144-720: The Chuo Shinkansen ( 中央新幹線 , Central Shinkansen ) is a Japanese maglev line under construction between Tokyo and Nagoya , with plans for extension to Osaka . Its initial section is between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station in Nagoya, with stations in Sagamihara , Kōfu , Iida and Nakatsugawa . Following the completion of the Tokyo–Nagoya line, the line will extend to stations in Mie , Nara and Osaka . The line
288-558: A 25 kV AC overhead power supply (20 kV AC on Mini-shinkansen lines), to overcome the limitations of the 1,500 V direct current used on the existing electrified narrow-gauge system. Power is distributed along the train's axles to reduce the heavy axle loads under single power cars. The AC frequency of the power supply for the Tokaido Shinkansen is 60 Hz. Shinkansen trains are electric multiple units (EMUs), offering fast acceleration, deceleration and reduced damage to
432-504: A world record 603 km/h (375 mph) for SCMaglev trains in April 2015. The original Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Tokyo , Nagoya , and Osaka , three of Japan's largest cities, is one of the world's busiest high-speed rail lines. In the one-year period preceding March 2017, it carried 159 million passengers, and since its opening more than six decades ago, it has transported more than 6.4 billion total passengers. At peak times,
576-440: A "Maglev Proponent" by Nikkei Asia. The mayor of Nagoya , a city on the maglev, also said "Mr. Suzuki has a deep understanding of industry, so I think he will get the project done quickly." Since the election, preliminary work has been approved and is apparently been proceeding well as of October 2024. The government of Osaka Prefecture , as well as local corporations such as Suntory and Nippon Life , have raised concerns about
720-519: A bullet and its high speed. The Shinkansen name was first formally used in 1940 for a proposed standard gauge passenger and freight line between Tokyo and Shimonoseki that would have used steam and electric locomotives with a top speed of 200 km/h (120 mph). Over the next three years, the Ministry of Railways drew up more ambitious plans to extend the line to Beijing (through a tunnel to Korea ) and even Singapore , and build connections to
864-571: A center of Japanese culture. Following the Meiji Restoration , Osaka greatly expanded in size and underwent rapid industrialization. In 1889, Osaka was officially established as a municipality. The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by the 1900s, Osaka was the industrial hub in the Meiji and Taishō periods. Osaka made noted contributions to redevelopment, urban planning and zoning standards in
1008-437: A concern for residents living close to tunnel portals. The slab track consists of rails, fasteners and track slabs with a cement asphalt mortar. On the roadbed and in tunnels, circular upstands, measuring 400–520 mm (16–20 inches) in diameter and 200 mm (7.9 inches) high, are located at 5-metre intervals. The prefabricated upstands are made of either reinforced concrete or pre-stressed reinforced concrete; they prevent
1152-544: A dispute between JR East and JR Central about the use of the two platforms which were added to the Tokaido line's half of Tokyo station. Before JNR's privatization, they were conceived as being shared with the Tohoku line, and their construction used funds allocated to the Tohoku line's extension to Tokyo; however, the extension was finished after privatization, by which time the platforms were owned by JR Central. Therefore, there
1296-451: A distance of 1,900 km. This figure would presumably be even higher for very short flights such as Tokyo-Nagoya, with much less time spent cruising. Moreover, the operation of the L0 series maglev train is completely electric, making it easier to transition to low-carbon energy sources. On 2 December 2003, MLX01 , a three-car train set a world record speed of 581 km/h (361 mph) in
1440-505: A high ride quality and less electrical equipment. ) In Japan, significant engineering desirability exists for the electric multiple unit configuration. A greater proportion of motored axles permits higher acceleration, so the Shinkansen does not lose as much time if stopping frequently. Shinkansen lines have more stops in proportion to their lengths than high-speed lines elsewhere in the world. The main Shinkansen lines are: In practice,
1584-452: A large subterranean network of shopping arcades. Kita and nearby Nakanoshima contain a prominent portion of the city's skyscrapers and are often featured in photographs of Osaka's skyline. Minami, though meaning "south", is essentially in Chūō Ward ( 中央区 , Chūō-ku ) and geographically central within the city. Well known districts here include Namba and Shinsaibashi shopping areas,
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#17327726459031728-551: A lively and important port. Daimyōs (feudal lords) received most of their income in the form of rice . Merchants in Osaka thus began to organize storehouses where they would store a daimyō ' s rice in exchange for a fee, trading it for either coin or a form of receipt; essentially a precursor to paper money . Many if not all of these rice brokers also made loans, and would actually become quite wealthy and powerful. Osaka merchants coalesced their shops around Dōjima , where
1872-576: A loan from the Japanese government. The first major contract announced was for a 7 km (4.3 mi) tunnel in Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures expected to be completed in 2025. Construction of a 25 km (16 mi) tunnel under the southern Japanese Alps commenced on 20 December 2015, approximately 1,400 m (4,600 ft) below the surface at its deepest point. The tunnel is expected to be completed in 2025, and upon completion will succeed
2016-600: A low-interest loan of US$ 80 million from the World Bank . Initial estimates, however, were understated and the actual cost was about 380 billion yen. As the budget shortfall became clear in 1963, Sogo resigned to take responsibility. A test facility for rolling stock, called the Kamonomiya Model Section, opened in Odawara in 1962. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen began service on 1 October 1964, in time for
2160-788: A maglev terminal. A JR Central report on the Chuo Shinkansen was approved by a Liberal Democratic Party panel in October 2008, which certified three proposed routes for the Maglev. According to a Japan Times news article, JR Central supported the more direct route, which would cost less money to build than the other two proposals, backed by Nagano Prefecture . The latter two plans had the line swinging up north between Kōfu and Nakatsugawa stations to serve areas within Nagano. In June 2009, JR Central also announced research results comparing
2304-459: A manned run. On 16 November 2004, it also set a world record for two trains passing each other at a combined speed of 1,026 km/h (638 mph). On 26 October 2010, JR Central announced a new train type, the L0 Series , for commercial operation at 505 km/h (314 mph). It set a world record speed for a manned train of 603 km/h (375 mph) on 21 April 2015. On 26 March 2020,
2448-502: A metropolis like Tokyo met with stiff opposition in some municipalities, particularly the highly populated Sakai . He then fell back on a project that included the suppression of the 24 wards of Osaka, thus dividing the city into 5 new special districts with a status similar to that of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo . It was introduced by former mayor Tōru Hashimoto , leader of the reform party Osaka Restoration Association which he founded. The referendum of May 17, 2015 called in Osaka for
2592-666: A minimum curve radius of 4,000 m (13,123 ft) (2,500 m (8,202 ft) on the oldest Tōkaidō Shinkansen). The Shinkansen uses 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge in contrast to the 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) narrow gauge of most other lines in Japan. Continuous welded rail and swingnose crossing points are employed, eliminating gaps at turnouts and crossings. Long rails are used, joined by expansion joints to minimize gauge fluctuation due to thermal elongation and shrinkage. A combination of ballasted and slab track
