Travel Weekly: Japan On The Right Track

Above, a cleaning crew stands ready to prepare a bullet train for its next trip.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Travel Weekly.com has an interesting article on Japan's shinkansens (bullet trains).

Here's an excerpt:

Japan was the first country in the world to introduce high-speed rail with the introduction of the Tokaido Shinkansen in 1964, connecting Tokyo and Osaka. But now the bullet trains run all over the country – the 300kmph speeds make virtually any journey across the small islands a rapid one. They are synonymous with the modern age of Japan’s technological and economic boom, becoming a fundamental thread of the country’s fabric and a major source of national pride.

I like train rides anyway, but riding the shinkansens are very enjoyable.  The food servers are very efficient and the food is delicious.  The only times I notice the high speed of a bullet train is when it passes another going the opposite way or going through a tunnel and you feel the slam of air pressure.

To read more, go here.