I Tried Every Seat on Japan's BULLET TRAIN

Welcome on board the most famous train on earth, Japan's Shinkansen.And we're about to ride all of it, across Japan, end to end, at speeds up to 200 miles per hour.Along the way, we'll experience every seat, from least expensive to most expensive, to find out which is worth your money, and which to avoid.Hello, Jet Setters.I'm Jeb Brooks from GreenerGrass .com.

This is Japan's bullet train, and you're coming along.You see, there are three types of seats on Shinkansen trains, from least expensive to most expensive.There's ordinary, Green Car, and Grand Class.On this journey across Japan, we'll try them all and show you exactly what you'll get from each one.Here's the plan.On day one, we'll start in the very south of Japan, in the cheapest seat, ordinary class.

On day two, we'll move up to green car.And on day three, we'll travel in the ultimate seat you can buy, as far north as the train goes, grand class.That's more than 1 ,300 miles, the same as traveling from New York to Miami.How much does it cost?We'll tell you at the end, and I think it might surprise you.But for now, it's time to get started.

We're on the southern tip of Japan, in Kagoshima, on our way to Kyoto.

This first leg is what's called Ordinary Class, the cheapest ticket you can get on the Shinkansen.We paid about $150 each for these tickets, and it's about four and a half hours, over 500 miles.That doesn't sound too bad for a high -speed train.

Each station we're visiting has a stamp like this one, and we're gonna try to collect every single one along the way.That's Kagoshima, check.And now, let's head upstairs to the platform and find our first train.

Getting to Kyoto requires two different trains.We'll transfer in Hakata.Both of these trips, though, are in ordinary class.

And again, ordinary class is the cheapest.It's kind of like economy on airplanes.It's a pretty basic experience, so let's check it out.

Boarding is incredibly well organized, like most things in Japan, of course.

We sat down, got comfortable, and began our 1 ,357 mile journey across Japan.The seats offer a ton of legroom, as well as a window shade and power.The 2 -2 layout of this train to Hakata is a little different from the more typical ordinary class we'll see on the next leg.One thing to keep in mind, Japanese trains are completely silent, like nobody says anything ever.So bring your headphones and don't talk to your seatmate.And that's quite a feat considering something like 360 million people ride these trains every year.

On the backs of the tray tables, you'll find helpful maps showing where different amenities like bathrooms and trash cans are relative to your car.Now, we were able to get some work done as the world passed by at breakneck speed, but believe it or not, we're going to be traveling even faster in a couple of days.Now, despite the high speed of the train, the Wi -Fi, which was available on all of our legs for free, was not very fast, but it was still much appreciated.As we approached Hakata, it was time to head to the vestibule to step off the train.We've only got 15 minutes to connect.

Ordinarily a transfer of only 15 minutes would freak me out, but it's not a problem when it comes to Japanese trains.

The average delay can be measured in seconds.

We're going to grab lunch and still have time to go pick up our train.No problem.

So we took part in the Japanese tradition of taking bento boxes on board.

I have no idea what I just grabbed, but we'll find out.

Each station has displays where you'll find your train and its assigned platform.Once you make your way upstairs to the platform, be sure to check your ticket for your car number.These trains don't stop for long, so you're going to want to be in position and ready to board.

This train originates here, so we're going to head back to the 15 car and hop on board.

This 2 -3 configured ordinary class car is the most common one you'll see.This car has a hundred seats in it, and the side with two is definitely what we'd recommend.As we get out of the train,let's talk luggage.We each had a US carry -on size bag, which fit neatly in the racks above our seats.On some trains, there's also luggage storage space you can use between the cars on a first -come, first -served basis.

But if you have luggage that's oversized, meaning the length plus the width plus the height are more than 62 inches, you'll have to reserve one of these spaces at the back of the car when you buy your tickets.It doesn't cost any extra, but they do go fast.It's always a best practice to follow the Japanese approach to luggage on the train.Either travel light or use a third -party courier service that'll transport your luggage for you, typically straight from one hotel to the next.Because this is the most common ordinary class, it's also the one we'll use the Greener Grass tape measure for.When it comes to seat pitch, you'll find 42 inches.

And for width, well, you'll get 17 and a half inches.There's nothing ordinary about the amount of space you get here.And there's plenty of recline, too.But things are only going to get better on our next leg in the green car.It's time to check out our lunches.And as clear as the pictures may be on the boxes, it's always exciting to open these up and find out what's inside.

Turns out Suzanne got a Hakata chicken sampler with seasoned rice, teriyaki chicken, fried chicken, a chicken meatball, an omelette, pickles, and potato salad.That's a lot.I had the Hakata -style chicken nanban box.with minced chicken rice.Both of these were really hearty and filling, and despite being cold, they made the ride even more pleasant.But that's always the case when meatballs are involved.

