Japan's Most Amazing Train Journeys

Above, a view of seating inside a shinkansen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Australia's The Courier-Mail website has an article that should interest both train buffs and Japanophiles.

It is on "Japan's Most Amazing Train Journeys."

The article has a selection of train routes that offer the most scenic views and celebrates 50 years of the shinkansen (bullet train). Also, the article has features on train museums and what's in store for the future of train travel with the Maglev (construction of which was recently approved by the Japanese government).

The article starts out with:

Their sleek design and speeds in excess of 200km/h, soon saw the futuristic looking carriages nicknamed “bullet trains”. 

On October 1, this year, Japan celebrates the Shinkansen’s 50th anniversary. Dedicated gunzels will no doubt want to make the historic journey from Tokyo to Osaka; but you don’t have to be a train enthusiast to admire these magnificent machines. 

Travelling by rail in Japan is a delight and forms a large part of its culture. In some cases, it’s comparable to flying first class. 

Here are some of the best rail trips in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Above, a shinkansen waiting to depart Tokyo Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have ridden on the shinkansens several times and they are very enjoyable. The interiors are very much like the cabins of modern airliners, but more comfortable. If one should visit Japan, I would recommend at least one train trip out of Tokyo (even on a commuter train) to see the countryside as well as visiting other areas of Japan.

To read the full article, go here.