2736-570: A new style in the construction of Shinto shrines, called Sumiyoshi-zukuri . The maritime panorama enjoyed from the shrine gardens inspired several artists, and nowadays the representations of that type of landscape are called Sumiyoshi drawings . Towards the end of the Yayoi period the Uemachi plateau-peninsula expanded further, transforming the Kawachi Lagoon into a lake (河内湖) connected to
2880-682: A passenger committed suicide on board a Shinkansen train by setting himself on fire, killing another passenger and seriously injuring seven other people. There have been two derailments of Shinkansen trains in passenger service. The first one occurred during the Chūetsu earthquake on 23 October 2004 . Eight of ten cars of the Toki No. 325 train on the Jōetsu Shinkansen derailed near Nagaoka Station in Nagaoka, Niigata . There were no casualties among
3024-457: A peasant insurrection in response to the city's unwillingness to support the many poor and suffering families in the area. Approximately one-quarter of the city was razed before shogunal officials put down the rebellion, after which Ōshio killed himself. Osaka was opened to foreign trade by the government of the Bakufu at the same time as Hyogo Town (modern Kobe ) on January 1, 1868, just before
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#17327726459033168-433: A platform of continued opposition to construction of the new line, barring further accommodations by JR Central. Following a series of meetings between JR Central and Shizuoka Prefecture facilitated by the Ministry of Transportation, an interim report was released on the results of the meetings so far in late December 2021. Among other things, the report confirmed that while JR was committed to returning any water leaking into
3312-404: A predominantly industrial center. The modern municipality was established in 1889 by government ordinance , with an initial area of 15 square kilometres (6 sq mi), overlapping today's Chuo and Nishi wards. Later, the city went through three major expansions to reach its current size of 223 square kilometres (86 sq mi). Osaka was the industrial center most clearly defined in
3456-558: A prominent bay area which serves as its main port as well as a tourist destination with attractions such as Kyocera Dome , Universal Studios Japan and the Tempozan Harbor Village . Higashiosaka is zoned as a separate city, although the east side of Osaka city proper contains numerous residential neighborhoods including Tsuruhashi KoreaTown, as well as the Osaka Castle Park , Osaka Business Park and
3600-422: A range of advanced technology compared with conventional rail, achieving not only high speed but also a high standard of safety and comfort. Its success has influenced other railways in the world, demonstrating the importance and advantages of high-speed rail . Shinkansen routes never intersect with slower, narrow-gauge conventional lines (except mini-shinkansen , which runs along these older lines). Consequently,
3744-404: A scientific comparison of the energy consumption of SCMaglev, Transrapid and conventional high-speed trains was conducted. The energy consumption per square meter of usable area was examined in relation to speed. The results show that there are only minor differences at speeds of 200 km/h and above. However, maglevs can reach much higher speeds than conventional trains. Conventional trains, on
3888-449: A second referendum to merge Osaka's 24 wards into 4 semi-autonomous wards was narrowly voted down. There were 692,996 (50.6%) votes against and 675,829 (49.4%) votes supported it. Osaka mayor and Osaka Ishin co-leader Ichiro Matsui said he would resign when his term ends in 2023. On February 27, 2012, three Kansai cities, Kyoto , Osaka, and Kobe , jointly asked Kansai Electric Power Company to break its dependence on nuclear power. In
4032-400: A standard-gauge rail has a curve with a maximum speed of 145 km/h (90 mph), the same curve on narrow-gauge rail will have a maximum allowable speed of 130 km/h (81 mph). Consequently, Japan had a greater need for new high-speed lines than countries where the existing standard gauge or broad gauge rail system had more upgrade potential. Among the key people credited with
4176-844: A stop in Nara . In 2012, politicians and business leaders in Kyoto petitioned the central government and JR Central to change the route to pass through their city. The governor of Nara Prefecture announced in November 2013 that he had re-confirmed the Transport Ministry's intention to route the segment through Nara. JR Central announced in July 2008 that the Chūō Shinkansen would start at Tokyo's Shinagawa Station , citing difficulties in securing land at nearby Tokyo and Shinjuku stations for
4320-417: A temperature of −269 °C (4.15 K; −452 °F) with liquid helium . Magnetic coils are used both for levitation and propulsion. The trains are accelerated by alternating currents on the ground producing attraction and repulsion forces with the coils on the train. The levitation and guidance system, working with the same principle, ensures that the train is elevated and centered in the track. In 2018,
4464-566: A thorough test of the capabilities of the future Chuo Shinkansen. The track was extended a further 25 km (15.5 mi) along the future route of the Chuo Shinkansen, to bring the combined track length up to 42.8 km (26.6 mi). Extension and upgrading work was completed by June 2013, allowing researchers to run tests at top speed over longer periods. The first tests on this longer track took place in August 2013. JR Central began offering public train rides at 500 km/h (311 mph) on
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4608-621: A trainset in order to perform high-speed tests. This train gave designers the confidence that they could safely build an even faster standard gauge train. Thus the first Shinkansen, the 0 series, was built on the success of the Romancecar. In the 1950s, the Japanese national attitude was that as was happening in the United States, railways would soon be outdated and replaced by air travel and highways. However, Shinji Sogō , President of Japanese National Railways , insisted strongly on
4752-525: A week after JR Central's announcement that it would be unable to meet its goal of opening the Shinagawa-Nagoya section of the line by 2027. Governor Kawakatsu's resignation was met with discussions about whether his successor would approve tunnel construction, triggering a slight rise in JR Central’s stock price. On May 26, 2024, the ensuing by-election was won by Yasutomo Suzuki, who was called
4896-689: Is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan , and one of the three major cities of Japan ( Tokyo -Osaka- Nagoya ). It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture , and the third-most populous city in Japan, following the special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama . With a population of 2.7 million in the 2020 census, it is also the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area , which
5040-511: Is abundant, with winter being the driest season, while monthly rainfall peaks in June with the "tsuyu" rainy season, which typically ends in mid to late July. From late July through the end of August, summer's heat and humidity peaks, and rainfall decreases somewhat. Osaka experiences a second rainy period in September and early October, when tropical weather systems, including typhoons, coming from
5184-460: Is an international center of research and development and is represented by several major universities, notably Osaka University , Osaka Metropolitan University , and Kansai University . Famous landmarks in the city include Osaka Castle , Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan , Dōtonbori , Tsūtenkaku in Shinsekai , Tennōji Park , Abeno Harukas , Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine , and Shitennō-ji , one of
