🚅 Green Car vs Standard on the Shinkansen - Is it worth it? 🚅 (Bullet Train in Japan, 2023)
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
- What it's like on the green car (first class) on the shinkansen in Japan, compared to the standard car - what the seats are like, how much space you get and whether it's worth it!
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🚅 Video: How to take the shinkansen: • How to take the Bullet...
📅 N700S train times: railway.jr-central.co.jp/pwd/...
NOTE: When you're using the footrest you should take your shoes off! 🙊 This is one of those unwritten rules I didn't realise - thank you for telling me in the comments. 🙏
On the bullet train in Japan there are two classes: standard and the green car, which is first class. I tried the green car for the first time, on the shinkansen between Tokyo and Nagoya. In the video I compare it to the standard car, including the seating, what's included, how comfortable it is and what you need to know. An important point is that when you take the green car, seat reservations are required. The video also explains the new rules about luggage on the shinkansen, how to tell if your suitcase is oversized, where to put your bags and shows the overhead luggage rack.
Thank you to JR Central in London for providing the JR Passes for this trip.
00:00 Intro
00:51 What is the green car?
01:30 N700S
02:20 At the station
03:25 Seats & legroom
07:20 Views
07:47 What the green car's like
08:47 Area between cars
10:46 Mount Fuji
11:24 How busy is it?
12:23 Ambience
12:47 Seat reservations
13:16 Luggage
15:41 Takkyubin
16:15 Is it worth it?
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You must take your shoes off,when you use the other side of foot rest.😊
Oh no, I had no idea about that! 🙊 But that makes sense, now I think about it. Thank you. 🙏
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
😊@@ocshaljufrian6109
This video was SO incredibly helpful. THANK YOU!!!
Thanks so much, really glad to hear that!
AHHHH I bought my favorite dress from you and you happened to make the first video that popped up about green card! Thanks so much for all you do
Aww that's so lovely to hear, thank you so much!! 🥰 So happy you like my designs! 🎶 (And enjoy the Green Car if you decide to go for it!).
I love, love, love your videos!💕I have a tbi from several mini strokes. Oftentimes, video information is presented too fast and without a lot of detail, making it difficult to process. Your videos are just right. Not too slow so as to give my brain time to forget what was just said; and definitely not too fast, wherein I don't have to repeatedly "rewind" the video to catch what was said. You also speak clearly. Bless you!🌼
Ah that 's great to hear! So glad they're just right! I try to include everything, because I had so many questions when I first went to Japan!
im now sofa travelling with japan explorer.
Thank you for another very informative video.
Thanks, hope it's useful!
Very helpful. Thanks!
Glad it helps! :-)
Nice! Green car for me whenever I get to visit Japan. And your purse is So Adorable, Amy!
Thanks, the Hello Kitty fruits series is next level! Enjoy the green car - you'll be travelling in style and comfort!!
Ww did the Green Car this summer when we was travelling Japan. My kids loved it. So quiet. And remember, off with the shoes if you use the unfolded foot rest ;)
Glad you enjoyed it too! I will know for next time about taking my shoes off (I had no idea about that rule but it makes total sense now that I know!). 🙈
awesome job Amy
Thank you!!
Great Video
Thank you!!
Woot Grand/Green class time glad you got on it!!!
Moving up in the world! 💅😝
Great & helpful vid. I’m taking the Shinkansen from Chitose to Tokyo so I am considering taking a green car option for that long trip.
You will be very comfortable in the green car! There's also Gran Class on that one if you want real luxury... It looks amazing! 😍
I have only rode the bullet train on e and used the green car. I think you covered this perfectly, and I agree with your assessment. Walking to and using the bathroom was an adventure with all the motion.
Glad you enjoyed it too! Hehe, maybe you picked a time when there were some curves in the track!
You have to be quick with the Snack Trolley. If you not used to it, they zip through the carriage before you realise - It took us a few trips to work out how to catch it. 🤣🤣
Grab those snacks!! :-)
loved this...i know it all, but still lovely!!!
Thank you! Hope it brought back happy memories if you've been on the shinkansen!
One thing I noticed when traveled green car is great sound isolation…it,s so very quiet….
So relaxing and calm!
As a family of 4 traveling in Japan it was nice to have the green car. When you flip the seats around there's still the armrest table for your bento boxes.
Oh yes, that's a good point - you lose the tray table if you rotate the seats. It must help to have a bit of extra space too when you're a family!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
While i dont expect me and my group to get any Green car reservations, especially since most of us want to be together, i definitely enjoyed the tour of the inside. While Im somewhat familiar from my trip in 2019, having an updated view as well as being able to show my group so some of their questions can be visually answered was very helpful.
It's a few years old, but the process of taking the shinkansen (standard car) is the same as in this older video, apart from you can now insert your JR Pass in the ticket gates: czcams.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/video.html
Thanks Amy, as usual you provded us with much needed inof. I usually buy the 21 day green car JR pass but on the longer routes. I will most likely fly, (ie Fukuoka to Tokyo to Sapporo.) Osaka to Tokyo or visa versa, I would take the train. It's more convimient and scenic. Thanks again, stay safe and healthy!
