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One thing many people want to do when they visit Japan is get on the bullet train – but, if you’re not travelling long distances around the country and are just staying in Tokyo or Osaka, how can you ride the train? We’ve got some suggestions for some speedy journeys to try…
From Tokyo
The Shinkansen in Tokyo departs from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station for destinations to the west of Tokyo or Tokyo Station and Ueno Station when going north or east. Here’s where you might want to head.
Shinagawa
This is one of the shortest rides you can do on the Shinkansen. It takes just 4 minutes and costs only 1800 yen for an unreserved seat. There’s no point booking a reserved seat for this, so just turn up at Tokyo Station, hop on the next train for Shinagawa in the unreserved car and enjoy the fun.
The big downside of this journey is that the train won’t reach anywhere near full speed – plus there’s not a huge amount to do in Shinagawa, so while it’s an option if you are very time crunched, you might want to head a little bit further afield.
Yokohama
Again, you won’t get up to full speed on this journey, but at least you’ll get to experience the Shinkansen for a bit longer – Tokyo Station to Shin Yokohama is a 17-minute journey costing 1380 on the Kodama.
You can also get on a Shinagawa – although that will reduce the journey time even further.
Once in Yokohama, you can spend a few hours exploring Yokohama Chinatown and the waterfront or visit the fun Cup Noodle and Ramen Museums.
If you don’t want to explore solo, this tour of the city covers many highlights in three hours.
If you do visit Yokohama, it’s important to note that you will arrive in Shin-Yokohama Station, which is a little bit out of town, and then you’ll need to get on the local Blue Line train toward the sights.
On the way back, catch the local train from central Yokohama back to Tokyo to save some money.
Image: Kindly taken by Paula and Charles at Sydneyexpert.com
Odawara
If you want to ride the bullet train and experience it reaching full speed, this is the closest destination you can visit. The ride from Tokyo Station will take 33 minutes and costs 3280 yen. You can also get on at Shinagawa.
Odawara has a reconstructed castle, Odawara Minaka, a replica old shopping complex designed like an Edo-period street, and even a seafront that’s pretty at sunset, so you could just come here on a day trip.
However, Odawara is best known for being the gateway to the Hakone region. If you are planning on visiting here on your trip, you could arrive via bullet train – although note, it’s not the most direct route.
If you are hoping to do the famous Loop in Hakone as part of your visit, then you can buy the Hakone Free Pass just from Odawara at a slightly lower price. Read this guide to what I wish I’d known before arriving in Hakone, if you do decide to enter Hakone via Odawara – it could save you some time and frustration.
Can You Visit Mount Fuji by Bullet Train
Not directly, Mount Fuji is located in the middle of Japan’s Honshu island, and the bullet train tracks do not pass directly past it. The closest you will get is Odawara or nearby Mishima, which also has views of the mountain.
Utsonomiya
If you’re looking for a destination with fewer Western tourists for your day trip, travel 48 minutes north-east of Tokyo to Utsonomiya in Tochigi.
It’s known as the town of gyoza, so stopping into one of the many restaurants here that serve the dumplings is a must-do (this Dumpling Eating tour will take you to the best of them). You might also want to visit the Oya History museum, located in an old stone quarry, or the interesting Oya Temple, which is built into the rock.
If you aren’t going to Kyoto on your trip but would still like to see some bamboo, you can visit Wakayama Bamboo Farm, a little way outside of the city. The Shinkansen to Utsonomiya costs 4490 yen.
Nagano
If you really want to ride the Shinkansen for a decent amount of time – and potentially see Mount Fuji as well, heading to Nagano is a great option. You’ll be on the train for 80 minutes, if you get the fastest train, and the ride will cost 8320 yen (note – this is one of the 5 Shinkansen journeys where you must have a reserved seat).
You may also see Mount Fuji in the distance on a clear day. Sit on the left-hand side of the train and keep your eyes peeled.
Check out our guide on how to spend one day in Nagano for ideas of what to do on your visit – including visiting the important Zenko-ji shrine above.
From Osaka
If you’re flying into Osaka and want to use the bullet train, you’ll catch it from Shin-Osaka station. Here’s where you might want to consider visiting.
Kyoto
This is the obvious choice for a short Shinkansen ride from Osaka – the ride to Kyoto Station takes about 15 minutes, and, while it’s not the budget way to get to Kyoto, if you want to ride the Shinkansen, you can kill two birds with one stone by making this your journey.
It costs 1450 yen, or 2880 if you want to reserve a seat. A lot of people will get off a Shin Osaka, so you might be lucky and snag one unreserved – or, with such a short journey, you could always stand between the cars.
Admittedly, you need more than one day in Kyoto to do it justice (I normally suggest spending four days in Kyoto), but if it’s all you have – and you want to see the main headline sights, this one-day Kyoto plan can help you tick off Fushimi Inari Taisha, the Sagano Bamboo Forest and Kiyo-mizu dera in one day.
When returning from Kyoto, it might be more convenient to take a local train, and it will definitely be cheaper – our guide on getting between Osaka and Kyoto will show you your options.
Kobe
It will take around 12 minutes to get to Shin-Kobe station from Shin Osaka, and it costs 1530 in an unreserved seat.
Kobe is a port town close to Osaka – it’s most famous for Kobe beef, but there’s more to do here than eat. You can take a cable car up to a pretty herb garden, explore the harbourfront or visit Kobe Chinatown, one of the largest in Japan.
Taking a local tour can help you make the most of your day. This one lets you pick what you’d most like to see from Kobe’s main headline sights.
Taking the Shinkansen to Kobe will bring you into Shin-Kobe, which is located a little way from some of the main sights, so check the best local lines to transfer to whatever you’d like to see most.
When returning to Osaka, you could switch to the local Hashin or Tokaido Sanyo lines to save you around a thousand yen on the return journey.
Himeji
Most famous for its castle, Himeji is just a 28-minute train journey from Shin-Osaka station, and an unreserved seat will cost you 3220 yen.
If you’re visiting here, chances are the castle is going to be on your must-see list, but you could also visit Koken Garden, which is right next door. There is also an art museum, a history museum and a small zoo in the castle grounds.
There are also some really interesting experiences offered by the local tourist office – like mochi pounding and calligraphy. Head here to find a full list.
So that’s my pick of the shortest journeys you can take on the Shinkansen.
