By Shawn Gallagher
Good evening from Tokyo station! This is a review of Japan’s fastest train, the Tohoku Shinkansen. Running at speeds up to 320kmh/200mph, it’s one of the fastest and most efficient systems in the world. I took this train from Tokyo to Morioka, a city in Northern Japan.
This Tohoku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to northern Japanese Cities and terminates all the way up in Southern Hokkaido, at Hakodate. This train has 3 levels to its cabin, kind of like an airplane. They have regular coach (which I’ll be riding on), Green Car (similar to premium economy), and Gran Class (similar to domestic first class).
Let’s take a look at what a typical Shinkansen experience looks like in coach.
Boarding The Train
Unlike in Europe or the United States where you wait for the train in a terminal building, most passengers wait directly on the platform since the platform numbers are pre-determined.
Once I got to the ticket gates, I immediately made my way to the platform.
My train was the 20:16 (8:16pm for you people who can’t read military time) Hayabusa train number 45.
I made my way to platform 22.
The train was already there when I arrived. However, they were still cleaning and turning the train around so we couldn’t board yet.
It was very crowded with everyone crammed onto the platform waiting for the train. I personally prefer waiting for the train inside a big terminal building like in Europe or the United States, but maybe that’s just me.
I lined up in front of my car number 7. Boarding began just 5 minutes before departure.
On The Train
The train is in a 2-3 configuration. I sat on the window of the 2 seat side.
The seats were fairly comfortable. They’re noticeably narrow, at least for me. I loved the pillow/headrest though.
The seats have excellent legroom. I’m a frequent Amtrak rider in the Northeast United States, and these coach seats blow away the legroom on Acela Business Class. My feet barely touch the seat in front of me, and I’m 6 foot 1 (183cm).
Related: Amtrak Acela Business Class Review, Boston to New York City
Overhead space is sufficient for small carry ons or backpacks.
Larger luggage can be stored in these racks at the ends of the cars.
Window seats have power outlets. Some trains have power outlets for every seat, while others do not. If you need to get work done and be connected, I’d recommend a window seat.
The tray table was clean. It was more than enough space. I brought my own food on the train. Shinkansen trains don’t have cafe cars, so it’s a good idea to bring food yourself. They do have food carts on some trains, but I wouldn’t count on them to get a whole meal.
En Route To Northern Japan
The Wi-Fi was unfortunately very poor; I couldn’t connect at all at any point during the trip.
Related: SIM Cards In Japan: Mobal Travel eSIM Review
Restrooms are located in every car. They were clean and well maintained throughout the trip.
I arrived in Morioka just before 10:30pm. The ride took about 2 hours 10 minutes total, and it was on time by the minute. It’s a great, efficient system!
Concluding Thoughts
This trip went very smoothly from start to finish. Aside from the Wi-Fi, the overall experience on board was great as well.
The train is able to hit maximum speed for most of the ride, which helps with the travel time and creates a very efficient overall line. Never hesitate to take the Shinkansen in Japan; make sure to ride one when you visit!
All photos taken by the author.