Taking the Shinkansen in Japan has to be up there in my Top 3 of ways of getting around Japan in a comfortable, hassle free and efficient way. Actually, taking the train in Japan is definitely my most preferred way of getting around, hands down! And if you love riding trains and getting to your destinations as quickly as possible via the train, then there is no better way than the Shinkansen. To learn more about the Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen and a hassle free way to find and buy tickets, you’ve come to the right place!

In this post, I wanted to talk specifically about riding the Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen and pairing that with the smartEX app (website) in order to help with your travel plans. When I refer to this Shinkansen below, I’ll just refer to it as the Tokaido Shinkansen since it’s shorter to say. The full name is a mouth full to say each time. Also, as this post is quite long, if you’d like to listen instead of reading, I’ve included the audio file of me reading my post, just in case. n_n

Please note that this article only applies to travel south of Tokyo heading to Kyushu ending in Kagoshima via this particular line. This includes popular destinations such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata (Fukuoka), and Kumamoto. While it doesn't go everywhere, it does go to the majority of big centers around this part of the country so it's always possible to pair a Shinkansen ride with local trains, a bus ride, rental cars or even just plain ol’ walking.

There are other Shinkansen lines (Akita, Hokuriku, Joetsu, Tohoku, and Yamagata) where these lines typically go northwards (ish) to places such as Kanazawa, Niigata, Sendai, Aomori, and Hakodate. I plan to write an article about those in the near future, so stay tuned.

This post will contain the following sections. To help with a lot of the explanation, I’ll be referring back to the official smartEX app website. So, if you want to create an account and book tickets, or if you’re just looking for more information, please be sure to visit that site here: https://smart-ex.jp/en/index.php

The Map
At The Station
The Shinkansen Experience & Etiquette
Cost & Comparisons
smartEX App

The Map

To begin, let's start with the general map of the Tokaido Shinkansen line to help you picture where this train can go. This map only lists the more popular destinations but there are many more stops along the route which I will highlight below, too.

For first time visitors to Japan, I normally hear people talking and asking about places such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. If you’re hoping to visit those places and more based on the map above, then traveling within this route my be just for you.

For reference, the entire list of stops is right here:

You will notice above that the Nozomi and Mizuho trains are the fastest since they make the fewest stops along the line. The Hikari and Sakura trains are the second fastest while Kodama and Tsubame are the slowest. Typically, my rule of thumb would be always take the fastest train to and/or closest to where you want to go. And then from that point, transfer to a different train that will take you the rest of the way. Generally, the cost to take the fastest vs the slower ones is negligible, so the time savings is usually worth any extra cost.

At the Station

There are just a few pieces to highlight about being at the station for your awareness.

As opposed to flying, you only need to show up, at the platform, 5-10 minutes before your train departs. You may want more time if you plan on buying food, drinks, omiyage (souvenirs) at the station. There are no extra security and baggage checks before boarding. So, there is less stress overall. There will be clear signage when you are looking to find the train car number denoted on your ticket.
Don’t enter through the main Shinkansen gates too early because once you are within the ticketed area, it’s tricky to leave (you’ll need to ask a train station attendant to do so). Once you are in the ticketed area, depending on the station, there are usually a few places to buy ekiben (train station bento boxes), drinks and maybe some souvenirs. But generally, there isn’t a lot to do. So, if you have a lot of time to waste, do all of your activities before going through the gate and heading to the platform.
Speaking of ekiben, you can bring your own food on board. So, if you are craving some takeout food from anywhere, feel free to bring that. Just make sure to throw your garbage in the proper place at the front/rear of the train car when finished.
Shinkansen trains are coming and going all the time so when looking at the timetables, pay very close attention to your train departure time and train number. You don’t want to accidentally get on the wrong train.
If you are boarding the train at the initial point of departure, usually that train will be sitting there early giving you extra time to board, put luggage away, and get settled. However, if you are boarding at any station past that point, the train only stops to pickup passengers and does this very quickly. So, be sure to find the correct location to board your train as there will usually be a line of people waiting to board the same train car. There are two doors to each car, one for the first half of the car and then another for the second half. To make things most efficient for you and avoid congesting the car, check your seat location and then join the line that gives you the easiest access to your seat.

The Shinkansen Experience & Etiquette

The Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama trains run a 2-3 seat configuration in the regular cars. I won’t go into the detail regarding the fancy ‘Green’ cars, think premium seating, as I don’t have any experience with that car. So, depending on the size of your party, you should hopefully be able to reserve seats that allow you to seat together without having to sit by a stranger, if you prefer.

