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The Hello Kitty Shinkansen is the cutest bullet train on the tracks, but how do you get on it? Here’s all the things you need to know like where it goes and when, how to get a ticket and the best places to visit via this super cute train.
I’ve wanted to ride the Hello Kitty Shinkansen for so long, but, as it only leaves Osaka once a day, the timings never worked out. On this trip, though, I was staying at one of its stops, Okayama, and had an afternoon planned to explore nearby Kurashiki – and while in an ordinary world, taking the Shinkansen isn’t the best way to get here, I could make it work for the ‘cat’ with a bow.
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So, after a morning exploring the pretty garden in Okayama, at 12.30 pm I staked my claim outside the boarding point for Car 2 on the platform to catch the train to Shin-Kurashiki at 12.50 pm. It was a journey of just nine minutes, but that was enough to behold the magic.
I am not ashamed to say I got very overexcited as the train pulled in – there might even have been a tear. I then spent the first few minutes frantically photographing everything and wandering around the on-train shop before settling into my pale purple seat to finish the journey. Even though I then had to get a local train to get me back to the part of Kurashiki I actually needed to be in; I had zero regrets!
And if you also want to enjoy the cuteness, here’s what you need to know…
When Does the Hello Kitty Train Run?
It runs seven days a week, most days of the month. It does rest for a couple of days and these aren’t the same days every month, so check the running calendar before making your plans. You can see up to four months of working days at a time.
The train starts at Hakata station in Fukuoka at 7.04 a.m. and arrives at Shin-Osaka station at 11.25 a.m. Then, it does the same journey in reverse, leaving Shin-Osaka at 11.37 a.m. and arriving at Hakata at 3.51 p.m. It makes 18 stops en route, including popular tourist stops like Himeji, Kobe, Okayama and Hiroshima.
Above is a picture of the timetable and stops the day I went, but always check the current timetable in case they move things around.
How Much of the Train is Decorated?
There are little details all over the exterior and interior of the train – like purple seats and Hello Kitty drawings, but the main event is in the first and second carriages.
The first carriage is Hello Kitty Plaza, a pink and white paradise with a small shop. It does not have seats you can just wander around here.
Car Two, known as the Kawaii Room, has more Hello Kitty designs and is the first car with seating. These are unreserved seats meaning you can just turn up and grab one if it’s free. There is also unreserved seating in Car Three, but this has minimal decoration.
If you prefer to book a seat, don’t worry. You can walk through the train to see the first two cars from the reserved seat cars. But saying that, if you do want to visit Cars One and Two, try to book your seats in Car Four (the first with reserved seating) so you’re not walking miles down the train.
How to Book the Train.
If you want to plan ahead, you can book the Hello Kitty Train via the JR West website. Seats go on sale 30 days in advance.
Depending on how you use the site, you might see the train clearly listed as the Hello Kitty Shinkansen, but if you don’t, the train runs as Kodama 842 from Hakata to Shin-Osaka and Kodama 849 from Shin-Osaka to Hakata.
So long as you book the train with that number, on a day that it says it’s running, you are riding the Hello Kitty Shinkansen.
The name Kodama and the number 842 or 849 are also what to look for on the train sign when you arrive at the station to find your platform.
The Japanese rail websites can sometimes have tantrums with foreign cards. If yours doesn’t work, then you can also book the Hello Kitty train via Klook, remember, you want Kodama 842 from Hakata or 849 from Shin-Osaka, or just book your ticket at a JR West ticket office or machine once you’re in Japan.
Do You Need to Book In Advance?
Because it was something I really wanted to do on this trip, I booked the day the train went on sale. As my journey was short, I didn’t bother with a reserved seat, as I figured I could stand at worst. I got on the platform 20 minutes before the train came in so I could be first in the queue for Car Two – so I was pretty surprised to discover that by the time it got to Okayama, the train was pretty much empty!
