Nozomi (train)

Nozomi

N700A Series Nozomi, September 2021
Overview
Service type	Shinkansen (Express)
Status	Operational
First service	1934 (Express) 1992 (Shinkansen)
Current operators	JR Central, JR West
Route
Termini	Tokyo Hakata
Lines used	Tōkaidō Shinkansen San'yō Shinkansen
On-board services
Class	Green/standard
Catering facilities	Trolley service (Green Cars)
Technical
Rolling stock	N700 series, N700S series
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line,  25 kV 60 Hz AC
Operating speed	Tōkaidō Shinkansen: 285 km/h (177 mph) San'yō Shinkansen: 300 km/h (186 mph)

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 ^[update] , services are operated primarily by the newest N700S series trainsets, with some N700A series sets also in use.

Compared with the express Hikari and local Kodama services, the super 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

Wartime steam services

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

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 patterns (as of January 2024)

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.

Station	Distance (km) (from Tokyo)	Tokyo – Hakata*
Tōkyō	0.0	●
Shinagawa	6.8	●
Shin-Yokohama	25.5	●
Nagoya	342.0	●
Kyoto	476.3	●
Shin-Ōsaka	515.4	●
Shin-Kōbe	548.0	●
Nishi-Akashi	570.2	△
Himeji	601.3	△
Okayama	676.3	●
Fukuyama	733.1	△
Hiroshima	821.2	●
Tokuyama	903.5	△
Shin-Yamaguchi	944.6	△
Kokura	1013.2	●
Hakata	1069.1	●

Note:
* Some trains begin/terminate at Nagoya, Shin-Osaka, Nishi-Akashi, Himeji, Okayama, or Hiroshima.

Rolling stock

Current rolling stock

• N700A series (July 2007 – present)
• N700S series (July 2020 – present)

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

Former rolling stock

• 300 series (March 1992 – March 2012)
• 500 series (March 1997 – February 2010)
• 700 series (March 1999 – March 2020) ^[6]

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

Formations

Current operations

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

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan

References

• 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. 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. JR急行・快速列車[JR Express & Rapid Trains]. Tokyo, Japan: Railway Journal. 2 November 1991. p. 127.
4. "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.