5328-498: Is estimated at 90-100 Wh/seat-km. For comparison, the conventional N700-series train operating on the fastest service-pattern on the existing line between Tokyo and Osaka has an estimated energy consumption of 70 Wh/seat-km. Despite this increase, the L0 series still consumes much less energy than even the most efficient short/medium-haul modern passenger aircraft . For instance, the Airbus A319neo uses ~209 Wh/seat-km over
5472-401: Is expected to connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes, and eventually Tokyo and Osaka in 67 minutes, running at a maximum speed of 500 km/h (311 mph). About 90% of the 286-kilometer (178 mi) line to Nagoya will be in tunnels, with a minimum curve radius of 8,000 m (26,000 ft) and a maximum grade of 4% (1 in 25). JR West: V Kansai Line The Chūō Shinkansen will employ
5616-493: Is expected to connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes, and eventually Tokyo and Osaka in 67 minutes, running at a maximum speed of 505 km/h (314 mph). About 90% of the 286-kilometer (178 mi) line to Nagoya will be tunnels. The Chuo Shinkansen is the culmination of Japanese maglev development since the 1970s, a government-funded project initiated by Japan Airlines and the former Japanese National Railways (JNR). Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) now operates
5760-481: Is expected to open after the new maglev line. Officials of Shizuoka Prefecture, in a meeting with JR Central in June 2020, denied permission to begin construction work on the tunnel. JR Central announced the following week that it would be "difficult" to open the Tokyo-Nagoya line in 2027 as previously announced. The incumbent governor of Shizuoka Prefecture Heita Kawakatsu was re-elected in June 2021, partly on
5904-531: Is located in the humid subtropical climate zone ( Köppen Cfa ), with four distinct seasons. Its winters are generally mild, with January being the coldest month having an average high of 9.7 °C (49 °F). The city rarely sees snowfall during the winter. Spring in Osaka starts off mild, but ends up being hot and humid. It also tends to be Osaka's wettest season, with the tsuyu ( 梅雨 , tsuyu , "plum rain") —the rainy season—occurring between early June and late July. The average starting and ending dates of
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6048-722: Is no through service between those lines. All northbound services from Tokyo travel along the Tohoku Shinkansen until at least Ōmiya before splitting off towards Sendai or Takasaki. Two further lines, known as Mini-shinkansen , have also been constructed by re-gauging and upgrading existing sections of line: There are two standard-gauge lines not technically classified as Shinkansen lines but run Shinkansen trains as they use tracks leading to Shinkansen storage/maintenance yards: The following lines are under construction. These lines except Chūō Shinkansen , called Seibi Shinkansen [ ja ] or planned Shinkansen , are
6192-523: Is now Osaka, making it the capital of Japan. The city now known as Osaka was at this time referred to as Naniwa, and this name and derivations of it are still in use for districts in central Osaka such as Naniwa ( 浪速 ) and Namba ( 難波 ). Although the capital was moved to Asuka (in Nara Prefecture today) in 655, Naniwa remained a vital connection, by land and sea, between Yamato (modern day Nara Prefecture ), Korea , and China. Naniwa
6336-539: Is the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th- largest urban area in the world with more than 19 million inhabitants. Ōsaka was traditionally considered Japan's economic hub. By the Kofun period (300–538) it had developed into an important regional port, and in the 7th and 8th centuries, it served briefly as the imperial capital. Osaka continued to flourish during the Edo period (1603–1867) and became known as
6480-477: Is the current and 104th president since May 2008. The mayor of the city is directly elected by the citizens every four years as well, in accordance with the Local Autonomy Law. Tōru Hashimoto , former governor of Osaka Prefecture is the 19th mayor of Osaka since 2011. The mayor is supported by two vice mayors, currently Akira Morishita and Takashi Kashiwagi, who are appointed by him in accordance with
6624-409: Is the headquarters of Daihatsu , one of Japan's oldest automobile manufacturers. Like its European and American counterparts, Osaka displayed slums, unemployment, and poverty. In Japan it was here that municipal government first introduced a comprehensive system of poverty relief, copied in part from British models. Osaka policymakers stressed the importance of family formation and mutual assistance as
6768-424: Is unknown, after Shizuoka Prefecture denied permission for construction work on a portion of the route in June 2020. JR Central originally aimed to begin commercial service between Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027. However, in 2024, Central Japan Railway Co President Shunsuke Niwa said that due to construction delays a 2027 opening was now impossible and it is not expected to open until at least 2034. The Nagoya–Osaka section
6912-437: Is used to describe both the railway lines the trains run on and the trains themselves. In English, the trains are also known as the bullet train. The term bullet train ( 弾丸列車 , dangan ressha ) originates from 1939, and was the initial name given to the Shinkansen project in its earliest planning stages. Furthermore, the name super express ( 超特急 , chō-tokkyū ) , used exclusively until 1972 for Hikari trains on
7056-431: Is used, with slab track exclusively employed on concrete bed sections such as viaducts and tunnels. Slab track is significantly more cost-effective in tunnel sections, since the lower track height reduces the cross-sectional area of the tunnel, reducing construction costs up to 30%. However, the smaller diameter of Shinkansen tunnels, compared to some other high-speed lines, has resulted in the issue of tunnel boom becoming
7200-679: The 0 series , ran at speeds of up to 210 km/h (130 mph), later increased to 220 km/h (137 mph). The last of these trains, with their classic bullet-nosed appearance, were retired on 30 November 2008. A driving car from one of the 0 series trains was donated by JR West to the National Railway Museum in York , United Kingdom in 2001. The Tōkaidō Shinkansen's rapid success prompted an extension westward to Okayama , Hiroshima and Fukuoka (the San'yō Shinkansen ), which
7344-468: The Dōtonbori canal entertainment area, Nipponbashi Den Den Town, as well as arts and fashion culture-oriented areas such as Amerikamura and Horie. The 300-meter tall Abeno Harukas was the tallest skyscraper in the country from 2014 until 2023. The business districts between Kita and Minami such as Honmachi [ ja ] and Yodoyabashi [ ja ] , called Semba ( 船場 ) , house
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#17327726459037488-532: The Improved L0 Series started operations on the test track. It represents the completion of 80–90% of the design goals for the final train, and is the first to draw power from the track. Previous models used on-board gas generators. Shinkansen The Shinkansen ( Japanese : 新幹線 , [ɕiŋkaꜜɰ̃seɴ] , lit. ' new trunk line ' ) , colloquially known in English as
7632-761: The Narita Sky Access Line which opened in 2010, and the Keiyo Line reused space originally set aside for the Narita Shinkansen terminus at Tokyo Station . Although the Sky Access Line uses standard-gauge track, it was not built to Shinkansen specifications and there are no plans to convert it into a full Shinkansen line. Many Shinkansen lines were proposed during the boom of the early 1970s but have yet to be constructed and have subsequently been shelved indefinitely. In addition,
7776-480: The Rice Exchange was established in 1697 and where the world's first futures market would come to exist to sell rice that was not yet harvested. The popular culture of Osaka was closely related to ukiyo-e depictions of life in Edo . By 1780, Osaka had cultivated a vibrant arts culture, as typified by its famous Kabuki and Bunraku theaters. In 1837, Ōshio Heihachirō , a low-ranking samurai , led
7920-459: The SCMaglev technology, a maglev ( magnetic levitation train) system developed by JR Central . The levitating force is generated between superconducting magnets on the trains and coils on the track. The absence of wheel friction allows higher speed and higher acceleration and deceleration than conventional high-speed rail . The superconducting coils use Niobium–titanium alloy cooled to
