Titans of the Tokaido

Japan’s Iconic Bullet Trains

I lived in Osaka and worked in Tokyo. I took the Shinkansen to work every week. I would leave Osaka Station at 7:07 am and arrive in Tokyo 3 hours later. I could not have done it without the Shinkansen. It is too slow to make a Tokyo to Osaka run by bus. It is too short of a distance to fly. A commercial airliner would barely get off the ground before having to land. The solution is the high-speed train known as the Shinkansen.

Bullet trains offer a comfortable 3+2 seating arrangement and a single train can carry as many as 1300 passengers.

Bullet trains have been going back and forth for more than 50 years. Three trains formed the backbone of the shinkansen concept. The Kodama, the Hikari, and the Nozomi all earned their icon status by moving travelers between Tokyo and Osaka.

They say you can set your watch by the arrival of the local trains pulling in on schedule. Safety and service are hallmarks of the train network. The on-time record is a source of pride.

When I lived in Osaka, 3 models were running, the Kodama, the Hikari, and the Nozomi. They were built by several companies, and I especially loved the Nozomi by Hitachi.

Meet the Titans

The Kodama

The Hikari

The Nozomi

On the way back to Shin- Osaka, I would take the 7:00 pm train from Tokyo Station. The trip would give me 3 hours of quiet time. Of course, It was necessary to stock up on cans of Asahi Super Dry beer and snacks as I was a man at rest.

Of course, you have to take your shoes off for the 3-hour trip. Because of this… you can’t spill your beer. The floor of a bullet train is pristine.

The Tokaido Shinkansen is by far the most popular train line for the bullet train. The busiest leg is from Nagoya to Tokyo between the hours of 8 am and 9 am on weekdays.

A variety of stopping patterns allow passengers to hop on or off where they want. The path today takes is the same foot road used for centuries. It was the connector between the old and new. Tokaido bridged Osaka and Tokyo.

The Nozomi, the Hikari, and the Kodama trace the footpath, now a high-tech train line.

KODAMA

This is the earlier Kodama. It boasts a distinctively vintage look compared to current trains. I always thought the front of the train looked like an airplane nose cone. Retro has nothing on the Kodama.

The Kodama is the slowest Shinkansen service between Tokyo and Osaka. Slower than the others since it makes every stop on the line. It is the essential link between the smaller cities.

If you are in the hunt for an Onsen, the Kodama is your best friend. Most hot springs (onsen) have some connection, taxi, bus, or local train to the Ryokan and their coveted hot springs. The Kodama makes the Osaka to Tokyo trip in around four hours. Easily an hour or longer than riding the Hikari or Nozomi.

HIKARI

If you are traveling from Osaka or Kyoto to Tokyo, the Hikari will get the job done nicely. It makes stops in Yokohama and Nagoya and completes its run in about 3 hours.

Stops vary depending on how the Hikari is scheduled, so it is best to check the timetables. In any case, you will make it in about three hours.

NOZOMI

I made so many trips back and forth, I think I rode the Hikari most often. When the train pulled up at Tokyo station, and it was the Nozomi, I knew I was in for a comfy, high tech ride home.

My favorite was the one pictured above. It was the 300 series high-speed train. It could hit 170 mph and make Tokyo to Osaka in two hours and forty minutes. A maglev train with current technology makes the trip at speeds up to 500 kph!

I went back and forth so many times I can’t count them all. Almost every week for two years. I made the Osaka-Tokyo-Osaka same day trip many times. The trick was catching the last local train around 11 pm to get to my home station. Not always as easy as it sounds. Missing the last train meant taking a taxi!

Not complaining though, riding the Shinkansen is like no other commuter trip. If you haven’t done this yet, you must. Get a ticket and go.

A new era of high tech-looking bullet trains rules the rails in Japan today. All made possible by the success of my three favorites, Kodama, Hikari, and Nozomi!

One more thing. Go to Osaka and go hungry!

Tanoshisou!

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Douglas Pilarski is a writer/journalist living in Portland. He covers luxury goods, lifestyle, exotic cars, CJ-CX, workplace issues, food, horology, and tech. He is a regular contributor to medium.com

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