Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen
Five days, four cities, one bullet train.
A realistic, fast-moving rail trip down the spine of Japan - Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Miyajima, then the long ride home. Travel times, daily highlights, and the rail tips that make it work.
- days
- 5 days
- cities
- 4 cities
- rail km
- 1,678 rail km
- km/h top speed
- 300 km/h top speed
One line carries the whole trip.
The Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen run a near-straight 800-plus kilometers from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Tap a station to jump to that city.
Pick a day. We'll route you there.
Land in Tokyo, then dive into the city
Drop your bags, grab a Suica, and feel the city at full volume. Shibuya by day, Shinjuku after dark, with the red brick of Tokyo Station as your anchor.
The day, hour by hour
- MiddayArrival
Arrive at Narita / Haneda
Pick up your activated Japan Rail Pass and a Suica card, then ride the Narita Express or Keikyu line straight into the city.
- 15:00
Drop bags, hit Shibuya
Cross the Scramble with the crowd, find the Hachiko statue, and browse Shibuya Sky for a first read of the skyline.
- 18:00Dinner
Golden Gai & Omoide Yokocho
Wander Shinjuku's lantern-lit alleys. Tiny counter bars, yakitori smoke, six seats per shop.
- 21:00
Tokyo Station nightcap
Loop back to the floodlit Marunouchi facade - your departure point tomorrow morning.
Daily highlights
The busiest crossing on earth, and the fastest way to understand Tokyo's scale. Best after sunset when the billboards light up.
A 1914 red-brick landmark and the beating heart of the Shinkansen network. Sixteen platforms send bullet trains in every direction.
What seasoned rail travelers know.
The handful of decisions that make a Shinkansen trip glide instead of stall.
Rail Pass vs. single tickets
A 7-day Japan Rail Pass pays off fast on a loop like this - the round trip alone (Tokyo to Hiroshima and back) costs more than the pass. The catch: it doesn't cover the fastest Nozomi/Mizuho trains, so ride Hikari and Sakura, which add only minutes.
Reserve seats, ride relaxed
Reservations are free with the pass and worth it on busy legs. Reserve at a ticket machine or the green Midori-no-madoguchi window. Non-reserved cars exist, but during holidays you may stand.
Forward your luggage
Takkyubin services like Yamato move a suitcase city-to-city or to the airport overnight for roughly 2,000 yen. Travel between cities with just a daypack and let your big bag meet you there.
Ekiben is the move
Every major station sells ekiben - regional boxed meals built for the train. Buy on the platform before you board; eating onboard is normal and expected on the Shinkansen.
Suica for everything else
Load a Suica or Pasmo IC card for subways, buses, lockers, and konbini. Tap in, tap out. It won't cover the Shinkansen, but it handles every short city trip in between.
Mind the Nozomi rule
The standard JR Pass excludes Nozomi and Mizuho. Filter for Sakura and Hikari when you plan, or buy a separate Nozomi ticket for the one leg where the time really matters.