8064-497: The Tokaido Shinkansen (515.4 km; 320.3 mi) in 1964, the network has expanded to consist of 2,951.3 km (1,833.9 mi) of lines with maximum speeds of 260–320 km/h (160–200 mph), 283.5 km (176.2 mi) of Mini-shinkansen lines with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), and 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of spur lines with Shinkansen services. The network links most major cities on
8208-602: The Trans-Siberian Railway and other trunk lines in Asia. These plans were abandoned in 1943 as Japan's position in World War II worsened. However, some construction did commence on the line; several tunnels on the present-day Shinkansen date to the war-era project. Following the end of World War II, high-speed rail was forgotten for several years while traffic of passengers and freight steadily increased on
8352-756: The Tōhoku Shinkansen ; only the Shanghai maglev train , China Railway High-speed networks, and the Indonesian Jakarta-Bandung High-speed railway have commercial services that operate faster. Since 1970, development has also been underway for the Chūō Shinkansen , a planned maglev line from Tokyo to Osaka. On 21 April 2015, a seven-car L0 series maglev trainset set a world speed record of 603 km/h (375 mph). To enable high-speed operation, Shinkansen uses
8496-584: The Tōkaidō Shinkansen , is used today in English-language announcements and signage. Japan was the first country to build dedicated railway lines for high-speed travel. Because of the mountainous terrain, the existing network consisted of 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) narrow-gauge lines, which generally took indirect routes and could not be adapted to higher speeds due to technical limitations of narrow-gauge rail. For example, if
8640-553: The bullet train , is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan . It was initially built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo , the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network. It is owned by the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency and operated by five Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with
8784-431: The first Tokyo Olympics . The conventional Limited Express service took six hours and 40 minutes from Tokyo to Osaka, but the Shinkansen made the trip in just four hours, shortened to three hours and ten minutes by 1965. It enabled day trips between Tokyo and Osaka, the two largest metropolises in Japan, significantly changed the style of business and life of the Japanese people, and increased new traffic demand. The service
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#17327726459038928-409: The kanji 坂 was abhorred because it "returns to the earth," and then 阪 was used. The kanji 土 (earth) is also similar to the word 士 (knight), and 反 means against, so 坂 can be understood as "samurai rebellion," then 阪 was official name in 1868 after the Meiji Restoration . The older kanji (坂) is still in very limited use, usually only in historical contexts. As an abbreviation,
9072-569: The locomotive (also known as power car) configuration with the Renfe Class 102 and continues with it for the Talgo AVRIL because it is not possible to use powered bogies as part of Talgo's bogie design, which uses a modified Jacobs bogie with a single axle instead of two and allows the wheels to rotate independently of each other, on the ICE 2, TGV and KTX it is because it easily allows for
9216-484: The 1,300 m (4,300 ft) deep Daishimizu Tunnel on the Joetsu Shinkansen line as the deepest tunnel in Japan. Construction has also started on the maglev station at Shinagawa. Being built below the existing Shinkansen station, and to consist of two platforms and four tracks, construction is planned to take 10 years, largely to avoid disruption to the existing Tokaido Shinkansen services located above
9360-654: The 154 passengers. Another derailment happened on 2 March 2013 on the Akita Shinkansen when the Komachi No. 25 train derailed in blizzard conditions in Daisen, Akita . No passengers were injured. In the event of an earthquake, an earthquake detection system can bring the train to a stop very quickly; newer trainsets are lighter and have stronger braking systems, allowing for quicker stopping. New anti-derailment devices were installed on tracks after analysis of
9504-476: The 1960s when large-scale prefectural suburbanization began and doubled to six million by the 1990s. The factories were rebuilt and trade revived, the city were developed rapidly it became a major multicultural and financial center in the postwar period between the 1950s and the 1980s , it is known as the " Chicago and Toronto of the Orient". Osaka Prefecture was chosen as the venue for the prestigious Expo '70 ,
9648-645: The 300-meter tall Abeno Harukas opened, which is the tallest skyscraper in Japan surpassing the Yokohama Landmark Tower in Yokohama , until it was surpassed by the 330-meter tall Azabudai Hills Main Tower in Tokyo since 2022. The city's west side is open to Osaka Bay , and is otherwise completely surrounded by more than ten satellite cities, all of them in Osaka Prefecture , with one exception:
9792-571: The Basic Plan specified that the Jōetsu Shinkansen should start from Shinjuku , not Tokyo Station , which would have required building an additional 30 km (19 mi) of track between Shinjuku and Ōmiya. While no construction work was ever started, land along the proposed track, including an underground section leading to Shinjuku Station, remains reserved. If capacity on the Tokyo–Ōmiya section proves insufficient at some point, construction of
9936-550: The Jomon period. In addition to the remains of consumed food, there were arrow heads, stone tools, fishing hooks and crockery with remains from rice processing. It is estimated that the ruins contain 2,000-year-old debris between the Jomon and Yayoi period . The findings of the archeological sites are exhibited in an adjacent building. In the years between the end of the Jōmon period and
10080-459: The Jōetsu derailment. Several months after the exposure of the Kobe Steel falsification scandal , which is among the suppliers of high-strength steel for Shinkansen trainsets, cracks were found upon inspection of a single bogie , and removed from service on 11 December 2017. Osaka Osaka ( Japanese : 大阪市 , Hepburn : Ōsaka-shi , pronounced [oːsakaɕi] ; commonly just 大阪 , Ōsaka [oːsaka] )
10224-475: The L0 series could be a passenger train. The Shinkansen is very reliable thanks to several factors, including its near-total separation from slower traffic. There are separate laws governing interfering with or otherwise obstructing Shinkansen trains, tracks, or its operation. In 2016, JR Central reported that the Shinkansen's average delay from schedule per train was 24 seconds. This includes delays due to uncontrollable causes, such as natural disasters. Over
10368-400: The Osaka region in terms of calculation, shrewdness, lack of civic spirit, and the vulgarity of Osaka dialect. Edo writers aspired to samurai culture, and saw themselves as poor but generous, chaste, and public spirited. Edo writers by contrast saw "zeeroku" as obsequious apprentices, stingy, greedy, gluttonous, and lewd. To some degree, Osaka residents are still stigmatized by Tokyo observers in
10512-549: The Shinjuku–Ōmiya link may be reconsidered. In December 2009, then transport minister Seiji Maehara proposed a bullet train link to Haneda Airport , using an existing spur that connects the Tōkaidō Shinkansen to a train depot. JR Central called the plan "unrealistic" due to tight train schedules on the existing line, but reports said that Maehara wished to continue discussions on the idea. The succeeding minister has not indicated whether this proposal remains supported. While
10656-554: The Shinkansen projects designated in the Basic Plan of the Shinkansen Railway [ ja ] decided by the government. The Narita Shinkansen project to connect Tokyo to Narita International Airport , initiated in the 1970s but halted in 1983 after landowner protests, has been officially cancelled and removed from the Basic Plan governing Shinkansen construction. Parts of its planned right-of-way were used by
