Shinkansen — Travel Japan by Bullet Train

All Major Routes from Tokyo

The Shinkansen network radiates from Tokyo Station and Shinagawa Station south and west along the Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen lines, and north along the Tōhoku, Hokuriku, and Jōetsu lines. Here are the routes that matter for most visitors:

Prices are for reserved seats, standard class (Ordinary Car). Unreserved seats cost ¥500–1,000 less but are not available on Nozomi trains. All prices approximate for 2026 — confirm at JR Ticket offices or via the official JR East website.

Nozomi vs Hikari vs Kodama — What's the Difference?

On the Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Tokyo–Osaka corridor), three train types run on the same tracks:

Nozomi is the fastest — it stops only at Tokyo, Shinagawa, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka. Tokyo to Kyoto in 2h 15min. Not covered by the standard 7/14/21-day JR Pass — JR Pass holders must use Hikari or Kodama on this route.

Hikari is slightly slower (2h 40min to Kyoto), stops at a few more stations including Odawara and Hamamatsu, and is fully covered by the JR Pass. For most visitors the time difference is negligible — board a Hikari and lose 25 minutes.

Kodama stops at every station — Tokyo to Kyoto takes about 3h 50min. Useful only for intermediate destinations. Rarely the right choice for tourist itineraries.

On the Tōhoku Shinkansen (Tokyo–Sendai–Sapporo): Hayabusa is the fastest (non-stop Tokyo–Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in 4h), Yamabiko is the regular service stopping at more cities including Sendai.

JR Pass — Does It Save You Money?

The JR Pass is a flat-rate unlimited travel pass sold only to foreign visitors. It covers most JR trains including Shinkansen (except Nozomi and Mizuho) and is purchased before arriving in Japan. The honest calculation:

JR Pass 2026 Prices

7-day pass: ¥50,000 (adult) — covers ¥50,000 worth of JR travel in one week.
14-day pass: ¥80,000 — good for longer multi-city itineraries.
21-day pass: ¥100,000 — for extensive Japan-wide travel.
Buy via the official JR Pass website or authorised overseas agents before arriving in Japan. Exchange your voucher at any major JR station's exchange office upon arrival.

The 7-day pass pays off the moment your journeys total ¥50,000. A round trip Tokyo–Hiroshima is ¥36,760. Add the Hikari to Kyoto (¥26,640 round trip) and you're already over the pass price. For a Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka–Hiroshima round trip itinerary, the 7-day pass is almost always worth it.

How to Buy Individual Tickets

If the JR Pass doesn't make sense for your itinerary, buy individual tickets. Three methods:

At the station: Ticket machines at every Shinkansen station have English interfaces. Select your destination, class (reserved/unreserved), and train. Reserved seat tickets have a specific carriage and seat number. Unreserved tickets (jiyūseki) allow you to sit in any unreserved car — fine for off-peak travel, inadvisable on busy Friday evenings or Golden Week.

Online advance booking: JR East's Smart EX and the Shinkansen reservation app allow booking reserved seats in advance with a foreign credit card. This is the recommended approach for peak travel days. Tickets can be picked up at station machines using the reservation code.

IC card on Shinkansen: Suica and other IC cards can be used on some Shinkansen routes (notably the Tōkaidō Shinkansen via the Shinkansen IC system) for seamless gate entry — but prices are the same as regular tickets; there is no IC card discount on Shinkansen.

The Experience — What to Expect Onboard

Shinkansen trains are divided into Ordinary Car (standard class, 3+2 seating), Green Car (business class, 2+2 wider seating, ¥3,000–5,000 supplement), and on some trains Gran Class (first class, airline-style seats, full meal service, ¥8,000–10,000 supplement). For most visitors, Ordinary reserved is perfectly comfortable — seats recline, there's a tray table, and the 2h journey to Kyoto passes quickly.

The ekiben (station lunch box) is a Shinkansen institution — each major departure station sells regional speciality bento unique to that city. Tokyo Station's basement food hall (before your platform) has over 30 varieties. Buy before boarding — the onboard trolley service exists but is limited. Window seat on the right side (seats A and B) heading west from Tokyo for Mount Fuji views approximately 40 minutes after departure.

Key Destinations from Tokyo — What to Do When You Get There

Kyoto — 2h 15min

Japan's ancient capital has over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. The essential Kyoto circuit: Fushimi Inari (the 10,000 torii tunnel, best at 6am before crowds), Arashiyama (bamboo grove, Tenryū-ji garden, monkey park), Gion district (the geisha quarter, evening walk along Hanamikoji), and Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion — worth visiting despite the crowds). Nishiki Market for food. Allow 2–3 days minimum.

Osaka — 2h 30min

Japan's food capital and least formal major city. Dotonbori for street food (takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushikatsu), Shinsekai for cheap kushikatsu in the old working-class district, Osaka Castle for the park and history. Day trips to Nara (45 min from Osaka, free-roaming sacred deer and the world's largest wooden building) and Kobe (30 min, excellent beef and harbour views). Osaka is cheaper than Tokyo for food and accommodation — a good base for the Kansai region.

Hiroshima — 4h

The Peace Memorial Museum and A-Bomb Dome are essential and handled with tremendous care and dignity — one of the most important visitor experiences in Japan. The city itself is warm, modern, and has excellent food (Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is distinct from Osaka's version). A 15-minute ferry from Hiroshima reaches Miyajima Island and the famous floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine — the classic Japan image, dramatically beautiful at high tide.

Kanazawa — 2h 30min

Often called "little Kyoto" — Kenroku-en (one of Japan's three great gardens), the Higashi Chaya geisha district, and an exceptional seafood market (Ōmi-chō Ichiba). Much less visited than Kyoto, with genuinely preserved historic districts and no crowds. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (Kazuyo Sejima, 2004) is one of Japan's finest contemporary art institutions.

Sapporo — 4h 30min

Hokkaido's capital is Japan's ramen frontier — Sapporo miso ramen (rich, corn and butter toppings) is unique to the city. The Sapporo Beer Museum is free and worth visiting. Summer means the Odori Park beer gardens; winter means the Sapporo Snow Festival (February) — elaborate ice sculptures filling the park. Day trips to Otaru (30 min, canal town and extraordinary sushi) and Noboribetsu (1.5h, dramatic volcanic hot spring resort).

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