I like trains a lot. They have played a major role in my life. Not to brag, but I know almost everything you would need to know about trains in Japan, from JR to private railways and the names of the types of trains, to the announcement chimes played on them. Why do I know so much about trains? Well, if no one else is going to know this stuff, then I will. Simple as that!

Getting on track with trains

My love for trains began when I was very little and living in Maryland, the same state where I was born. This may sound crazy, but before I fell in love with trains, I used to be very interested in fans… office fans, ceiling fans and table fans. I still have a little chair with a fan painted on it. I was somewhat interested in trains when I was given some wooden train toys. What really cemented my love of trains was when I went on my first train ride, which was a short excursion run in Southern California. I checked out the engine, which I remember being a Burlington Northern Locomotive, most likely SD40-something or U30CH, kind of along those lines. I saw fans on top of the locomotive, which now I believe were a cooling mechanism for the diesel engine. Gradually, over the course of time, my interest began to shift to trains. I soon was reading train books and watching train videos.

Japanese take on trains

While living in California, I learned we would be moving to Japan, so I took it upon myself to learn about the trains of Japan. In the States, it can be frustrating being a fan of trains you don’t see them all the time. I saw the occasional BNSF and Union Pacific-operated freight trains, and on rare occasions, the Metrolink Commuter train. Every now and then I would see an excursion train, such as Thomas the Tank Engine and the Fillmore and Western Christmas Tree Train, which has sadly been discontinued.

So, I was excited to be headed to Japan, where trains are a common sight and a key to the country’s public transportation system. But what I was really excited to do after watching videos, was riding on a Japanese Shinkansen, commonly referred to as the “bullet train.”

When we moved to Japan and I got to experience trains firsthand, I thought it was really cool. I kept begging my parents to take the Shinkansen, and we eventually took one up to Kyoto. During this time, I got my first books on Japanese trains and somehow managed to learn the names of the trains.  For a while, I did a thing I called “train reports,” where I would stand in front of a train and talk about it while my dad or mom filmed me. Then, after I got a GoPro so I could railfan and film trains.

How much I know:

To be completely honest, I don’t even know how much I know. I have a decent knowledge of worldwide trains, primarily Japanese, some American, and a little bit of European. My Japanese train knowledge includes all trains that operate within the Iwakuni area (I can also identify these trains by sound alone, but just the trains in Iwakuni though), almost all types of Shinkansen, as well as most of the trains in Tokyo and Kyushu. Plus, Korea’s high-speed trains. My American train knowledge is primarily West Coast Steam Locomotives, most of the Northeast corridor trains (Amtrak, Septa, NJT, etc), a few West Coast Commuter and long-distance trains, and a couple BNSF and Union Pacific Locomotives. My European knowledge of trains is the high-speed rail systems in Spain, France, and Germany. The only one I have ridden is the German ICE High Speed rail system. I also have ridden the KTX trains in Korea during a recent trip to Korea, so a lot of Korean trains and stations are fresh in my mind.

Here are some of my top train-related favorites:

Top 5 Favorite Railway Museums/Places in Japan

5.Niitsu Railway Museum

4.Maibara Wind Tunnel Test Facility, Maibara

3.Kyoto Railway Museum, Kyoto

2. SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya

1.Saitama Railway Museum, Omiya

Top 5 Overall Favorite trains

5.Southern Pacific GS-4 Class No.4449

4.Union Pacific FEF-3 Series No.844

3.Deutsche Bahn ICE 3

2.JR 500 Series

1.JR 923 Series “Dr.Yellow”

My Top 5 Favorite Japanese Train Stations

5.Shin-Osaka Station

4.Shin-Iwakuni Station

3.Iwakuni Station

2.Himeji Station

1.Meitetsu Nagoya Station

Top 5 train rides

5.JR Kyushu 783 Series “Midorii Express” (Sasebo to Hakata)

Despite taking this train several times, this particular ride sticks with me the most. The ride felt very raw. Most people like a smooth ride, and while the ride was smooth, you could feel every little groove in the track, and the train rocked back and forth in a rough, yet relaxing way. This was most likely because it was quite the old type of train, with the first 783 series being commissioned in 1988. Anyway, I was seated at the front of the train with my dad and my brother. The train is a very fast train, topping out at 130 kph (80 mph), this may not seem fast, but when you have a big window in front of you, and tall windows on the side, it feels like you are flying along. What also made it so impressive was that it was on 1,067mm Japanese narrow-gauge track, which typically does not allow for high speed. The rest of the world uses 1,435mm standard gauge track for higher speed rail. In fact, the Shinkansen actually uses standard gauge track, along with a lot of rail lines in Osaka.