The overhead storage is quite large so it can fit your carry on bags, backpacks and other items with ease. When it comes to larger bags, especially the sizes that a lot of travelers will use for longer international trips, you’ll want to make a seat reservation that includes either the oversized baggage area or oversized baggage compartment. There is no extra fee to book these types of seats, but you’ll want to make those reservations earlier to grab the seat you want on the train departure that you prefer the most.

I used the baggage area on my last few trips since we took our son, Cai, onboard with us. We traveled with one carry-on luggage, one larger checked bag, two backpacks, and a stroller. The baggage area, when paired with the overhead storage, was more than enough room to put everything. In fact, there was still space to put an extra bag or two behind the seat.

Do note that when traveling with large luggage, it is mandatory to book a seat with one of the two oversized baggage additions. It’s not allowed to store luggage in the aisle or in your seating area.

The Mizuho, Sakura and Tsubame trains are a little bit smaller and run a 2-2 seat configuration in the regular cars. But in terms of storage and amenities, these trains are exactly the same as the ones above.

When it comes to amenities, I will say that the trains no longer have cart/trolley service. I was sad to hear that service being phased out as it was handy if you forgot to grab something before departing or if you suddenly had a craving for some chocolate or a snack. So, for any drinks and food you might want, as I mentioned earlier, those can be all brought with you.

There are plenty of washrooms onboard, and the multi-purpose room is handy for passengers that require accommodations and those with babies.

As with all public transportation in Japan, the rule of thumb is to watch what the locals do and copy that behaviour. Generally, passengers keep their voice levels down in order not to disturb others. Not to say you can’t chat with your traveling partners, but it’s important to respect the other passengers in their journey as well. In addition, ensure your area is kept clean and tidy, throw your garbage away in the appropriate containers in each car or take it away with you upon disembarking from the train. Try to leave your seat in exactly the same fashion as you encountered it.

If you aren’t getting off at the train’s final destination, the time to disembark at your stop will be short. So, listen to the announcements carefully and prepare yourself accordingly to get off without rushing and accidentally forgetting something important.

Cost & Comparisons

When it comes to considering taking the Shinkansen against some of it’s competitors, there a few key pieces to be mindful of:

Cost
Total Travel Time
Convenience

I will break this down with two comparison examples against some close competitors to help give a better picture if taking this Shinkansen is the right choice for you. Please note that these are just examples and a snapshot of prices from a single point of time (i.e. when this post was created). In addition, transportation to and from the main transportation hub (departure station, airport, terminal) will be referred in time taken via public transportation. Prices for those pieces is not included but keep in mind that additional costs will be incurred.

Example 1: Tokyo to Osaka (One Way) - This is a very popular trip for visitors to take when visiting Japan. Prices will be based on an early booking of at least 28 days prior to departure.

    
        Transportation Option
        Cost
        Travel Time
        Convenience Notes
        Estimated Total Time
    

        Shinkansen (Regular Car): Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station
        ¥12,240
        2hr30min
        If staying in Tokyo, estimate 30min travel time to Tokyo Station. No additional fees for luggage but may need to reserve a seat that allows for oversized luggage.
        3hr
    

        Full Service Airline (ANA Discover Japan Fare): Tokyo Haneda Airport to Osaka Itami Airport
        ¥12,000
        1hr10min
        Estimate 30min travel time to airport if staying in Tokyo. In addition, expect to arrive at the airport 1hr before departure. Time at Osaka Itami airport to retrieve bags and find/wait for transportation into city about 30min. Travel time to downtown Osaka about 45min.
        3hr55min  
    

        Low Cost Airline (Peach Standard Fare incl. 1 checked luggage): Tokyo Narita Aiport to Osaka Kansai Airport
        ¥7,390
        1hr40min
        Estimate 1hr travel time to airport if departing from Tokyo Station. In addition, expect to arrive at the airport 1hr before departure. Time at Osaka Kansai airport to retrieve bags and find/wait for transportation into city about 30min. Travel time to downtown Osaka about 1hr.
        5hr10min
    

        Nighttime Highway Bus (Willer): Tokyo Station Bus Terminal to Osaka Ekimae Bus Terminal
        ¥6,900
        9hr
        If staying in Tokyo, estimate 30min travel time to Tokyo Station. No additional fees for luggage. As this is a nightbus, you can sleep while you make your way to Osaka without missing any daytime activities.
        9hr30min 
    

Example 2: Tokyo to Kagoshima (One Way) - This is a long trip by train but made shorter if traveling by air instead. A great comparison to contrast the example above when the distance becomes quite long. Prices will be based on an early booking of at least 28 days prior to departure. I omitted the bus option in this example because it was a very long time commitment and I figured most wouldn’t want to spend 16+ hours on a bus ride (with a transfer).