10800-500: The Shinkansen's 60-plus year history, carrying over 10 billion passengers, there have been no passenger fatalities due to train accidents such as derailments or collisions, despite frequent earthquakes and typhoons. Injuries and a single fatality have been caused by doors closing on passengers or their belongings; attendants are employed at platforms to prevent such accidents. There have, however, been suicides by passengers jumping both from and in front of moving trains. On 30 June 2015,
10944-529: The Tokaido, San'yō, and Kyushu lines form a contiguous west/southbound line from Tokyo, as train services run between the Tokaido and San'yō lines and between the San'yō and Kyushu lines, though the lines are operated by different companies. The Tokaido Shinkansen tracks are not physically connected to the lines of the Tohoku Shinkansen at Tokyo Station, as they use different electrification standards, signaling systems, and earthquake mitigation devices. There also exists
11088-567: The Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka areas. The original construction schedule from 2013, which called for the Tokyo–Nagoya segment to open in 2027 and the Nagoya–Osaka segment to open in 2045, was designed to keep JR Central's total debt burden below its approximate level at the time of privatization (around 5 trillion yen). The schedule was later altered to bring forward the completion date of the Nagoya-Osaka segment to 2037, after JR Central received
11232-523: The Yamanashi test track, via a lottery selection, in 2014. The train holds the world record for the fastest manned train on this track. The line's route passes through many sparsely populated areas in the Japanese Alps (Akaishi Mountains), but is more direct than the current Tōkaidō Shinkansen route, and time saved through a more direct route was a more important criterion to JR Central than having stations at intermediate population centers. Also,
11376-601: The advent of the Boshin War and the Meiji Restoration . The Kawaguchi foreign settlement , now the Kawaguchi subdistrict, is a legacy of the foreign presence in Osaka. Osaka residents were stereotyped in Edo literature from at least the 18th century. Jippensha Ikku in 1802 depicted Osakans as stingy almost beyond belief. In 1809, the derogatory term "Kamigata zeeroku" was used by Edo residents to characterize inhabitants of
11520-433: The air raid took almost the entire night and destroyed 25 square miles (65 km ) of the city. The U.S. bombed the city again twice in June 1945 and again on August 14, a day before Japan's surrender . In the decades after World War II, the reconstruction plan and the industriousness of its inhabitants ensured Osaka even greater prosperity than it had before the war. Osaka's population regrew to more than three million in
11664-514: The approval of this project saw the narrow victory of no, and consequently Hashimoto announced his withdrawal from politics. A second referendum for a merger into 4 semi-autonomous wards was narrowly voted down by 692,996 (50.6%). According to the Forbes list of The World's Most Expensive Places To Live 2009 , Osaka was the second most expensive in the world after Tokyo . By 2020 it slipped to 5th rank of most expensive cities. On March 7, 2014,
11808-551: The beginning of the Yayoi period, the sediments that were deposited north of the Uemachi peninsula / plateau transformed Kawachi Bay into a lagoon. During the Yayoi period (300 BCE-250 CE), permanent habitation on the plains grew as rice farming became popular. At the beginning of the third century CE the grand shrine of Sumiyoshi-taisha was inaugurated near the harbor, commissioned by consort Empress Jingū . This Shinto shrine structure survived historical events, which inaugurated
11952-482: The best way to combat poverty. This minimized the cost of welfare programs. During World War II , Osaka came under air raids in 1945 by the United States Army Air Forces as part of the air raids on Japan . On March 13, 1945, a total of 329 Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers took part in the raid against Osaka. According to an American prisoner of war who was held in the city,
12096-863: The city bylaw. Osaka also houses several agencies of the Japanese government. Below is a list of governmental offices housed in Osaka. In July 2012, a joint multi-party bill was submitted to the Diet that would allow for implementation of the Osaka Metropolis plan as pursued by the mayor of Osaka city, the governor of Osaka and their party . If implemented, Osaka City, neighboring Sakai City and possibly other surrounding municipalities would dissolve and be reorganized as four special wards of Osaka prefecture – similar to former Tokyo City 's successor wards within Tokyo prefecture. Special wards are municipal-level administrative units that leave some otherwise municipal administrative responsibilities and revenues to
12240-565: The city of Amagasaki , belonging to Hyōgo Prefecture , in the northwest. The city occupies a larger area (about 13%) than any other city or village within Osaka Prefecture. When the city was established in 1889, it occupied roughly the area known today as the Chuo and Nishi wards, only 15.27 square kilometres (6 sq mi) that would eventually grow into today's 222.30 square kilometres (86 sq mi) via incremental expansions,
12384-420: The company has said it can make a pre-tax profit of around 70 billion yen in 2026, when the operating costs stabilize. The primary reason for the project's huge expense is that most of the line is planned to run in tunnels (about 86% of the initial section from Tokyo to Nagoya will be underground) with some sections at a depth of 40 m (130 ft) ( deep underground ) for a total of 100 km (62 mi) in
12528-451: The construction of such a station, with the line running directly under the airport. JR Central has so far refused, citing the close distance to the neighboring Kakegawa Station and Shizuoka stations. If constructed, travel time from the center of Tokyo to the airport would be comparable to that for Tokyo Narita Airport , enabling it to act as a third hub airport for the capital. As the station would be built underneath an active airport, it
12672-599: The construction of the first Shinkansen are Hideo Shima , the Chief Engineer, and Shinji Sogō , the first President of Japanese National Railways (JNR) who managed to persuade politicians to back the plan. Other significant people responsible for its technical development were Tadanao Miki, Tadashi Matsudaira, and Hajime Kawanabe based at the Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), part of JNR. They were responsible for much of
12816-532: The conventional Tōkaidō Main Line along with the reconstruction of Japanese industry and economy. By the mid-1950s the Tōkaidō Line was operating at full capacity, and the Ministry of Railways decided to revisit the Shinkansen project. In 1957, Odakyu Electric Railway introduced its 3000 series SE Romancecar train, setting a world speed record of 145 km/h (90 mph) for a narrow gauge train when JNR leased
12960-535: The conventional loading gauge for 1,067mm lines still applies on mini-Shinkansen lines. The Shinkansen has used EMUs from the outset, with the 0 Series Shinkansen having all axles powered. Other railway manufacturers were traditionally reluctant or unable to use distributed traction configurations ( Talgo , the German ICE 2 and the French (and subsequently South Korean) TGV (and KTX-I and KTX-Sancheon ) use
13104-491: The copula ya instead of da , and the suffix -hen instead of -nai in negative verb forms. The Osaka City Council is the city's local government formed under the Local Autonomy Law . The council has eighty-nine seats, allocated to the twenty-four wards proportional to their population and re-elected by the citizens every four years. The council elects its president and Vice President. Toshifumi Tagaya ( LDP )
