Issue #11

Words by Cory Ohlendorf | Video by Wirestock

2024 marks 60 years since the first generation Series 0 Shinkansen—otherwise known as the “bullet train”—entered into service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. Just 10 days before the opening ceremony of the first Olympic Games in Tokyo, on October 1, 1964, a sleek blue and white train slid effortlessly across the urban sprawl of Tokyo, its elevated tracks carrying it south toward the city of Osaka and into a place in history.

It was a technological marvel and sure looked futuristic. But it was still … a train. How, in an era of luxury jet travel and a race to be the first country to land on the moon, did a train capture the imaginations of people across the globe?

“The train ended up meaning different things to different people,” says Jessamyn Abel, associate professor of Asian studies at Penn State, who literally wrote the book on the Shinkansen’s impact on the culture. “This was a time when Japan was in the process of recovering from World War II, about to host the Olympics, and trying to show how well the country was doing. And this train was something they could show to the world and prove that they were making a comeback.”

There’s something about these trains that feel inherently Japanese. The design (both inside and out) is streamlined and elegant. They’re gleaming clean, incredibly quiet and almost comically reliable. Sure you can (and sometimes should) reserve your tickets early, but you can almost always secure a seat on a Shinkansen on the day-of your travel. That’s essentially what the trains were made for—if a Tokyo business man suddenly needs to be in Osaka for something urgent, there is a high-speed train every half-hour that will take him to the center of town in about two hours. There’s no hassle of  getting to the airport or dealing with security lines and ticket agents. You can stroll right up to the train mere minutes from departure, sit down and be whisked away. 

Want something to eat or drink? Most people buy a bento box at the station (known as an eki-ben), but you can always buy something from the snack trolley that’s wheeled down the aisle or from the vending machines that are staggered between cars near the restrooms. Yes, there are spacious restrooms and refreshments. There are large windows and comfortable, reclining seats and plenty of legroom. It is, in short, the most comfortable and civilized way of traveling, short of a private jet. But here’s the thing—all that luxurious travel comes not at a premium, but for a reasonable price.

It really shouldn’t be possible, for less than $200, to travel the length of Japan in style like this. In a relaxed and graceful atmosphere, where the attendants back out of each car in order to bow at the customers, at this high speed, with the smoothness that allows you to comfortable sip a steaming cup of green tea, in a system this supernaturally efficient and operated with so very little fuss.

And on top of all that, the Shinkansen has a remarkable safety record. This wide network of high-speed trains have now operated for more than half a century—over 21,000 days—without a single passenger casualty. This, Japan’s government has said, is a “testament to uncompromising attention to quality in the development of the technology and strong efforts for safety in operation by all staff involved—from the train operators to the engineers who maintain the trains, tracks, and other equipment.”

The strong safety record also attests to their focus on disaster prevention. Japan’s challenging topography and its widely varying climates, from the freezing winters of the north to the tropical humidity farther south, have made Japanese railroad engineers world leaders at finding solutions to new problems as they push the boundaries of rail technology. Not least of these is seismic activity. Japan is one of the most geologically unstable places on the planet, prone to earthquakes and tsunamis and home to around 10% of the world’s volcanoes. The government says the Shinkansen’s earthquake warning systems have always functioned well to stop the trains safely. When nature forces a Shinkansen to stop, you know conditions are genuinely bad. Still, the average annual lateness across the JR Central network is still only one and a half minutes.

If you hate the thought of slathering on a thick sunscreen, this is for you. I discovered this gel moisturizer on one of my first trips to Tokyo years ago. Now the popular drugstore staple has grown into a whole line of various sun-protective properties. But, for me, you can't beat the original. Especially if you want a lightweight and fast-absorbing sunblock that protects and hydrates your skin. The “watery essence” truly disappears into skin as soon as you smooth it on. It has a light citrus scent and maintains moisture without feeling greasy thanks to the addition of hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid. It actually feels closer in texture to a serum than a sunscreen, and won’t clog pores or cause breakouts. 

Betsu-bara (別腹) is a great term to learn if you've got a sweet tooth. It literally translates into "second stomach”, but the phrase is often uttered as an excuse to have something sweet—especially after a meal. The nice thing about eating in Japan, is that the meals are often balanced with slightly smaller portion sizes. Meaning it's easy to crave a little something sweet after you're finished eating—be it something decadent from the restaurant's dessert menu or just some ice cream from the convenience store on your way home.