Myths

Shinkansen myths, checked

The bullet trains collect stories. Here is what the sources say.

How this site works. Every fact is in our own words and linked to its source, beside it. Where good sources disagree, we show each version in a “Sources differ” box.

1. MythThe Shinkansen is one train.

   FactShinkansen lines now run on the islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Hokkaido. Britannica Several hundred trains run on the Shinkansen system every day. Britannica

2. Myth“Bullet train” is the official name.

   FactShinkansen means ‘new main line’. Science Museum Group They were soon called ‘bullet trains’, for their speed and for the bullet shape of their noses. Britannica

3. MythIt opened on the first day of the 1964 Olympics.

   FactThe Tokaido Shinkansen opened on 1 October 1964, just 10 days before the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games began. Embassy of Japan

4. MythShinkansen use the same narrow track as other Japanese trains.

   FactUnlike earlier Japanese trains, the Tokaido Shinkansen and every Shinkansen line since have been standard gauge. Science Museum Group

5. MythShinkansen passengers already travel at 603 km/h.

   FactOn 21 April 2015 a Series L0 maglev of JR Central reached 603km/h (374mph) on the Yamanashi Maglev Line, the fastest maglev train on record. Guinness The Yamanashi Maglev Line is still a test line. Guinness

6. MythBullet trains are often late.

   FactIn the 2023 financial year, its trains’ average delay was 1.6 minutes, counting delays from natural disasters. JR Central The Science Museum Group says that on average bullet trains arrive within 24 seconds of their timetabled time. Science Museum Group

7. MythDoctor Yellow carries passengers.

   Fact‘Doctor Yellow’ is the nickname of the yellow Shinkansen trains that inspect the track, the overhead wires and the signals. Asahi, 2025

8. MythThe long noses are just for looks.

   FactTrains rushing into tunnels made pressure waves that left the far end with a loud boom, heard by people 400 metres away. JFS, 2005 A kingfisher dives from air into water without a splash. Tests showed the best nose shape was almost the same as a kingfisher’s beak. JFS, 2005

9. MythGoing faster was the hardest problem.

   FactEngineer Eiji Nakatsu says the bigger challenge was not speed but noise: the faster a train runs, the louder it gets. JFS, 2005

10. MythMaglev trains float all the time.

    FactAt low speed it runs on rubber wheels, and above about 150km/h (93mph) it lifts off and tucks them away. JR Central maglev