On the High-Speed Train to Hiroshima
The best way to travel to Hiroshima is by high-speed train, and I did so by taking a Shinkansen 700 series to reach this wonderful Japanese city.
A visit to Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a fascinating city to visit and a great addition to any Japan travel itinerary.
Needless to say, most people visit Hiroshima because it was the first city on which an atomic bomb was dropped in 1945, completely destroying it and killing tens of thousands instantly, with many more dying later from burns, radiation sickness, and cancer.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is the perfect place in the city to learn more about this big wartime tragedy.
Hiroshima. ©AndyBTravels
To Hiroshima by high-speed train
Most travellers reach Hiroshima by taking a Japanese high-speed train – the Shinkansen – from Kyoto or Osaka.
I travelled from Okayama, a city located roughly halfway between Osaka and Hiroshima.
My journey was aboard a 700 Series Shinkansen, built between 1997 and 2006, capable of reaching speeds of up to 300 kilometres an hour (190 mph).
Apart from their impressive speed, Japanese high-speed trains are also highly comfortable.
You don’t need to worry about not speaking or reading Japanese either, as all station signs are bilingual, making it easy to find your way around.
A Shinkansen train arrives at the station of Hiroshima. ©AndyBTravels
A trip on the Shinkansen
Curious about what it’s like to travel on the Shinkansen and what the seats and onboard facilities are like?
Have a look at the video I made of my high-speed train journey from Okayama to Hiroshima!
Shinkansen services
Before booking your Japanese high-speed train ticket, it’s worth knowing the different types of Shinkansen services operating on the Tōkaidō and San’yō lines, which link Tokyo with Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.
I travelled on a Kodama service, the slowest of the Shinkansen trains, as it stops at every station on the high-speed railway line.
Some of these stops were quite long to allow faster non-stop trains to overtake.
The Nozomi is the quickest and most premium Shinkansen service, while the Hikari sits between the Nozomi and the slower Kodama in terms of speed and number of stops.
Shinkansen 700 series. ©AndyBTravels
Conclusion
Taking the high-speed Shinkansen train is by far the best way to travel to Hiroshima.
Although I travelled on one of the slower, less premium, and slightly older high-speed trains – a Kodama service operated by a 700 Series Shinkansen – it was still an excellent experience.
