04Experiences

On the rails

The shinkansen: a line that shortens Honshu

The shinkansen is a high-speed rail network built to link Tokyo with regions across the country. The first line, the Tokaido Shinkansen, opened on 1 October 1964 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. It runs about 552.6 kilometers between Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka, and remains the busiest corridor. It is considered the world’s first railway built for regular high-speed travel. From the window Fuji may appear on certain stretches; the famous train-and-mountain image is not decoration but a real visual stop along the way. For a traveler this means Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka need not be separate days by default — they can sit on one clear path. Reserve a seat facing the right side if you want the mountain, and expect timetable accuracy that exceeds many other networks. Other lines spread after the Tokaido, but this corridor stays the mental reference for a first journey between the capital and Kansai. Have your ticket ready at the gate, and follow the numbered cars on the platform.

1964

Opening year

0.6

Tokaido length