan's infrastructure, runs on a punctual, reliable schedule. Enjoy riding a shinkansen as standard on all tours between Tokyo & Kyoto with Japan Deluxe Tours fully-guided vacation packages.

The Shinkansen, or bullet train, made history in 1964 as the world's first high-speed train. The shinkansen is more than just a mode of transportation - it is a uniquely Japanese experience. Immaculately clean, comfortable, and remarkably fast, it is the epitome of efficiency and the pride of the shockingly prompt Japan Rail network.

Originally built to connect Japan's urban areas for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, construction of the shinkansen rail lines was a tremendous feat, as most of the track had to be raised on viaducts above existing developments or tunneled through mountains. The bullet trains themselves are a marvel of engineering, and the new trains are as sleekly futuristic now as the originals were when they were built over forty years ago. The networks of lines today though extend far beyond the original Tokaido which ran between Tokyo and Kyoto.

Incredibly, in a land of typhoons, earthquakes and heavy snowfall, the trains always keep to schedule, sometimes running just three minutes apart at nearly 200mph. The fastest shinkansen service, the Nozomi, covers the distance between Kyoto and Tokyo in under three hours: more efficient than air travel, and much more comfortable.

During both tailor made and scheduled tours, there will be ample opportunity to experience speeding through the countryside with tea plantations, orange groves, rice paddies and Mount Fuji providing the perfect backdrop. Eating an obento, or boxed lunch, on the bullet train, and watching the scenery zipping past is a wonderful way to experience Japan very much as the Japanese do.

Although no advance reservation is necessary for bullet train in regular season, please contact us if you would like to make advance booking for peak season*. Your tour guide will always help you in obtaining train tickets on the last night of your tour.
*Peak Season - April, July, August, December

There is also special ticket called "JAPAN RAIL PASS" is available only to travelers visiting Japan from foreign countries for sight-seeing.

Bullet trains in Japan offer a variety of routes that can get you all around the country. Some of these routes are a part of the "Taiheiyo Belt", a region specified by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry extending from the Ibaraki Prefecture in the north to the Fukuoka Prefecture in the south. Between the two prefectures include, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Osaka, Hyogo, Wakayama, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, and Oita. While the original "Taiheiyo Belt" did not include as many regions, over time with the further development of Japan's prefectures were more regions added to the list.

Two popular lines within in the "Taiheyo Belt" are the "Tokaido" and "Sanyo" lines. There are also the

- Tohoku/Yamagata/Akita Line
- Hokkaido Line
- Joetsu Shinkansen
- Hokuriku Shinkansen
- Kyushu Shinkansen Line

Each line is a great way to see a different part of the country's scenery, while also being able to experience the local flavors when eating "Eki-ben" or station bentos.