Now, I’m always loathe to say not to be prepared for something being busy in Japan, not least because I travel at a relatively quiet time, and this was a weekday, but there are a few reasons why the train might be quieter than I expected. It’s a Kodama train, which is the slowest of the trains on this route, so unless they are getting off at a station not served by another service, most locals would take a quicker train.
The number of tourists on the Kodama has also probably reduced now the Japan Rail Pass has increased so significantly in price. Before, most people used this to get around the country as it was convenient and cost-effective, and as you couldn’t use the fast Nozomi train, tourists mostly rode the slower Hikari and Kodama trains. Also, because the Hello Kitty train is included in the JR Pass, more people might have been tempted to add a quick trip on it to their day as it was ‘free’.
Now, most tourists are using single Shinkansen tickets, which include the Nozomi. They’re also less likely to ride the slower train, so the tourists on it tend to be those still using the Japan Rail pass or those who specifically want to ride the Hello Kitty train.
Okayama is also a way down the track from Shin-Osaka, so maybe it was busier at the beginning of the trip but people used the train to go to places like Himeji or Kobe so were gone by the time they got to me.
Which means what? Well, I’d still say to book in advance to be certain – after all, the train only calls at each station twice a day, so it’s not like you don’t know when you’ll be traveling, and if you really want to ride it, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Should You Book a Reserved Seat?
As I said, the closest cars to the best-decorated sections are Cars Two and Three, which have unreserved seats, so you might be wondering whether to risk just booking a cheaper unreserved seat.
Personally, I would suggest sticking with a reserved seat if you’re taking the train on a long journey – or if you’re going from Hakata to Shin-Osaka, as more people will travel first thing. Although if you’re getting on at Hakata, you can just get to the platform early and be first in the queue.
If you’re going the other way, you might get away with an unreserved seat on a short journey if you’re getting on at Shin-Osaka and can be first in the queue or join much further down the line when more tourists might have gotten off.
You should also book a reserved seat during Japanese holidays like Golden Week, Obon or New Year. It might also be busier at weekends.
Lastly, the Hello Kitty Shinkansen also runs on a line that has restrictions for oversized baggage, so you should also book a reserved seat if your luggage is over the maximum size. See about the Shinkansen luggage rules here.
What Passes Cover the Train?
I’ve already mentioned that the Japan Rail Pass covers the pass but isn’t always cost-effective way to travel any more. However, there are other passes that are also valid on the Hello Kitty Shinkansen.
While you shouldn’t buy these just to cover the Hello Kitty journey, they might pay off depending on the rest of your travel plans. If you’re making a few day trips, you might want to check the cost of these against your plans to see if they pay off (our printable bullet train planner walks you through this step-by-step). Here’s the list.
If you’re travelling between Shin-Osaka and Okayama
And any stops in between… Look at the
Kansai Wide Area Pass (this will almost pay for itself if you do a return journey, so it is definitely worth considering. Buy it direct from JR West, or buy it here from Klook.), the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass or the Kansai San’in Area Pass.
If you’re travelling between Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima
Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass. This is one of the rail passes that easily pays off. Look into this if you’re going to Hiroshima from Shin Osaka and returning anytime within five days.
Again, you can buy it direct from JR West, or, find it here via Klook.
If you’re travelling between Shin-Osaka and Hakata
Then you could consider the Sanyo-San’in Area Pass, JR West All Area Pass, Setouchi Area Pass or the Sanyo San’in Northern Kyushu Pass.
Others
If you’re getting on the train further down the line these might also be an option
Hiroshima Yamaguchi Area Pass – valid for stops between Mihara and Hakata
Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Area Pass – valid for stops between Okayama and Hakata
Does the Train Run to Kyoto?
No. There is a Hello Kitty train that runs on the Haruka Line between Kyoto and Osaka, but it’s not a shinkansen and is not as decorated as this one—it’s still cute, though.
Taking the Train For a Day Trip From Osaka
I hadn’t used the Hello Kitty Shinkansen train before this last trip because I was always catching it from Osaka, and the 11.37 am departure time was never conducive to a whole-day excursion. But there are some places you can visit using the train where you don’t need a huge amount of time to see the main sights, and these are perfect to line up with the train. So, here are my suggestions below.
