Shinkansen History Highlights

Above, a 300 Series shinkansen at Tokyo Station. The 300 Series trains were retired in 2012, Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As the 50th anniversary of Japan's shinkansens (bullet trains) approaches, more articles on the train's history are surfacing.

The latest is from The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun). In their article, "Shinkansen Raced To Its Place In Japanese Culture," highlights of shinkansen history are reviewed.

They begin with:

On Oct. 1, Japan will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Shinkansen service, when a superexpress train first connected Tokyo and Osaka in four hours. Over the past half century, a number of quiet dramas have taken place around the Shinkansen. Here are some highlights of the era. 

I'll just provide you with a little of the first one (you'll need to read the full article for the rest):

Fond memories of ‘restaurants on rails’ 

The first dining car debuted on the Tokaido Shinkansen line in 1975, 11 years after the bullet train line opened, but after an illustrious career of more than 20 years, the “restaurants on rails” disappeared, a casualty of the never-ending quest for speed. 

The dining cars were the eighth car on 16-car trains and boasted the opportunity to gaze at Mt. Fuji while having a meal. 

 To read the full article, go here.