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Nozomi (train)

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Nozomi
N700A series set, September 2021
Overview
Service typeShinkansen (Express)
StatusOperational
First service1934 (Express)
1992 (Shinkansen)
Current operatorsJR Central, JR West
Route
TerminiTokyo
Hakata
Lines usedTōkaidō Shinkansen
San'yō Shinkansen
On-board services
ClassGreen/standard
Catering facilitiesTrolley service (Green Cars)
Technical
Rolling stockN700 series, N700S series
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 25 kV 60 Hz AC
Operating speed

Nozomi (Japanese: のぞみ; "Wish" or "Hope") is the fastest train service operating on Japan's Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen lines. Nozomi services reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph) between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata. The fastest Nozomi service covers the 515-kilometre (320 mi) journey between Tokyo and Osaka in 2 hours 21 minutes, while the fastest Tokyo–Hakata service takes 4 hours 45 minutes.[1] As of 2025, services are operated primarily by the newest N700S series trainsets, with some N700A series sets also in use.

Compared with the limited-stop Hikari and local Kodama services, the express Nozomi trains stop only at major stations. On the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Nozomi services stop only at Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, and Kyōto between Tokyo and Shin-Ōsaka.[1] On the San'yō Shinkansen, stops are limited to Shin-Kōbe, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kokura between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata.

Holders of the Japan Rail Pass are required to purchase an additional ticket to travel on Nozomi services.[2]

History

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Wartime steam services

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The Nozomi name was first used for long-distance express services operated between Busan in Japanese-occupied Korea and Mukden (now Shenyang) in the former Manchukuo (now China) from 1934.[3] From 1938, the services were extended to run between Busan and Xinjing (now Changchun) in Manchukuo. The 1,530 km (950 mi) journey from Busan to Xinjing took over 29 hours, with an average speed of 52 km/h (32 mph). The services were run down between 1943 and 1944.[3]

Shinkansen services

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Nozomi shinkansen services commenced on March 14, 1992, using new 300 series trainsets with a top speed of 270 km/h (170 mph). From March 1997, 500 series trainsets were introduced on Tokyo - Hakata Nozomi services, running at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (190 mph) and covering the section between Shin-Osaka and Hakata in 2 hours 17 minutes.

700 series trains were introduced on Nozomi services in 1999, and N700 series trains were introduced from July 1, 2007, initially with four daily round-trip runs. All regularly scheduled through Nozomi services to the San'yō Shinkansen (Tokyo–Hakata) were operated by N700 series sets from 13 March 2010. From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, all regularly scheduled Nozomi services, including runs limited to the Tokaido Shinkansen, were operated by N700 series sets.

With effect December 2023, JR Central and JR West adjusted all Nozomi services to operate with only reserved seats during three seasons that experience the highest ridership: New Years and Christmas (late December through the first week of January), Golden Week (29 April to 5 May), and the Obon festival (mid to late August).[4] These adjustments were made in a bid to increase seat patronage and reduce the amount of standing passengers.[4] From the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2025, Nozomi services began to operate with only two non-reserved seating cars instead of three outside of peak periods, with officials citing an increase in the popularity of online train reservations.[5]

Stopping pattern

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Legend

● All trains stop
▲ Some trains stop

Only basic Nozomi stopping patterns are shown. Additional Nozomi trains with differing stopping patterns are added during holiday and high-peak travel periods and are not included in this table. Some trains begin/terminate at Nagoya, Shin-Osaka, Nishi-Akashi, Himeji, Okayama, or Hiroshima.

Station Distance from
Tōkyō
km (mi) 		Stops
Tōkyō 0 (0) ●
Shinagawa 6.8 (4.2) ●
Shin-Yokohama 25.5 (15.8) ●
Nagoya 342.0 (212.5) ●
Kyoto 476.3 (296.0) ●
Shin-Ōsaka 515.4 (320.3) ●
Shin-Kōbe 548.0 (340.5) ●
Nishi-Akashi 570.2 (354.3) ▲
Himeji 601.3 (373.6) ▲
Okayama 676.3 (420.2) ●
Fukuyama 733.1 (455.5) ▲
Hiroshima 821.2 (510.3) ●
Tokuyama 903.5 (561.4) ▲
Shin-Yamaguchi 944.6 (586.9) ▲
Kokura 1,013.2 (629.6) ●
Hakata 1,069.1 (664.3) ●

