1. Use the right station
The most common first-timer mistake: in several cities the Shinkansen does not stop at the main city-center station.
| Going to | Shinkansen station | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Osaka | Shin-Osaka | Not Osaka Station. One stop (about 4 min) from Osaka Station on the JR Kyoto Line. |
| Kobe | Shin-Kobe | Connect to Sannomiya by subway in a few minutes. |
| Yokohama | Shin-Yokohama | Not Yokohama Station. |
| Kyoto | Kyoto | The main Kyoto Station. |
| Tokyo | Tokyo or Shinagawa | Westbound trains stop at both; Shinagawa is often closer to hotels in the south. |
| Fukuoka | Hakata | Fukuoka’s main station is called Hakata. |
| Hiroshima, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Sendai | Same name as the city | The main station of each city. |
2. Approximate travel times
Fastest regular services, rounded. Exact times depend on the train you choose.
| Route | About | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo → Nagoya | 1 h 35 min | Tokaido |
| Tokyo → Kyoto | 2 h 15 min | Tokaido |
| Tokyo → Shin-Osaka | 2 h 30 min | Tokaido |
| Kyoto → Shin-Osaka | 15 min | Tokaido |
| Shin-Osaka → Hiroshima | 1 h 25 min | Sanyo |
| Tokyo → Hiroshima | 4 h | Tokaido + Sanyo |
| Tokyo → Hakata (Fukuoka) | 5 h | Tokaido + Sanyo |
| Tokyo → Kanazawa | 2 h 30 min | Hokuriku |
| Tokyo → Sendai | 1 h 30 min | Tohoku |
For long distances, a domestic flight can be faster door to door — for example Tokyo to Fukuoka or Sapporo. Compare total time including airport transfers before you decide.
3. Nozomi, Hikari or Kodama?
On the busiest route (Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka – Hiroshima – Hakata) there are three main types of train:
- Nozomi — the fastest, with the fewest stops.
- Hikari — slightly slower, a few more stops.
- Kodama — stops at every station; useful for smaller towns, slow for long trips.
4. Reserved or non-reserved seats
- Non-reserved cars (自由席, jiyūseki) are cheaper and first come, first served. Fine outside rush hours.
- Reserved seats (指定席, shiteiseki) guarantee a seat. Book them for weekends, holidays and peak seasons such as cherry blossom, Golden Week, Obon and New Year.
- Green Car is first class: wider seats and quieter cars.
On the platform, signs on the floor show where each car number stops. Wait in line there — trains are on time and stops are short.
5. Big luggage rules
On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, luggage is measured by length + width + height:
| Total size | What to do |
|---|---|
| Up to 160 cm | No special reservation needed. Overhead racks fit most carry-on cases. |
| 160 – 250 cm | Reserve a seat with an oversized baggage area when you book. Without it you may be charged a fee (¥1,000) and directed where to store the bag. |
| Over 250 cm | Not allowed on board as normal luggage. |
Travelling light makes everything easier. Luggage forwarding (takkyūbin) from hotel to hotel is cheap, reliable and offered at most hotel front desks.
6. How to buy tickets
- At the station: ticket machines (with English) or JR ticket offices.
- Online: the smartEX service for Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu lines, and JR East’s online booking for lines from Tokyo to the north and to Kanazawa.
- Paper tickets: insert them into the gate and take them back — you need them again to exit at your destination.
As a reference, a reserved one-way seat from Tokyo to Kyoto costs roughly ¥14,000. Prices vary by train and season, so check the official booking site.
7. Tips for the ride
- Mount Fuji: on the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo towards Kyoto, Fuji is on the right side — choose a window seat E in standard cars. You need clear weather.
- Buy an ekiben (station lunch box) before boarding; eating on board is normal.
- Keep phone calls for the space between cars, and set your phone to silent.
- Arrive on the platform a few minutes early — doors close exactly on time.
Every train stage, clearly planned.
In 687 Japan, the train card in your itinerary shows the right Shinkansen station (for example Shin-Osaka, not Osaka), an approximate travel time, the public-transit route in Apple Maps and a ticket search with your date and travelers already filled in. For long hops it also compares a domestic flight with the Shinkansen.