I wish I have lots of time when I go overseas for work and sometimes that is just impossible. Then I also wish to try something special on each trip or at least do something I always wanted to do. In the last trip to Japan, I wanted to try the bullet train. Always read about it. Always heard about it. Never truly understood but always wanted to have a taste of it.
But then I only have 1 day for that trip. I could not possible do the popular (and faster) trip to Kyoto etc. So I had to settle for 2nd best or 3rd best ? I had to take the Tokaido Shinkansen and also had to choose the slowest Kodama line. The fastest being Nozomi (even the name feel fast), the middle being Hikara and the slowest being Kodama. I settled for the nearest major town, Odawara and that’s for a specific reason too (I wanted to try the Odawara because from there, I can do the Hakone day trip, which I will explain in another blog post). So anyway, i bought the tickets at the Shinagawa Station as that’s the station we can board and where my office is…
Here’s a train line map that explains why I had to take the Kodama instead of Nozomi. It does not stop at Odawara…
See link for more info: Tokaido Shinkansen
The trip was over too quickly. Before I even had much of a chance to enjoy the speed, I reached Odawara (okie.. I did took a small nap..). Next time, I must try the Nozomi to Kyoto…
At Shingawa Station:
Ticket !
See.. the Nozomi only stops at some stations whereas the Kodama stops at all…. if I took the Nozomi, I would have landed up in Yokohama at least !!
The train.. before mine !!!
And zooming off..
My Train
Here it comes….
Cool or what ….
Inside the train… Like all things Japanese, everything is orderly and in perfect condition.. Japan rocks..
Love the ride… must try a further distance next time !!
