FIRST CLASS on Japan’s Bullet Train (Osaka to Tokyo at 177MPH!)

Watch this video to see what it’s like to travel onboard Japan’s Shinkansen Train! This high speed bullet train is not only one of the world’s most famous trains, it’s also the world’s first High Speed Train!

In this video, you’ll see what it’s like to travel on the Shinkansen High Speed Train in the Green Car, which is similar to First Class. You’ll join us as we start in Osaka and travel north, to Tokyo. The 319 mile (514km) trip will only take about 2 and a half hours thanks to the high speed train!

We’ll hit speeds of up to 177 miles per hour as we zoom across the Japanese countryside.

We’ll explain exactly how we booked our tickets on the Shinkansen so you can do the same thing.

Booking Shinkansen Train Tickets:

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0:00 Introduction
2:51 Boarding Shinkansen
5:37 Picnic Lunch on Shinkansen
7:17 Shinkansen History
9:24 Arriving Tokyo

Music:
Move Fast - Experia
Fast Forward - Craft Case
Irl - Real Heroes
Immaculate Vibes - Sarah, the Illstrumentalist
Himmel - Mansa

[BMRS]

Jeb, another stunning video. Your production value has gone through the roof over the last couple of years and it’s not lost on your subscribers as you’re close to 700K! Well deserved! And you know you’re a watch enthusiast when your collection includes heavy hitters like Patek, AP, VC, Rolex but also incudes a Mission to Earth Moon swatch! Price doesn’t matter. Horology does!

[ant]

I was there for 2 weeks and got back last week. Amazing public transport system in Japan.

[mattsoca]

Just a correction. Luggage less than 160 cm (length x width x height) may be taken on board and placed in the overhead rack or kept at the seat. From 160 cm, a reservation needs to be made. this means reserving seats at the back (last row) of a forward-facing cabin that also has dedicated space between the seat and the wall of the cabin for this luggage. There is NO extra charge for this seat with the allocated luggage space. Some cars also have a luggage rack (with security restraints) close to the bathrooms that can be reserved. Failure to secure prior reservations for "oversized" luggage will result in a small fine. Also note that passengers are allowed 2 pieces of luggage, with a 30 kg (about 66 lbs.) weight limit per piece.

[magnustan]

As a rail enthusiast, Shinkansen has been my favourite train since I was 6 years old. Every time I go back to Japan, it never ceases to thrill going that fast and in so much comfort. Also, you got to ride freaking Train Suite Shikishima?!! You’re one lucky couple guys, Japanese cruise trains like that sell out months in advance! Can’t wait for that video, cause I don’t think any foreigner has covered it!

[btuckervideos]

Travelled on the Shinkansen back in September, and this brought back great memories. Japan certainly has the best rail system that I've travelled on

[sojp-zqds]

6:00 I love the scene when you and Suzanne are having bento boxes, eki-ben, with Asashi in the train. Welcome to Japan!

[VarunMilan]

Travelling the world has always been my childhood dream at 25 I lost most of my eyesight due to a problem in my retina watching videos like this motivates me, I wanna live my dreams and be an inspiration through my channel 💙💙

[s.macintosh-jcrf]

Hi Jeb & Suzanne,
What a fantastic trip in Japan 🇯🇵! I can’t believe the speed at which the train travels!
You two are my favourite travel commentators by far. I can’t travel and these trips are my secret delight.
Thank you so much for the wonderful entertainment and knowledge that you provide!
Merry Christmas,
Peter

[bobsellars]

We have three trips on Shinkansen this year, the first in March. Really smooth, quick and precisely on time. Stops at station along the way were less than 90 seconds from whoa to go so you make sure you're on the right place on the platform with the doors lining up precisely with the platform guidelines. Plenty of legroom, even in economy. Wifi was quite acceptable.
On our Tokyo-Osaka trip Mt Fuji was cloudfree and was a spectacular sight, just as good as any tourist pamphlets!
On a side note, what added to our Japanese experience was the general courteousness and politeness of the Japanese people we dealt with. Absolutely no graffiti, no homeless, amazingly clean and (importatntly) absolutely no tipping. We liked Japan it so much we went back for a second trip a few month later.
I don't think you will ever see a bullet train in USA - really expensive to establish the right infrastructure and it would need to be done from public funding. No private company would have the funds to do such a project, which would take years to complete. I can't imagine 340, 000 Americans giving up their cars to travel on a train.- every day.
Anyway, superb video Jeb. Your production quality and commentary keeps improving.

[markswishereatsstuff]

I was on the Bullet Train in 1967 when I was 6 years old and still remember bits and pieces of the ride. Oh, and I was wearing a little sports jacket and tie, the same outfit that I was wearing on Japan Airlines from DC to Tokyo. Different times.

[hibikismusic]

Those 'Green Cars' are more of a premium economy/business class type of rating if we compared it to planes. The actual 'First Class' counterpart on the Shinkansen would be the 'Grand Class', only available on the Hayabusa/Kagayaki with the food service (Other services just offer the seating I remember). Anyways a great video and hopefully you'll keep it up! Thanks for the content!

[magnus]

I'm going to Japan with a couple of friends next year, so this video was super useful!

[scottwolf]

Other videos from Japan that showcase the trains, food, and exquisite countryside without making it about themselves. They are vastly more serene and peaceful.

[jakeau]

I recently travelled Kyoto to Tokyo on the Nozomi, during the journey I struggled to reconcile the fact Shinkansen service begun in 1964 with the current rail options available in my home country, Australia today.

[oczuk]

When me and my wife rode the Shinkansen express from Kyoto to Tokyo the max speed hit was 182mph. Best ride ever.

[nitinchamroo]

Awesome video as usual. Thank you. I was in Japan 2 months ago, and I was able to avail the JR Pass which gave me unlimited access to the Green Car on the Shinkansen routes. It is probably the best train in the world. Japan honestly has the best railway service in the world. I have been to the USA, UK, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and many other countries but Japan is different than all of them. The convenience of navigating from one place to another is simply amazing.

[howardzhao]

Thanks for sharing with another great video. I have been in Osaka and Tokyo several times and did exactly the same route as you had. The service sector in Japan just in another level, there is just nothing to compare in the States.

[robertk]

Jeb and Suzanne — great video and thank you for visiting my home country of Japan — hope you enjoyed your time there 🇯🇵

[WalkingEng]

The Shinkansen is the best train ride I’ve ever been on. I Hiroshima to Tokyo and the whole experience was just effortless, I arrived totally fresh. Great video, I agree on the baggage, carting that lot through a busy station is no fun.

[antonallen]

Having used the Shinkansen frequently over my life, I can attest to how much of a spaceship it feels like. And when you really put it into perspective - how it used to be an 8-12 hour car ride, let alone a 7 day ride by horse 200 years ago - you realize how amazing it is to have such a train available. Houston-Dallas corridor is rumored to be using the N700 Series trains, and when it does come to reality, I hope Texas will be able to experience the glory of the Shinkansen.

To anybody interested, the Nozomi is the express service between the biggest cities, but there are cheaper trains that stop at more cities (although they have a similar top speed) - the Hikari (fastest train included in the JR Pass) which follows the Nozomi route, but becomes a local Shinkansen between Nagoya and Osaka; Kodama Shinki which is a local Shinkansen all the way through the line.