    
        Transportation Option
        Cost
        Travel Time
        Convenience Notes
        Estimated Total Time
    

        Shinkansen (Regular Car): Tokyo Station to Kagoshima-Chuo Station
        ¥30,540
        6hr30min
        If staying in Tokyo, estimate 30min travel time to Tokyo Station. No additional fees for luggage but may need to reserve a seat that allows for oversized luggage.
        7hr
    

        Full Service Airline (ANA Discover Japan Fare - Super Value): Tokyo Haneda Airport to Kagoshima Airport
        ¥15,500
        2hr
        Estimate 30min travel time to aiport if staying in Tokyo. In addition, expect to arrive at the airport 1hr before departure. Time at Kagoshima airport to retrieve bags and find/wait for transportation into city about 30min. Travel time to downtown Kagoshima about 1hr.
        5hr  
    

        Low Cost Airline (Jetstar - Starter Plus incl. 1 checked luggage): Tokyo Narita Aiport to Kagoshima Airport
        ¥11,160
        2hr15min
        Estimate 1hr travel time to airport if departing from Tokyo Station. In addition, expect to arrive at the airport 1hr before departure. Time at Kagoshima airport to retrieve bags and find/wait for transportation into city about 30min. Travel time to downtown Kagoshima about 1hr.
        5hr45min
    

I’ll let you make your own judgement based on the findings provided above but to provide a general summary, for a short to medium trip through the line, taking the Shinkansen could prove to be the best option when comparing the time savings against the money spent, in addition to the convenience gained in that experience.

On the other hand, if the train distance becomes quite long like we see in Example 2, then flying provides a time savings and a cost savings. Therefore, I would easily recommend flying in that situation.

There is no right or wrong way on how to travel to each destination. Create the best experience you can with the time and funds available to you.

The smartEX App

In order to use the service, you’ll have to sign up for a free account which can be done here. If you need help, their website has a guide you can follow. Once complete, you can either use the website to login and search for and book tickets or download either the Android or Apple app on your smart phone.

I won’t go into the nitty gritty details of using the app and booking tickets, but I wanted to mention a few key tips that help me save money and make the experience more seamless at the train station.

Seat reservations and bookings can only be made one month (30 days in advance). So, if you are hoping to snag a specific departure, train car and/or seat, set a reminder to check back at exactly a month before to give yourself the best chance at booking your ticket.
Speaking of booking early, there are discounts for booking your seat early. For a breakdown on how that works, check this link. For regular train cars, the prices are cheapest when booking 28 days before departure, 21 days and sometimes there might be other date ranges. So, keep that in mind if you are trying to save a little bit of money. Some of these early fares do sell out as there is a limited number available.
If you are hoping to grab a seat that is paired with either the oversized baggage area or compartment, you’ll want to choose that option under the ‘Seat Type’ dropdown during your search. Based on my experience, the baggage area is my number one choice since it’s right behind your seat and makes your experience of getting on/off much easier.
If you have a smart prepaid public transportation (IC) card in Japan such as PASMO, Suica, ICOCA, etc. (more information here), you can link your ticket to your IC card. In doing so, when you reach the Shinkansen gates, all you’ll need to do is tap your IC card, grab your ticket stub, and continue on your way.
If you don’t have an IC card, you can either generate a QR code which you can scan at the gate (via your smart phone), or you can choose to visit a ticket machine or customer service to have your ticket printed.

This is everything I have for now on the Tokaido Shinkansen and the app. I hope this provided a bit of detail for those interested in taking this train on your visit to Japan.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to write a comment and I’ll do my best to answer all questions. I may just add more content to this post if I feel some of that detail should be included, too.

Cheers! Enjoy your Shinkansen journey!

Credits:

Header photo by Fikri Rasyid on Unsplash
Tokyo Station Photo by Andi Winata on Unsplash
All other images by smart EX official website
Videos and audio supplied by me!