The most premium way to travel on a Japanese bullet train.

Japan currently has ten Shinkansen lines to shuttle passengers around Japan at super high speeds, but the busiest by far is the Tokaido Shinkansen, which has been known to operate over 470 trains along the route in a single day. The Tokaido Shinkansen stretches from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka, making it the one that foreign tourists to the country are most familiar with, and soon there’ll be a new class of seat onboard that promises to be even more luxurious than the current first class-style Green Car option.

▼ The Tokaido Shinkansen will soon have private rooms.

According to the operators of the line, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), the private rooms are part of the company’s desire to respond to the diversifying needs of customers’ changing life and work styles, and improve the business environment on board. Though they initially considered improving the Green Cars, which are predominantly used by business travellers, they decided to go above and beyond by creating private spaces that offer even higher quality facilities and services.

The new private rooms will be equipped on a number of N700S trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen route, with initially two per train. Each room will provide a high level of privacy, with some of the perks being free Wi-Fi, adjustable lighting, and a reclining seat with leg rest.

Other facilities planned for the rooms are an air conditioning panel and volume controls for the onboard announcements, allowing you to adjust the sound and temperature levels as well as the lighting to suit your personal needs.

While the rooms are aimed at business travellers who might want to hold online meetings or make phone calls during their journey, anyone who wants to relax and enjoy some privacy will benefit from the new setup.

▼ Take a look at the video for the new private rooms below.

The private rooms will offer the highest level of comfort and privacy onboard a Japanese bullet train, and it’s one that’s set to be popular when it’s introduced in 2026. Further details regarding room specifications, services, operating zones and prices will be announced closer to the rollout date.

Source: JR East via Netlab
Top image: JR East
Insert images: YouTube/東海旅客鉄道株式会社  
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