Rolling stock

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Current rolling stock

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  • N700A series, September 2014
    N700A series, September 2014
  • N700S series, September 2021
    N700S series, September 2021

Former rolling stock

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  • 300 series, February 2011
    300 series, February 2011
  • 500 series, February 2010
    500 series, February 2010
  • 700 series, January 2008
    700 series, January 2008

Formations

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Current operations

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As of March 2025, trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Hakata end, and car 16 at the Tokyo end. All seats are non-smoking.[7][8][9]

Car no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Class Ordinary non-reserved Ordinary reserved S Work reserved Green reserved Ordinary reserved
Facilities Toilet Toilet   Toilet   Toilet Conductor's office Toilet   Toilet, wheelchair space, multi-purpose room   Toilet   Toilet  

On N700A trains, power outlets are located at the window seats and car end seats on standard cars, and at each seat in Green cars. On N700S trains, power outlets are located at each seat.

The seventh car is designated as the S Work (Shinkansen Work) car, which is intended for business travelers. Unlike standard cars, where a quiet, library-like atmosphere is encouraged, the S Work car permits phone calls, video conferences, and laptop use. Passengers are asked to refrain from chatting with strangers in order to maintain a work-focused environment. Seats recline less than in other cars to provide additional usable tray-table space. Some seats are designated S Work P (Premium), in which the tray tables are angled toward the passenger to improve comfort when using a laptop and the middle seat is blocked, providing additional personal space, a privacy partition, and a beverage holder, as the angled tray tables are not suitable for holding drinks. The S Work car also offers WiFi that is faster, more secure and has no time limits.[10][11][12]

In 2021, payphones were removed from cars 4, 9, 15 (previously present on N700A trains only) and car 12 (previously present on all trains). In March 2024, smoking rooms in cars 3, 7, 10, and 15 were deactivated on trains.[13][14]

  • N700A series Green car interior
    N700A series Green car interior
  • N700A series ordinary car interior
    N700A series ordinary car interior
  • N700S series Green car interior
    N700S series Green car interior
  • N700S series ordinary car interior
    N700S series ordinary car interior

See also

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References

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  • JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
  • JR Timetable, March 2008 issue
  1. ^ a b Hyperdia: Shin-Osaka–Tokyo timetable for 2009-06-11[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Use of "NOZOMI" and "MIZUHO" Shinkansen bullet trains". Japan Railways Group. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b JR急行・快速列車 [JR Express & Rapid Trains]. Tokyo, Japan: Railway Journal. 2 November 1991. p. 127.
  4. ^ a b "JR東海・JR西日本，3大ピーク期に"のぞみ"を全席指定席で運転" [JR Central and JR West to Discontinue Non-Reserved Seats on all Nozomi Services during Three Major Holidays]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). 14 September 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  5. ^ Hosozawa, Ayateru (28 November 2024). "Nozomi bullet train to reduce non-reserved seats in March". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  6. ^ "新幹線700系の8日ラストラン取りやめ 感染拡大防止で 1日が最後の運行に" [700 Series Shinkansen Last Run Cancelled]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). Mainichi. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  7. ^ JR Timetable, August 2011, p.997
  8. ^ 新幹線　車両大全 [Shinkansen Cars Encyclopedia]. Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. November 2011. pp. 60–135. ISBN 978-4-86320-526-0.
  9. ^ "Accommodations of trains". Central Japan Railway Company. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  10. ^ Baseel, Casey (2023-10-11). "Shinkansen to start offering wider seats, but will charge more for them too". Japan Today. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  11. ^ "Integrated Report 2024" (PDF). JR Central.
  12. ^ "S Work車両". ＪＲ東海 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  13. ^ Kinoshita, Kenji (17 October 2023). "東海道・山陽・九州新幹線の車内喫煙ルーム、2024年春にすべて廃止" [All smoking rooms on Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen trains will be discontinued in spring 2024.]. MyNavi Corporation. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Smokers bitter as cigarettes banned on all Shinkansen lines | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
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