13248-451: The development of capitalism in Japan. It became known as the " Manchester and Melbourne of the Orient". In 1925, it was the largest and most populous city in Japan and sixth in the world. The rapid industrialization attracted many Asian immigrants (Indians, Chinese, and Koreans), who set up a life apart for themselves. The political system was pluralistic, with a strong emphasis on promoting industrialization and modernization. Literacy
13392-735: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ), rail projects in the vicinity of Haneda Airport, including the Haneda Airport Access Line and the Tokyo Rinkai Subway Line , continue to undergo planning. Originally intended to carry passenger trains by day and freight trains by night, the Shinkansen lines carried exclusively passengers for the first five and a half decades of their operation. Lght freight has been carried on some passenger services since 2019, and there are plans to expand this with freight-only trains in
13536-452: The entire project off schedule. It is believed by some political analysts that the actual reason for Shizuoka Prefecture's apparent concerns of the project is not over the Ōi River, but was merely used as a pretense to force JR Central's hand in building a train station on the Tokaido Shinkansen under Shizuoka Airport . Shizuoka Prefecture, being the only prefecture where no new station will be built, has long lobbied JR Central for years for
13680-497: The facilities and research. The line is intended to extend and incorporate the existing Yamanashi test track ( see below ). The trainsets are popularly known in Japan as linear motor car ( リニアモーターカー , rinia mōtā kā ) , though there are many technical variations. Government permission to proceed with construction was granted on 27 May 2011. Construction is expected to cost over ¥ 9 trillion (approximately 82 billion USD) and commenced in 2014. The start date of commercial service
13824-539: The favorable geological conditions, rich in fresh water and lush vegetation, and because its position was defensible against military attack. The earliest evidence of settlements in the Osaka area are the Morinomiya ruins ( 森ノ宮遺跡 , Morinomiya iseki ) which is located in the central Chuo-ku district. Buried human skeletons and a kaizuka (a mound containing remains), were found as well as shell mounds, oysters, and other interesting archeological discoveries from
13968-514: The first world's fair ever held in an Asian country. Since then, numerous international events have been held in Osaka, including the 1995 APEC Summit . The modern municipality, which when it was established in 1889 occupied an area of just 15 km including the districts of Chūō and Nishi, following three successive expansions has reached an area of 222 km . It was one of the first cities in Japan to obtain designated city status in 1956. The plan to reorganize Osaka and its province into
14112-904: The future. The system shuts down between midnight and 06:00 every day for maintenance. Japan's few remaining overnight passenger trains run on the older, narrow-gauge network that the Shinkansen parallels. There are three principal service types on the Shinkansen: Trains are up to sixteen cars long. With each car measuring 25 m (82 ft) in length, the longest trains are 400 m ( 1 ⁄ 4 mile) end to end. Stations are similarly long to accommodate these trains. Some of Japan's high-speed maglev trains are considered Shinkansen, while other slower maglev trains (such as Linimo , serving local communities in and nearby Nagoya , Aichi Prefecture ) are intended as alternatives to conventional urban rapid transit systems. These trains were and are used only for experimental runs, though
14256-461: The high cost of building the Shinkansen network. By the early 1980s, the company was practically insolvent, leading to its privatization in 1987. Development of the Shinkansen by the privatised regional JR companies has continued, with new train models developed, each generally with its own distinctive appearance (such as the 500 series introduced by JR West ). Since 2014, Shinkansen trains run regularly at speeds up to 320 km/h (200 mph) on
14400-410: The hub Kyōbashi Station . Osaka contains numerous urban canals and bridges, many of which serve as the namesake for their surrounding neighborhoods. The phrase "808 bridges of Naniwa" was an expression in old Japan used to indicate impressiveness and the "uncountable". Osaka numbered roughly 200 bridges by the Edo period and 1,629 bridges by 1925. As many of the city's canals were gradually filled in,
14544-510: The impact of the delayed construction of the Nagoya–Osaka segment on the Osaka economy. Politicians from the Kansai region called for, and received, state-backed loans for JR Central in order to expedite the line's construction, resulting in the opening of the extension being moved forward by up to 8 years. On 27 October 2021, two construction workers died when part of the retaining wall of a temporary work tunnel collapsed. JR Central concluded that
14688-465: The islands of Honshu and Kyushu , and connects to Hakodate on the northern island of Hokkaido . An extension to Sapporo is under construction and scheduled to open in March 2031. The maximum operating speed is 320 km/h (200 mph) (on a 387.5 km (241 mi) section of the Tōhoku Shinkansen ). Test runs have reached 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to
14832-581: The largest of which being a single 126.01-square-kilometre (49 sq mi) expansion in 1925. Osaka's highest point is 37.5 metres (123.0 ft) Tokyo Peil in Tsurumi-ku , and the lowest point is in Nishiyodogawa-ku at −2.2 metres (−7.2 ft) Tokyo Peil. Osaka has a latitude of 34.67 (near the 35th parallel north ), which makes it more southern than Rome (41.90), Madrid (40.41), San Francisco (37.77) and Seoul (37.53). Osaka
14976-658: The line carries up to 16 trains per hour in each direction with 16 cars each (1,323-seat capacity and occasionally additional standing passengers) with a minimum headway of three minutes between trains. The Shinkansen network of Japan had the highest annual passenger ridership (a maximum of 386 million in 2007) of any high-speed rail network until 2011, when the Chinese high-speed railway network surpassed it at 370 million passengers annually, reaching over 2.9 billion annual passengers in 2023. Shinkansen ( 新幹線 ) in Japanese means 'new trunk line' or 'new main line', but this word
15120-403: The line's first fifty years of operation. Construction is yet to commence on the part of the line going through Shizuoka Prefecture , as the municipality has expressed concern about water from the Ōi River leaking into the tunnel, lowering the water level. JR Central expressed concern early on that the delay in construction of the only 9 kilometer long section going through Shizuoka might throw
15264-588: The modern kanji 阪 han refers to Osaka City or Osaka Prefecture . During the Jōmon period (7,000 BCE), present-day Osaka was mostly submerged, and the Uemachi Plateau ( 上町台地 , Uemachi Daichi ) formed a 12 km long and 2.5 km wide peninsula separating Kawachi Bay from the Seto Inland Sea . It is considered one of the first places where inhabitants of Japan settled, both for
15408-455: The more common 4-abreast (2+2) seating usually found elsewhere. On occasions, this wider loading gauge was also used to allow 6-abreast seating (3+3) on certain trains, such as the E1 and E4 series sets. This, combined with a lack of power cars, allows for a higher passenger capacity within a shorter train length. However, since mini-Shinkansen lines are effectively track-regauged conventional lines,
15552-482: The more heavily populated Tōkaidō route is congested, and providing an alternative route if the Tōkaidō Shinkansen were to become blocked by earthquake damage was also a consideration. The route will have a minimum curve radius of 8,000 m (26,000 ft), and a maximum gradient of 4%. This is more than the traditional Shinkansen lines, which top out at 3%. The planned route between Nagoya and Osaka includes
15696-519: The mouth of the Yodo River , which had widened to the south. By the Kofun period , Osaka developed into a hub port connecting the region to the western part of Japan. The port of Naniwa-tsu was established and became the most important in Japan. Trade with other areas of the country and the Asian continent intensified. The large numbers of increasingly larger keyhole-shaped Kofun mounds found in
