Japan Shinkansen Network
Tōkaidō, San'yō, Kyūshū, Tōhoku, Jōetsu, Hokuriku, Hokkaidō lines
Japan's Shinkansen (bullet train) network is the world's most punctual — 300 km/h, average delay under 1 minute. Tokyo-Osaka in 2h 27m (Nozomi). This map shows all major lines. JR Pass covers Hikari + Kodama but NOT Nozomi/Mizuho express (upgrade needed).
18 nodes·17 routes·Powered by MapLibre + OpenFreeMap
Operators
JR EastJR CentralJR WestJR KyushuJR Hokkaido
Peak season
Golden Week (late April-early May) + Cherry blossom (late March-early April) + New Year
Booking tips
- 1JR Pass: 7/14/21-day passes for foreign tourists. Cover Hikari + Kodama but NOT Nozomi/Mizuho (fastest trains).
- 2Book Golden Week + cherry blossom season 1-2 months ahead.
- 3Reserved seats free with JR Pass — always reserve to guarantee a seat.
- 4Green Car (first class) available with Green JR Pass.
- 5Buy JR Pass BEFORE arriving in Japan — cannot buy inside Japan for tourist price.
Booking: Trip.com Trains + JR Pass affiliate
FAQs — Japan Shinkansen Network
JR Pass — is it worth it?
Yes for 7+ day trips with 2+ long Shinkansen journeys. Tokyo-Kyoto-Hiroshima round-trip = pass pays for itself.
Nozomi vs Hikari vs Kodama?
Nozomi: fastest, 4-5 stops, NOT covered by JR Pass. Hikari: 8-10 stops, JR Pass covered. Kodama: every stop, JR Pass covered.