On October 1, when a leaving Nozomi No. 1 Shinkansen passed by JR Tokyo Station, passengers who had stood on the same platform sixty years before felt a wave of déjà vu. Sixty years ago, a sleek white bullet train sped through the Japanese countryside, ushering in a new age in travel. The Shinkansen, or “new trunk line,” was the first high-speed rail service in history, earning the nickname “bullet train” for its streamlined appearance and lightning-fast acceleration. The Tokaido Shinkansen, which connected Shin-Osaka and Tokyo stations, established the first high-speed rail service in history. The Shinkansen was not merely unique in terms of speed; it was also a representation of Japan’s post-war development and a technological marvel that changed cities and inspired people worldwide. Against such a backdrop, this article takes a look back at the Shinkansen’s past and how it paved the way for transportation in the future.
The Beginning of Bullet Train
On Oct 1, 1964, just days before Japan hosted its very first Olympic Games, the country launched one of its most ambitious undertakings. Tokyo and Osaka, the two biggest cities in Japan, were connected by the Tokaido Shinkansen, the country’s first rail line. It took barely four hours to traverse 515 km, as opposed to the previous six and a half hours. The 0 Series Shinkansen was the first train to run above 200 kph; its top speed at launch was 210 kph. However, because the Tokaido Shinkansen line was built quickly in preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the Hikari’s journey between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations took four hours at first until the roadbed was solidified. These days, the Shinkansen can reach speeds of up to 285 km/h and a trip from Tokyo to Osaka takes roughly two hours. On the other hand, there were difficulties in its development.
Many opposed the Shinkansen as plans started to take shape in 1957, citing the decline in US rail usage as only one reason. There was discussion about whether Japan could afford to undertake such a large project, given the damage done to the nation’s trains during World War II. However, the government persisted because it believed that the Shinkansen was necessary to connect Japan’s most populous regions, especially in light of the economic growth of the 1950s. The outcome was a marvel of engineering. Geographical obstacles have been addressed by Japanese professionals, as their land is mountainous. For example, the Shinkansen’s long-nose or aerodynamic design allowed for the compacting of infrastructure, including smaller tunnels and closer spacing between tracks. An earthquake-detecting system can instantly stop the train in the case of seismic activity. The train’s airtight body reduces vibration and offers a quiet, smooth ride, while its tilting system allows it to lean into curves at a high speed, according to the Japanese government. In terms of rail technology, Japan continues to dominate the globe. Every year, massive corporations like Hitachi and Toshiba sell trains and equipment valued at billions of dollars around the globe. This gives rise to what is undoubtedly the iconic image of the Shinkansen: a cutting-edge, contemporary train speeding by a snow-capped Mount Fuji. However, it also increases the difficulty of operating high-speed trains safely. Notwithstanding these circumstances, during the history of the Shinkansen, no passenger has ever lost their life or suffered serious injuries as a result of a derailment.
Shaping Urban Japan
Shinkansen has served as a tool for Japan’s ongoing economic progress and an agent of change in a nation constrained by convention and custom in addition to serving as a symbol of recovery. Connecting Japan’s thriving cities and transporting passengers to the nation’s capital was the aim of the Shinkansen. The Shinkansen transformed Japan’s urban and transportation environment and came to be associated with efficiency and speed. People may now consider living further away from their places of employment because they could go 515 km in just over two hours, creating new opportunities for both work and play. The years have demonstrated its influence on the Japanese economy, where “face-to-face business is very, very important,” according to Christopher Hood, a Cardiff University scholar and author of Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan. One of the busiest railway lines in the world, the Tokaido Shinkansen, sees up to a quarter of a million people per day. Arrivals up to every five minutes by one Nozomi train, the quickest category serving only large stops. On the Shinkansen network, which has grown to nine lines, the average delay is less than a minute.
Influencing the World
In several countries, train traffic was in decline before the Shinkansen. However, the success of Japan aroused interest in high-speed train technology throughout the world. The TGV train was first inaugurated in France in 1981, and Germany’s Inter-City Express followed in 1991. Beyond national boundaries, Japanese train businesses also extended their technological reach. Some aspects of Shinkansen technology, such as the safety control systems and specialist rails, have been used in other rail lines. A high-speed service started running in Taiwan and China in 2007. The “Intercity Express Trains” in the UK are constructed by Hitachi and are the closest thing to a bullet train in Japan in terms of technology. Over 295 million people travelled throughout Japan using Shinkansen trains in 2022. Little wonder then that many other countries have followed Japan’s example and built new high-speed railroads over the last four decades. China has surpassed the rest of the globe in recent years by leveraging its economic power to build the longest high-speed rail network globally. These lines serve as more than just a means of transit; they offer quick connections throughout this huge nation, promoting economic growth and solidifying social and political harmony. As environmental concerns make people reconsider flying, they may be poised for another renaissance that will usher in a new era of railroad prosperity.
Future developments in technology, environmental concerns, and economic issues all play a role in shaping Japan’s bullet trains, or Shinkansen. Japan continues to innovate in rail technology, with plans for the creation of the next-generation maglev (magnetic levitation) trains, which promise quicker speeds and more efficiency. Furthermore, the Shinkansen leads the way in environmentally beneficial transportation options thanks to Japan’s dedication to sustainability and lowering carbon emissions. As pressure mounts globally to lessen dependency on fossil fuels, Japan’s mostly electricity-powered train network is regarded as a prototype for sustainable infrastructure. The advancement of green technologies, like the integration of renewable energy and energy-efficient train systems, highlights the significant role that bullet trains are anticipated to play in Japan’s transportation landscape going forward.
Nonetheless, there are still issues, such as the high expenses of building new infrastructure and maintaining the current train system over the long run. Government resources may be strained by the requirement for frequent improvements and the enormous financial outlay that will be necessary to replace aging infrastructure. Despite these obstacles, the Shinkansen system in Japan is still essential to the country’s identity and economic strategy, and it is expected to continue to develop in the future with environmental sustainability and more technical innovation at the forefront.
– Saume Saptaparna Nath is a Research Associate at the KRF Center for Bangladesh and Global Affairs (CBGA). She is on Study Leave for Pursuing Her Higher Studies in Japan.