15840-406: The new station. JR Central estimates that Chuo Shinkansen fares will be only slightly more expensive than Tokaido Shinkansen fares, with a difference of around 700 yen between Tokyo and Nagoya, and around 1,000 yen between Tokyo and Osaka. The positive economic impact of the Chuo Shinkansen in reducing travel times between the cities has been estimated at anywhere between 5 and 17 trillion yen during
15984-501: The number dropped to 872, of which 760 are currently managed by Osaka City. There are currently 24 wards in Osaka: per km Population numbers have been recorded in Osaka since as early as 1873, in the early Meiji era . According to the census in 2005, there were 2,628,811 residents in Osaka, an increase of 30,037 or 1.2% from 2000. There were 1,280,325 households with approximately 2.1 persons per household. The population density
16128-409: The oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. Ōsaka means "large hill" or "large slope". It is unclear when this name gained prominence over Naniwa, but the oldest written evidence for the name dates back to 1496. By the Edo period , 大坂 ( Ōsaka ) and 大阪 ( Ōsaka ) were mixed use, and the writer Hamamatsu Utakuni [ ja ] , in his book Setsuyo Ochiboshu published in 1808, states that
16272-401: The other hand, require less energy at slow speeds, with this advantage shrinking or even slightly reversing during high-speed operation. As the Chūō Shinkansen mostly runs in tunnels, air resistance will be much higher than for most high-speed railways, significantly increasing energy consumption. During normal operating conditions, the energy consumption of the L0 series between Tokyo and Osaka
16416-455: The plains of Osaka are evidence of political-power concentration, leading to the formation of a state. The findings in the neighboring plains, including the mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku was discovered nearby in Sakai testify to the status of imperial city that Osaka had reached. Four of these mounds can be seen in Osaka, in which important members of the nobility are buried. They are located in
16560-541: The plan may become more feasible after the opening the Chūō Shinkansen (sometimes referred to as a bypass to the Tokaido Shinkansen) frees up capacity, construction is already underway for other rail improvements between Haneda and Tokyo station expected to be completed prior to the opening of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics , so any potential Shinkansen service would likely offer only marginal benefit. Despite these plans ultimately not being realized (owing in part due to
16704-414: The port of Naniwa-tsu increased in such a way that huge warehouses were built to stow material arriving and departing. The Kojiki records that during 390–430 CE, there was an imperial palace located at Osumi, in what is present day Higashiyodogawa ward , but it may have been a secondary imperial residence rather than a capital. In 645, Emperor Kōtoku built his Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace in what
16848-458: The possibility of high-speed rail , and the Shinkansen project was implemented. Government approval came in December 1958, and construction of the first segment of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka started in April 1959. The cost of constructing the Shinkansen was at first estimated at nearly 200 billion yen, which was raised in the form of a government loan, railway bonds and
16992-410: The possibility of returning leaking water during construction. On 20 January that same year, the prefecture officially called the report "insufficient", and announced that it still would not allow construction to commence. On 21 December 2023, during a routine press conference, JR Central’s President Niwa announced an agreement with Tokyo Electric Power Company , the Ōi River's dam operator, to diminish
17136-561: The postwar period, and the city developed rapidly as one of the major financial centers in the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area. Osaka is a major financial center of Japan, and it is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp . Osaka
17280-402: The prefectural administration. In October 2018, the city of Osaka officially ended its sister city relationship with San Francisco in the United States after the latter permitted a monument memorializing "comfort women" to remain on a city-owned property, circulating in the process a 10-page, 3,800-word letter in English addressed to San Francisco mayor London Breed . On November 1, 2020,
17424-427: The rainy season are June 7 and July 21 respectively. Summers are very hot and humid. In August, the hottest month, the average daily high temperature reaches 33.7 °C (93 °F), while average nighttime low temperatures typically hover around 25.8 °C (78 °F). Fall in Osaka sees a cooling trend, with the early part of the season resembling summer while the latter part of fall resembles winter. Precipitation
17568-457: The regional headquarters of many large-scale banks and corporations. The Midōsuji boulevard runs through Semba and connects Kita and Minami. Further south of Minami are neighborhoods such as Shinsekai (with its Tsūtenkaku tower), Tennoji and Abeno (with Tennoji Zoo , Shitennō-ji and Abeno Harukas ), and the Kamagasaki slums, the largest slum in Japan. The city's west side is
17712-588: The safety checks carried out were insufficient, and vowed to make it clearer to workers which areas had and had not completed the safety checks necessary to allow for the presence of human workers going forward. Download coordinates as: The line will run between Tokyo and Nagoya , with plans for an extension to Osaka . Its initial section is between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station in Nagoya, with stations in Sagamihara , Kōfu , Iida , and Nakatsugawa . The line has one station for each prefecture it passes through, except for Shizuoka . The line
17856-431: The same way today, especially in terms of gluttony, evidenced in the phrase, "Residents of Osaka devour their food until they collapse" ( 大阪は食倒れ , "Ōsaka wa kuidaore" ) . With the enormous changes that characterized the country after the Meiji Restoration (1868), and the relocation of the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo , Osaka entered a period of decline. From being the capital of the economy and finance, it became
18000-635: The shinkansen is not affected by slower local or freight trains (except for Hokkaido Shinkansen while traveling through the Seikan Tunnel ), and has the capacity to operate many high-speed trains punctually. In addition, shinkansen routes (excluding mini-shinkansen) are completely grade separated from roads and highways, meaning railway crossings are almost eliminated. Tracks are strictly off-limits with penalties against trespassing strictly regulated by law. The routes use tunnels and viaducts to go through and over obstacles rather than around them, with
18144-513: The south or southwest are possible. Osaka's sprawling cityscape has been described as "only surpassed by Tokyo as a showcase of the Japanese urban phenomenon". Central Osaka is roughly divided into downtown and uptown areas known as Kita ( キタ , "north") and Minami ( ミナミ , "south") . Kita is home to the Umeda district and its immediate surrounding neighborhoods, a major business and retail hub that plays host to Osaka Station City and
18288-526: The southern districts of the city and date back to the 5th century. A group of megalithic tombs called Mozu Tombs are located in Sakai , Osaka Prefecture. Important works of the Kofun period is the excavation that diverted the course of the Yamato River , whose floods caused extensive damage, and the construction of important roads in the direction of Sakai and Nara . Maritime traffic connected to
18432-557: The surrender of the monks and subsequent razing of the temple. Toyotomi Hideyoshi constructed Osaka Castle in its place in 1583. Osaka Castle played a pivotal role in the Siege of Osaka (1614–1615). Osaka was long considered Japan's primary economic center, with a large percentage of the population belonging to the merchant class (see Four divisions of society ). Over the course of the Edo period (1603–1867), Osaka grew into one of Japan's major cities and returned to its ancient role as
18576-407: The technical development of the first line, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen . All three had worked on aircraft design during World War II . The popular English name bullet train is a literal translation of the Japanese term dangan ressha ( 弾丸列車 ) , a nickname given to the project while it was initially discussed in the 1930s. The name stuck because of the original 0 Series Shinkansen 's resemblance to
18720-833: The three routes, estimating revenue and travel time, which showed the most favorable being the shortest Plan C, with long tunnels under the Japanese Alps. The Council for Transport Policy for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism concluded on 20 October 2010 that Plan C would be most cost-efficient. JR Central announced that one station would be constructed in each of Yamanashi, Gifu, Nagano, and Kanagawa Prefectures. On 31 October 2014, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism approved Plan C for construction. Construction began on 17 December 2014. Preparatory work at Nagoya station began in 2016. A skyscraper measuring 220 m (720 ft) in height
18864-508: The track because of the use of lighter vehicles compared to locomotives or power cars. The coaches are air-sealed to ensure stable air pressure when entering tunnels at high speed. Shinkansen trains (excluding mini-Shinkansen) are also built to a larger loading gauge compared to conventional-speed rolling stock. This larger loading gauge permits wider coaches, allowing for 5-abreast seating (2+3) in Standard Class coaches, compared to
19008-708: The track slab from moving latitudinally or longitudinally. One track slab weighs approximately 5 tons and is 2,220–2,340 mm (87–92 inches) wide, 4,900–4,950 mm (193–195 inches) long and 160–200 mm (6.3–7.9 inches) thick. The Shinkansen employs an ATC (Automatic Train Control) system, eliminating the need for trackside signals. It uses a comprehensive system of Automatic Train Protection . Centralized traffic control manages all train operations, and all tasks relating to train movement, track, station and schedule are networked and computerized. Shinkansen uses
19152-545: The tunnel once construction was completed, there is no known feasible way to return all of the water during the construction phase. However, it did also conclude that the amount of water leaked was likely to be insignificant. On 7 January 2022, commenting on the report, the Shizuoka Prefecture governor expressed continued opposition to construction when it could result in water levels going down, even if only during construction. He urged JR Central to re-investigate
19296-422: The two largest groups being Korean (60,110) and Chinese (39,551) 2021 years. Ikuno , with its Tsuruhashi district, is the home to one of the largest population of Korean residents in Japan, with 20,397 registered Zainichi Koreans . The commonly spoken dialect of this area is Osaka-ben , a typical sub-dialect of Kansai-ben . Of the many other particularities that characterize Osaka-ben, examples include using
19440-605: The volume of water extracted from the upstream dam. This action aims to address the anticipated impact on the Oi River’s water levels, a consequence of the construction project. The agreement outlines the method of reducing water intake and the concept of compensation. The proposal was well-received and endorsed previously by the local governing council in November 2023. On 2 April 2024, Governor Kawakatsu announced that he would be resigning after making statements criticised as being insulting towards certain professions. This came less than
19584-448: Was 11,836 persons per km . The Great Kantō earthquake caused a mass migration to Osaka between 1920 and 1930, and the city became Japan's largest city in 1930 with 2,453,573 people, outnumbering even Tokyo, which had a population of 2,070,913. The population peaked at 3,252,340 in 1940, and had a post-war peak of 3,156,222 in 1965, but has declined since, as the residents moved out to the suburbs. There were 144,123 registered foreigners,
19728-571: Was an immediate success, reaching the 100 million passenger mark in less than three years on 13 July 1967, and one billion passengers in 1976. Sixteen-car trains were introduced for Expo '70 in Osaka. With an average of 23,000 passengers per hour in each direction in 1992, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen was the world's busiest high-speed rail line. As of 2014, the train's 50th anniversary, daily passenger traffic rose to 391,000 which, spread over its 18-hour schedule, represented an average of just under 22,000 passengers per hour. The first Shinkansen trains,
19872-558: Was built at a site in Yamanashi Prefecture , between Ōtsuki and Tsuru ( 35°34′58″N 138°55′37″E / 35.5827°N 138.927°E / 35.5827; 138.927 ( Yamanashi Test Track ) ). Residents of Yamanashi Prefecture and government officials were eligible for free rides on the Yamanashi test track, and over 200,000 people took part. Trains on this test track routinely achieved operating speeds of over 500 km/h (311 mph), allowing for
20016-455: Was built by JR Central. The structure is named 名古屋駅新ビル ("Nagoya-eki Shin-biru", Nagoya Station new building) and accommodates a station for the maglev trains in its basement area. JR Central announced in December 2007 that it planned to raise funds for the construction of the Chuo Shinkansen on its own, without government financing. Total cost, originally estimated at 5.1 trillion yen in 2007, escalated to over 9 trillion yen by 2011. Nevertheless,
20160-410: Was completed in 1975. Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka was an ardent supporter of the Shinkansen, and his government proposed an extensive network paralleling most existing trunk lines. Two new lines, the Tōhoku Shinkansen and Jōetsu Shinkansen , were built following this plan. Many other planned lines were delayed or scrapped entirely as JNR slid into debt throughout the late 1970s, largely because of
20304-543: Was declared the capital again in 744 by order of Emperor Shōmu , and remained so until 745, when the Imperial Court moved back to Heijō-kyō (now Nara ). By the end of the Nara period, Naniwa's seaport roles had been gradually taken over by neighboring areas, but it remained a lively center of river, channel, and land transportation between Heian-kyō (Kyoto today) and other destinations. Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine
20448-408: Was founded by Tamomi no Sukune in 211 CE. Shitennō-ji was first built in 593 CE and the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan. In 1496, Jōdo Shinshū Buddhists established their headquarters in the heavily fortified Ishiyama Hongan-ji , located directly on the site of the old Naniwa Imperial Palace. Oda Nobunaga began a decade-long siege campaign on the temple in 1570 which ultimately resulted in
20592-419: Was high and the educational system expanded rapidly, producing a middle class with a taste for literature and a willingness to support the arts. In 1927, General Motors operated a factory called Osaka Assembly until 1941, manufacturing Chevrolet , Cadillac , Pontiac , Oldsmobile , and Buick vehicles, operated and staffed by Japanese workers and managers. In the nearby city of Ikeda in Osaka Prefecture
20736-661: Was planned to be completed as late as 2045, but the date was moved to as early as 2037 following a loan from the Japanese government. Following the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka in 1964, Japanese National Railways (JNR) focused on the development of faster Maglev technology. In the 1970s, a 7-kilometer (4.3 mi) test track for Maglev research and development was built in Miyazaki Prefecture . As desired results had been obtained at the (now former) Miyazaki test track, an 18.4-kilometer (11.4 mi) test track with tunnels, bridges and slopes
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