The train seats themselves provided comfort, but it was difficult to stay seated with such great views and the astronomical-seeming speed. This made it such a surreal experience and I would highly recommend it for people that live in Sasebo who want to take a day trip to Hakata. The seating layout is a 2+2 layout in Economy, and 2+1 layout in Green Class. Just note there is no table seating, the best seats also are at the slanted end of the train, with a great view of the line ahead.

4.JR Shikoku 2000 Series (Okayama-Kochi) Limited Express Nanpu

JR Shikoku, the company on the other side of the Seto Bridge, operates a service, known as the Nanpu, between Kochi and Okayama Stations. I was able to ride the 2000 Series, which sadly no longer operates on this route. The train itself is very comfortable, and overall, rather quiet, despite being a diesel-hydraulic DMU. The tilt is noticeable, but not by much. The seats, even in economy, are incredibly comfortable, and I can only assume the Green Cars are even nicer. The whole train seemed to have been designed with a futuristic silver look and the doors stick out quite a bit with their high windows and solid blue color. The front window is wide, and while I was not sitting in the front of the train, the view can only be believed to be magnificent. Seating is in a 2+2 Layout in Economy, and a 2+1 Layout in the Green Car. The line even runs an Anpanman version since Shikoku is the home of the children’s animated series. The train even features an Anpanman chime. I did luckily get to ride this variant of the 2000 Series on the way home from Kochi. The 2000 Series can now be found in JR Shikoku Service with the Ashizuri and Uwakai Services, as well as in service with the Tosa Kuroshio Railway.

3.Hanshin 8000 Series Limited Express (Osaka Umeda-Koshien)

This one is a little more obscure than others on this list, but nevertheless it is still one of my favorite train rides I have been on in Japan. Here’s a bit of backstory, my family and I were going to a baseball game in Osaka, and because the team was owned by the Hanshin Company, we had to take the Hanshin Line. I had never ridden the Hanshin Line before, so this was a whole new thing for me. After making our way from Osaka Castle to the Osaka-Umeda Station, we hopped on the “Limited Express” heading towards Himeji. My family and I hopped on the train, a Hanshin 8000 Series, one the older trains, and headed for Koshien Station. Since we were at the rear of the train, we could see into the rear cab, as well as see the conductor making announcements. The reason this is one of my favorites, however, was because it was so fun to pass the station right up to the platform. It was a pleasant change from the constant “local” service trains that stopped at every station. I feel there will always be a vibe to passing stations so fast and so close to the platform. If I didn’t have to get off at Koshien Station, I most likely would have stayed on that train until it reached Himeji because it was just so awesome.

2.JR East Tohoku Shinkansen E5 “Hayabusa” +E6 “Komachi” (Tokyo-Hachinohe and Back)

The Tohoku Shinkansen is the fastest bullet train line in Japan, with speeds of up to 200 mph. The trains that run on this line are the long-nosed E5 series shinkansen, distinguishable by, of course, its nose and iconic color scheme. The train, nicknamed “Hayabusa,” runs from Aomori to Tokyo with a coupled E6 Akita Shinkansen. At Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture, the Akita Shinkansen disconnects and the rest of the Hayabusa continues its journey to the big city.

The ride on the Hayabusa is amazing, with reclining tan seats and joyful jingles. On the Hayabusa, Economy has a 3+2 layout, Green Car has a 2+2 layout, and the Coveted Gran Class consists of the 1+2 Layout. The seats on the coupled Komachi are similar, but more yellowish. From what I have heard and seen in books, First Class is very, very nice on both these trains. Plus, at Hachinohe Station you can connect to local train services, making access to Misawa Base quite easy. On the way back, we changed trains at Morioka to the Komachi service after watching the two trains couple, which was quite the experience.

1.JR West Tokaido Shinkansen N700A “Nozomi” (Hiroshima to Tokyo and back)

At the top spot, 一番 as the Japanese say, was a ride on the JR West N700A Series Shinkansen from JR Hiroshima Station to Tokyo Station. This iconic train shuttled my father, brother and I to Tokyo, which was followed by my second-favorite train on the trip. With its white body and blue stripe, the N700A is one of the most recognizable Shinkansen trains apart from Dr. Yellow. The seats are incredibly comfortable and can be turned. The route takes you through some of the most iconic cities in Japan, including Kyoto, and Nagoya. The Tilting of the train coupled with the silence creates a great vibe. The seating is in an airline style 3+2 layout in Economy, and a 2+2 Layout in the Green Car. Seats can be reversed to create bays, however.

Though some might find my knowledge of trains and interest in them childish, I enjoy learning about them. Some even ask if I watch Thomas the Train (the answer is no, I’m not five years old). Trains come in a variety of sizes, shapes, speeds and color and have proven themselves time and time again to just be better and more efficient than any other form of transportation.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni