The Tokaido Shinkansen for Shizuoka, Shin-Yokohama, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Shin-Osaka

The Tokaido Shinkansen is the high speed “bullet train” route operated by JR Central that runs between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka Stations. From Nagoya Station the shinkansen runs east to Shizuoka, Shin-Yokohama and Tokyo and west to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka.

There are also through train services that travel beyond Shin-Osaka on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line to Okayama, Hiroshima, and Hakata in Kyushu. Taking the shinkansen can be very economical if you have a Japan Rail Pass. However, be aware that two of the fastest shinkansen trains, the Nozomi on the Tokaido line, and the Mizuho on the Sanyo line are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Train Services

There are three types of train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line: the Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama. The Nozomi is the most frequent and the fastest train as it travels between Nagoya and Tokyo in just 1 hour and 40 minutes. However, this train is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

If you wish to use the Japan Rail Pass, your best choice is the Hikari. Traveling from Nagoya to Tokyo the Hikari can take between 1 hour and 44 minutes or 2 hours and 5 minutes depending on the service.

The Kodama stops at every station on the way to Tokyo and so takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes. The distance between Nagoya and western destinations like Kyoto and Shin-Osaka is not so great, so the different train types don’t affect the travel time so much. The Nozomi takes around 50 minutes to travel between Nagoya and Shin-Osaka, the Hikari takes 1 hour and 7 minutes, and the Kodama takes around 1 hour and 6 minutes.

For most shinkansen lines reserved ticket prices are variable according to the season. The standard reserved ticket charge for most shinkansen lines is an extra 510 yen on top of the non-reserved ticket price. However, in off-peak periods a reserved ticket charge is just 310 yen, and in peak periods it can go up to 710 yen.

Key Destinations Traveling East

At Nagoya Station, trains bound for Shin-Yokohama and Tokyo depart from platforms 14 and 15. Below are the key destinations between Nagoya and Tokyo with non-reserved ticket fares given from Nagoya Station.

Shizuoka Station

Shizuoka City is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture. The city is best known for its scenic views of Mount Fuji. Particularly scenic areas are the Nihondaira plateau and the pine tree-lined beach of Miho no Matsubara. The colorful Kunozan Toshogu Shrine at Nihondaira contains the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 5,830 yen

Atami Station

Atami is a famous hot spring resort town on the Izu peninsula. Attractions include the reconstructed Atami Castle which dates from 1959, and the MOA museum of Art.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 8,090 yen

Odawara Station

Odawara is a major access point for the hot spring resort area of Hakone. The city also has a castle, castle park, and castle museum. The castle was originally built in the 15th century but the current building is a reconstruction from the 1960s.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 8,420 yen

Shin-Yokohama Station

This station serves the major port city of Yokohama which is located south of Tokyo. Yokohama’s attractions include, the Sankei-en Garden, the sea-front Minato Mirai district, the Landmark Tower and a Chinatown district with hundreds of Chinese restaurants.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 9,720 yen

Tokyo Station

Tokyo is Japan’s capital city and most populous metropolis with endless opportunities for sightseeing, shopping, dining and entertainment. Popular districts include the historic area of Asakusa, Harajuku for its pop culture and fashion boutiques, and Roppongi and Shibuya for neon-lit nightlife.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 10,360 yen

Key Destinations Traveling West

At Nagoya Station trains bound for Kyoto and Shin-Osaka depart from platforms 16 and 17. Through train services bound for Hakata also depart from these platforms. Below are the key destinations between Nagoya and Hakata with non-reserved ticket fares given from Nagoya Station. For details of destinations beyond Shin-Osaka please see our article on the Sanyo Shinkansen.

Kyoto Station

Kyoto is one of Japan’s best preserved cities, with thousands of shrines, temples, palaces and gardens. Major tourist attractions here are the Golden Pavilion of Kinkakuji Temple, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, and the bamboo forest of Arashiyama . Kyoto is also famous for its fine food and riverside dining, as well as its more modern architecture such as Kyoto Tower, and the Kyoto Station building.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 5,070 yen

Shin-Osaka Station

Shin-Osaka Station is the gateway to the Osaka metropolitan area. Osaka is Japan’s second largest city and is packed with shopping, dining, and sightseeing opportunities. Popular attractions in Osaka include the major commercial district of Umeda, Osaka Castle, Universal Studios Japan (USJ), and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. The Tokaido Shinkansen line terminates at Shin-Osaka Station, but through train services continue west on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line.

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 5,830 yen

Shin-Kobe Station

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 7,340 yen

Himeji Station

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 8,090 yen

Okayama Station

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 10,350 yen

Hiroshima Station

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 13,290 yen

Hakata Station

Non-reserved ticket fare from Nagoya: 17,500 yen

Buying Shinkansen Tickets at Nagoya Station

At Nagoya Station the shinkansen gates are located on the west side of the station just inside the Taiko Dori Exit. You can find ticket machines and ticket offices close by these gates where you can buy shinkansen tickets. Buying shinkansen tickets can be a little complicated, so we recommend using a ticket office rather than a machine.

When buying your tickets, you will need to decide on your seat preferences. There are two classes of carriage on shinkansen trains: Ordinary and Green Cars. The seats on Ordinary Cars are comfortable enough, but the seats on Green Cars are larger and offer a little more comfort, quiet and leg-room. Naturally, tickets for the Green Cars are more expensive and must be reserved in advance. Also, when purchasing a Japan Rail Pass, you must choose between an Ordinary Pass or a Green Pass.

For ordinary tickets both non-reserved (自由席 – jiyu seki) and reserved seats (指定席 – shitei seki) are available in different carriages. The reserved seats will cost you a little extra. However, during busy periods (particularly national holidays) the non-reserved carriages do fill up, so it may be worth making a reservation to avoid the risk of standing throughout the journey.

To summarize, when buying your tickets you will need to offer the following information:

• The number of travelers
• The departure station and destination
• The date and time of travel
• One-way or return
• Preferences: Ordinary or Green Car, Reserved or Non-reserved, Smoking or Non-smoking

Discounts

The Japan Rail Pass can be used for all shinkansen trains except the Nozomi and Mizuho. This pass is recommended if you intend to do much long distance travel in Japan as it offers significant savings. This pass is only available to foreign tourists and must be bought before you come to Japan.

Platt Kodama offers discount tickets on the Kodama shinkansen between Nagoya and other destinations on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line. The Kodama is the slowest of the shinkansen train types on the Tokaido route but for a short hop between Shin-Osaka or Kyoto and Nagoya it is only a slightly longer journey and the savings are significant. The Platt Kodama discount ticket must be booked at least one day in advance at JR Tokai Tours offices. Check the official website for details.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.