Great rail journeys: the Tōkaidō Shinkansen

Not only is travelling by train a great way to see more of your chosen destination, it also scores points for sustainability. And for sustainably-minded travellers in Japan, the bullet train or Shinkansen is a must. Its network stretches almost right across the country but the oldest, most popular route is the Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Tokyo – Nagoya – Kyoto – Osaka) – whipping you from the hectic neon of Tokyo to the zen of Kyoto’s temples in record time.

To make sure you don’t miss anything we’ve collated a list of all the highlights en route, according to global travellers.*

Shopping, Tokyo

You could easily visit Japan and never leave Tokyo, such is the size and thrill of the city. Seeing as Japan is a consumer technology superpower, electronics shopping is the first thing you should do to experience the capital’s energy. And the Akihabara district is where to go. It is the home of Japan’s Otaku culture – referring to fans of manga and anime – and the number of arcades and retro-gaming shops will blow your mind. The Hotel Ryumeikan Ochanomizu Honten has been in operation for over a century but remains ultra modern and is the highest-rated accommodation in Tokyo.

Food, Nagoya

The cuisine of Nagoya has its own name, ‘Nagoya-Meshi’, describing the balance between sweet and savoury. Red, soybean miso paste is the starting point for most local specialities, like the popular ‘miso katsu’ dish; if you try one thing before getting back on the train, let it be this. A deep fried pork cutlet basted in rich, sweet miso sauce, every mouthful is untold joy. For vegetarians, countless local dishes contain the distinctive soybean miso and no meat – ‘miso nikomi udon’ is considered the region’s soul food, an udon broth with egg, green onion, shiitake mushrooms, deep fried tofu, and plenty of other combinations. Kyoya Ryokan – Adults Only is a traditional Japanese house with its own zen garden, sliding screens, tatami mats, and high-quality Japanese restaurant.

Temples, Kyoto

Aka the ‘City of Ten Thousand Shrines’, Kyoto doesn’t do temples by halves. It was the Imperial capital of Japan for over a thousand years, with that regal legacy evident in its resplendent shrines. And in 1945, it was Kyoto’s cultural and architectural significance that got it removed from the USA’s atomic bomb target list and saved at the last minute. Since ten thousand temples in one train stop off might be pushing it, a few of the must-sees are Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Temple, and Kiyomizu-dera Temple. If you time your trip for spring, you’ll be able to see the Japanese cherry blossoms in your own garden while staying at Jeugiya.

Friendly locals, Osaka

The people of Osaka have a reputation for being friendly and open, so it’s worth getting to know them while you’re visiting the city. Other stereotypical Osakan characteristics of being loud and outgoing may derive from the area’s mercantile history, with bigger voices making bigger sales. Whatever the explanation, there’s a real spirit to the city, a palpable sense of humour, and plenty of chances to kick off a conversation. In fact, Japan’s biggest comedy talent agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo, is based in Osaka, and the city has a strong stand up comedy culture. So a stand up gig might be a good place to start. The Dorm Hostel Osaka offers dorm-style accommodation that’s considerably more hipster than boarding school, with cream carpets, private wooden cabin beds, designer furniture, and bookcases stocked with vinyls.

**Destinations featured were chosen as stops along the Tokyo – Nagoya – Kyoto – Osaka railway route. Then the most popular feature of each city was calculated using internal endorsement data.