I am on the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) on my way to Hiroshima. Satyaki showed me yesterday how to get to Shin Kobe station and navigate the subway, and I managed to do that and order a simple breakfast at the Shinkansen station, which is separate from the Japan Railways (JR) stations.

 

Nozomi Shinkansen train. Cruise 185 mph

The trains are very sleek and exude the feeling of speed even when they are in the station. The trains run about every 20 minutes and cruise at around 185 mph.

There are varying levels for train and the Nozumi is the fastest and is the equivalent of the Super Rapid on the regular JR line. There are a lot of tunnels and only two other stops between Kobe and Hiroshima. It takes about 90 minutes for the journey and is about $100 each way!

The train stops in the station for about 45 seconds, and there are barriers and gates that only open when the train is in the station, so you had better be ready when your stop comes up!. There are reserved seats and some cars with non-reserved seats where you take potluck.

The train is quiet and very smooth and there is plenty of legroom and a table. It is clean and well lit, and like everything I have seen so far is well maintained.

We have been traveling for about 30 minutes so far and it looks like we are approaching the first station Okayama.  It looks like not all the stations have full-length barriers and gates. There were none at Okayama.

Yesterday on the regular JR trains we watched the driver and the conductor. They are impeccably dressed and wear white gloves, and there is a procedure that looks like it is rigidly followed where the driver physically points to the signal ahead and when the train stops physically touches the light that indicates that the train is stopped and the brakes applied. 

 

Note the white gloves

They are also meticulous about the time and the conductor constantly checks it and the doors close on the second. I looked at the board that the driver has and it shows the arrival time and departure time for each station on the route and is to the second, even for local trains. S the train would arrive at Sumyoshi station at, say 10.22 and 20 seconds and depart at 10.22 and 45 seconds. The length of time is dependent on the average passenger volume and probably varies by the time also. To the average American we would maybe find this obsessive, but it works with Japanese culture and their expectations for efficiency.

 

The information board indicates the next two trains and when the train is approaching it starts to flash. You had better be ready as the stop is brief, even for the Nozomi!

While there is some evidence of farming the vast majority of the journey so far has been either tunnels, or an urban or industrial area.

The whole system must have been very expensive to build, and expensive to maintain, but the results are truly impressive. I can recall hearing about bullet trains 35 years ago. I am told that there are also many trains In China that are as fast or faster and impressive.

The thing that surprised me most is the number of trains. They look like they leave Hiroshima (most southerly point) for Tokyo, a terminal anyway but not the most northerly point, every 20 minutes or so. Maybe the other thing was that there are female train drivers, and in this male dominated society I was surprised. I saw shift change in Hiroshima and the new driver was a lady in her 30s. Of course I took a train with a male driver…much safer!! JUST KIDDING.