We were traveling much faster than on the last leg, but the ride was just as smooth.Again, the backs of the seats have maps that allow us toon board were always clean and well -stocked.There's even one reserved for women.The Shinkansen is incredibly safe, too.There are a lot of reasons for it, but one of the main ones is that it operates on dedicated tracks with no crossings.

Not only does that reduce accidents, but of course also prevents delays, and their primary focus is safety, of course, but running on time, well, that's a very close second.For example, during winter, if it's snowing, they'll spray warm water on the tracks so the trains can continue to run on time.That's just part of the reason this is such an on -time machine.And as expected, we arrived in Kyoto right on time.So now, our verdict for ordinary class.

So I thought ordinary class is pretty good.It's in like a normal airline seat with a little extra leg room.Actually, pretty comfortable.But we're moving up from here.

And to see what that's about, we need to make our way over to Tokyo.But first, let's explore Kyoto.

And this is where we're staying in Kyoto, the Ritz -Carlton.We spent a lot of nights at Marriott Properties.And wow, we got quite an upgrade at this place.Amazing sweet.

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Now, back to the Shinkansen.

And as nice as our suite is, we really want to enjoy our day off in Kyoto.This is one of Japan's oldest cities.It has to be one of the country's most beautiful, too.It's full of so many peaceful temples and shrines, but it's also got lots and lots of people.Thankfully, Suzanne did a bit of research and quickly stepped off the beaten path.

I found a tiny gyoza restaurant for dinner, so let's check it out.

Let's give it a try.

The best stuff in Kyoto is always on the side streets, the back streets, and the second floors.

Gyoza Bar on Zuko is definitely a hidden gem.Located in a back alley, it's only got seats for six or seven people.Now their iron pan gyoza was phenomenal.Although I never had a grandmother who made gyoza, if I did, I imagine this is what hers would taste like.These dumplings are pan fried in a cast iron skillet.That leaves a crispy bottom and a soft steamed top.

These are so good.After a good night of sleep, it's back to the station.

It's time to travel to Tokyo.Now we're taking the green car.

If ordinary class is like economy, well, the green car is like business class.

It's about $30 more to travel in green car between Kyoto and Tokyo than it is in ordinary.So let's check it out.Let's see if it's worth it.The journey's going to be about two hours and 15 minutes.

Kyoto stamp, check.

This one was a bit hard to track down.I had to ask around a little bit.It was at a certain ticket office.

We linked our tickets to an app on our phones.That means we simply tap our phones at the fare gate, our printed tickets pop out, and we're good to go.

Made it through the fare gates, but that means it's time to find lunch, so let's explore and see what we can dig up.

There's certainly no shortage of options here, and the prices are reasonable.Google Translate is a lifesaver when it comes to trying to figure out what's inside, though.And again, the signs are very clear, so we made our way upstairs to our platform.

It is such a beautiful day here in Kyoto today.We are hoping to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji.Hot tips to the left if you're headed towards Tokyo.

Green car is kind of like business class in the air.The seats have extra features and there's even a bit more on board service.

Watching these trains come and go every couple of minutes doesn't get old.It's so fun.

And the efficiency of it all is mind boggling.A train arrives, the gates open.People get off and others get on, and a couple of minutes later, the train leaves again at precisely the right second, and this happens every couple of minutes.

Today we're in the number eight car, so let's make our way over there and get on board.

Green Car is arranged in a 2 -2 configuration, with 68 seats in each car.These seats include a footrest, and they're noticeably larger than ordinary class, but let's get specific with the Greener Grass tape measure.They're 43 inches of pitch.When it comes to width, you're going to get 19 inches.The seat also offers plenty of recline.There's also a reading light, and the footrest is adjustable.

Shortly after departing Kyoto, an attendant handed us an ashibori, another differentiatorthe green car is the ability to order drinks and snacks delivered to your seat using a mobile device connected to the included Wi -Fi, if it works.And unfortunately, it didn't seem to.So we just watched the passing countryside.Time flies on the bullet train, and it's time for lunch.Suzanne's bento had rice, grilled fish, egg, simmered vegetables, pickles, and some small seasonal side dishes.

I had beef, and at first I didn't think it looked very good, but it turned out to be really, really tasty.Also, someone turned the ordering platform back on, and Suzanne ordered some green tea and ice cream.I had a beer and some potato chips for us to share later.All of this only cost $9.It did take some time for the ice cream to melt enough for us to eat it, though.Even though the luggage racks may have space for large bags like those, it's not really a good idea to put them up there.

Either traveling light, like we are, or using one of the luggage shipping companies is just a much better option.We were keeping a keen eye out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji.Unfortunately, the low clouds had other plans for us.Green car has been nice, but wait until you see what's in store for us on our next leg in Grand Class.It's gonna be like we're on an entirely different planet, but what's the verdict about this leg?

Our next challenge, navigating through Tokyo Station.This place is so confusing.If you can get through here, you can get through anywhere.

We've got one more stop before we can head out into Tokyo.

Let's make it official, it's stamp time.

And that's Tokyo, check.

