The Shinkansen, known as the "bullet train ," has revolutionised transportation in Japan and influenced rail travel in nearly two dozen countries worldwide. Japan's high-speed rail journey began in 1964, just before the Tokyo Olympics , with the inauguration of the Tokaido Shinkansen. This line connected Tokyo and Osaka, covering 320 miles and dramatically reducing travel time to just 2.
5 hours. Today, Japan boasts nearly 2,000 miles of high-speed track that links major cities across three of the country's four main islands: Honshu, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. This network is the second most extensive in Asia and is among the top contenders globally.
Notably, in 60 years of Shinkansen operation, there have been no passenger fatalities,as the system holds an impressive safety record. Japan was the pioneer of high-speed rail, launching its first line just in time for the 1964 Olympics. The Tokaido Shinkansen remains the busiest, but other vital routes include the Sanyo Shinkansen, connecting Kansai with the western Chugoku region; the Tohoku Shinkansen, stretching from Kanto to northern Tohoku; the Joetsu Shinkansen, linking Kanto with the Chubu region on Honshu's west coast; and the Kyushu Shinkansen, serving the southwestern island of Kyushu.
The fastest train currently operating in Japan is the Hayabusa Shinkansen, which travels on the Tohoku and Hokkaido lines at speeds up to 199 miles per hour. High-speed trains are generally defined as those traveling at least 124mph on upgrade.