Note – if you’re getting on at Hakata, timing is less of an issue as you can be in, say, Hiroshima by 9 am.
Kobe
The cheapest trip to take on the Hello Kitty Shinkansen from Osaka is the 13-minute journey to Shin-Kobe, which will only cost you 3070 yen. And you’ll arrive in Kobe in time for lunch – where you could try some of the city’s famous beef.
While the Shinkansen stop isn’t in the city itself, it is close to the loading station for the Nunobiki Ropeway, which lifts you high in the sky above the Nunobiki Waterfall and Kobe Herb Garden before depositing you in the Observation Park, which has great views over the city. You can also get a train into the city.
Either way, you don’t need to get the Shinkansen back to Osaka; you can take a local train for about a quarter of the cost of your outbound journey.
Himeji
The town of Himeji is famous for its castle, often named Japan’s most beautiful. It’s also one of only 12 original castles in Japan, and dates back to 1609. You can arrive at Himeji by 12.15 on the Hello Kitty Shinkansen. That’s a bit later than I might normally suggest for a busy sight, but needs must.
Okayama
The Hello Kitty train will get you to Okayama around 12.50, which is plenty of time to sightsee in the town.
Your must-stop should be Korakeun Garden. This is one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens – and is my favourite of the two I’ve seen so far.
There’s also a castle to explore, and the Kibutsu shrine, with its stunning timber-framed corridor, is worth traveling a little way out of town.
If you have time on your way back, detour a few blocks from the station to Okinoshima Ramen – not only is their fish-based stock ramen a different take on a classic, but the pork and rice bowl they sell as a side dish is one of the top five things I ate on one of my trips.
Kurashiki
This is where I went on the train, although note that the Hello Kitty Shinkansen stops at Shin-Kurashiki station, so you’ll need to get the local train to the pretty part Kurashiki – but the two trains connect well, and it’s only a short journey to the next stop so for me, at least, it was worth an extra 20 minutes and a bit more cost.
Kurashiki is best known for the Bikan Historical Quarter, which runs alongside the canal. It’s a very pretty town with cute shops that you can easily spend an afternoon wandering around.
Mihara
You arrive at Mihara on the Hello Kitty Shinkansen at 1.41 pm. Unfortunately, that’s too late to connect you to the Rabbit Line ferry to Okunoshima, aka Bunny Island, which runs from here at weekends (although it can work if you’re staying overnight on the island and catch the last ferry of the day).
However, you can walk to the port and jump on the 2.19 boat to Setoda port on the island of Ikuchijima (check the current timetable on the Navitime App). This pretty little town is famous for its lemons (and cakes, beer, and ramen made from them), and the incredible Kosanji Temple.
Made by a businessman for his mother, this place left me astounded From the main buildings which are just covered in a ridiculous amount of detail, the cave of 1000 carved Buddhas and the giant sculptures made from white marble on top of the Hill of Hope it’s jaw-dropping.
The combination of this and the small, unspoilt town made Setoda, one of my favorite half-day trips on my last visit.
Hiroshima
This one is a bit tight timewise as you don’t arrive until 2.08 pm. But if all you want to see in Hiroshima is the Peace Museum, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the sights nearby you can do that and have dinner in Hiroshima’s famous Okonomyaki at one of the many stalls inside the Okonomimura complex, and then head back to Osaka early evening on the faster Nozomi service.
You can’t visit to the famous floating torii gate at Miyajima as well in half a day – so if that’s also on your must-see list, you’ll need to take a much earlier train.
While there are still cool things to see beyond this point, the train gets in far too late for a day trip. But you could still use it if you’re staying overnight as you’ll arrive at your hotel around the perfect time to check straight in. I loved Kokura when I stayed there – and, Hakata is home to Nanzoin Temple, one of the sights in Japan that blew my mind.
So, there’s what you need to know about riding the Hello Kitty Shinkansen, but, if you do have any further questions, head over to our Japan planning group on Facebook and drop them in there.