We've got 24 hours here in Tokyo to enjoy whatever we can, but then we'll be right back here for grand class.

Tonight we're staying in the iconic Park Hyatt Tokyo.This is an incredible hotel with an amazing history, but even better, check out this view.

We're not in Tokyo for too long, but we're here long enough to take part in one of the best things you can do here, and that's shopping.

And as far as I'm concerned, there's only one thing to shop for in Japan.

That's watches.

And the best place for that is Nakano Broadway, where we wanted to find something special for Suzanne to mark our one millionth subscriber, which we're so grateful to you for.We appreciate all of you watching and supporting this incredible journey.

Well, we struck out in the search for Suzanne's million subscriber watch.but it's still really fun to look around.They had some crazy stuff.

Our quest continues.We'd worked up an appetite, so we grabbed some sushi, a bit of tempura.We even popped into an izakaya, Japanese pub, for some delicious yakitori.After a great night of sleep at the Park Hyatt, it's time to get back to the station.After a whirlwind visit here to Tokyo, we're back at the station.Now this entrance is just for the emperor, but we're gonna feel like royalty today as we make our way to the northern terminus of the Shinkansen line up to Hokkaido.

We're traveling in Grand Class, that's as good as it can get.

We've got about a four hour trip today up to Hokkaido, and a ticket in Grand Class costs $70 more than Green Car on this route.Don't worry, we have a full price comparison coming up, but for now, let's go find our train.

And that's fairly easy to do, even in this massive station.Find the green signs and follow them.

Now one nice thing about this leg of the trip is no need to stop for food.

We're getting some food on the train.You'll find it mostly on routes headed north or west from Tokyo.This is also the fastest train out of all of them.And one reason why is this extraordinarily long and aerodynamic nose.It's nearly 50 feet long.Now this has two trains linked in the middle.

Our half will go all the way to Hakodate.

We're in car number 10 today so let's head back that way and get on board.

Each of these trains has one grand class car.Ours is decked out in Disney decorations.And stepping inside we could quickly see how different this is.There are only 18 seats in this whole car and they're like first class on a really nice airline.The soft leather feels so luxurious.Instantly we were on our way north.

There's legroom for days.There's a reading light, and the seat is totally adjustable.There's a massive amount of recline, and because of the shell design, you won't encroach on the passenger behind you.There's storage here, where you'll find slippers.Of course, there's power for each passenger, too.But let's check out the specifics.

In terms of width, you'll have 20 inches.When it comes to pitch, you're going to get a mind -blowing 51 inches.That's unreal.Our dedicated car attendant brought around amenity kits for each passenger.It includes an Oshibori, snacks, water, and a menu.We have our choice of Western or Japanese lunch.

Suzanne opted for the Japanese lunch, along with a special Grand Class white wine.The food is served cold, but that didn't stop it from being delicious.really interesting and flavorful.I chose the Western option with a custom -crafted beer just for this train.I don't think the food is the reason you'd book Grand Class, but it is a nice bonus to have on board.The lunch was light, but very good.

It never ceases to amaze us just how smooth these trains are despite their high speed.It's this leg that sees the train reach its highest speed.The car is arranged in a 1 -2 configuration.There's luggage storage above the seats, and also here at the back of the train, where we were asked to store our bags.The bathroom is, of course, spotless.This was some of the most beautiful scenery we've seen on the entire trip.

We passed by the beautiful Mount Ouate, which last erupted in 1919.This is the highlight, or maybe the low light, since we're descending below the ocean.It's the Seikan Tunnel.It's 33 .5 miles long and links Honshu Island with its northern neighbor, and our destination, Hokkaido Island.This is the world's longest undersea railway tunnel, and it took us about 25 minutes until we were out.If you think Grand Class is nice, wait till you see what's coming at the end of 2026.

This new Supreme Class looks amazing.You'll find these completely enclosed suites on some of Japan's most popular routes, including Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka.How about a price comparison on this 4 -hour trip?A ticket on this leg from Tokyo to Hakodate will cost $150 in ordinary class.You could sit in the green car for $206.And finally, we paid $279.

for Grand Class.Frankly, the price difference for Grand Class wasn't as much as we expected given how few seats there are.It can be a fun splurge, but in general, the legroom and comfort in Ordinary Class surprised us the most.If you find seats on the two side of the car, Ordinary is the way to go for most trips.At its core, Shinkansen is the reason Japan works the way it does.Cities as distant as New York and Miami feel like separate neighborhoods.

And whether you're an ordinary or grand class, you're part of something that, even after three days and 1 ,357 miles, we never got tired of and feels truly magical.

Hakodate, check.

Between now and the next time.See you on the rails.

Over 500 miles.I got that wrong.I got that wrong.

after a brief but wonderful visit here to Tokyo.We're not in Tokyo, right?We're going to Tokyo.Okay.The only person who gets to use this, the emperor.Not for us today.

No.No main gate for us.Not emperor -ly.Emperor -ish.Emperor -er.