The journey up to Hokkaido can be interesting on the train, seeing it start to get snowy as you travel! But yes, flying can be quicker for some longer journeys.
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
I'd love to try it one day!
Really helpful and informative video! Looking at going to Japan for the first time in April can't wait to try out the Shinkansen!
Thanks! You'll love it! Best trains I've been on anywhere!
About the footrest, when you unfold the footrest that's for your feet to rest without your shoes.
I didn't realise that when I filmed this! Obviously, now that I know, I'll be sure to take my shoes off next time.
i feel like some of the green car amenities are already included in other limited express trains. so the premium is still the Shinkansen speeds. as a bigger person, i didnt find the fixed arm rests more comfortable. felt more confining.
Thanks for sharing your feedback on the seats, that's helpful to know.
Some limited express trains are amazing! And the views are often more scenic than on the shinkansen.
It is quite something to hear comments on Shinkansen in a standard British English, just like the voice of Donna Burke whose voice is very widely known as "the Voice of Shinkansen" for travellers using Tokaido Bullet Trains. I often use the Green Cars on conventional lines and they are also good.
It's funny to me that Donna Burke is actually Australian! :-) The Green Car is so comfortable - truly the best way to travel by train!
Thanks for this video, so helpful!! Would you recommend booking tickets in advance or just 1 day ahead or same day during Sakura season?
Sakura season's the most popular time to visit Japan, and also the holidays in Japan, so I'd recommend booking in advance. Some routes are very frequent eg Tokyo to Kyoto runs as much as every 10 mins at some times of day! But especially if you want to get the seats with extra space for luggage, book in advance as there'll be lots of tourists travelling at that time.
Great video - no surprise there - but there was one snippet of information that I found quite significant for anyone planning a trip to Japan: the price increases in the Japan Rail Pass. Apologies if you've covered that elsewhere but I googled a few articles on that - Whoa! To be fair, it was probably the best deal out there for foreigners so we have had it good for a long time. But still.... Anyhow, thanks for bringing that to my attention!
Glad you caught that news now - they announced it a few weeks ago. At first I thought it seemed like a huge price increase but as I found out more about it, there hadn't really been much change in the price for years and years, so instead of increasing it gradually over time, it's been in one go. They say it's still pretty good compared to other rail passes (eg for Europe), but I don't really know anything about them. I think now it's just worth doing a bit of maths to check if you might be better off buying individual tickets instead of automatically getting the JR Pass. For mot people just going to Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, you'd still be paying a similar amount for individual tickets.
thank you for telling how tall you are for reference, that's a help! with this much room you could even put your suitcase in front of you, good to know. next time I'm in japan I'd probably bite the bullet and get a JR pass too, usually I get around fine with just the local trains and busses.
Bite the bullet (train) 🚅😂
Standard Class is still comfortable than a plane seat. Just look at those legroom it’s still wider than premium economy plane seat
Yes they're both much more spacious and comfortable than the plane! Best trains I've ever been on!
Just found your channel and I love it!! I’m traveling to Japan with my mom in Feb 2024. I’m wondering if it’s possible to buy our JR pass now a bit, early before the price hike in October? Also-have you heard of Gran Class on the Shinkansen?
So glad you're enjoying my videos! I'd love to try Gran Class - it looks so luxurious! :-) If you want to get the JR Pass at the current price, Klook have an exclusive deal where they're offering passes 6 months in advance (most places are 1 - 3 months).
I ALWAYS take the green car on Shinkansen. dIt was useful during COVID. because of less interaction people.
That's a good point - it must have been good to have a bit more space at that time especially. Now I've tried the Green Car, I'd always want to take it if I have the budget!
Thanks so much for the breakdown of each section. I calculated my itinerary and it's either save $80 with the ordinary pass or spend another $80 for the green pass. Everything I see online says to stick with the ordinary,... but I think I wanna treat myself on this one, lol. I doubt I'll be able to afford the green pass once the price change happens too, so it's a good chance to try it multiple times rather than just on one ticket in the future.
It's true that I've always been perfectly happy with the standard car until I tried the Green Car, which is just that extra little bit of luxury if you want to treat yourself! It's nice that it's quieter and less crowded too.
Well im full now ,lovely cup of tea.
when i have rarely travelled i hated riding backwards i like to face forward.
The foot rest that opens, the inside part, is for feet and not shoes. When you pull down the foot rest and then pull open that flap, that is for feet with socks or stockings, NOT SHOES! If one is on a budget, then the green car is really an extravagance that is not necessary. Especially considering that JR Passes go up 40% in October 2023.
Agh, yes, someone else commented about taking your shoes off too - I didn't know about that at the time, but it makes sense now. I wish I'd known! 🙈🙈🙈
Nationwide JR Pass goes up from the mid 60% to mid 70% depending on the number of days and green or regular car pass.
Thanks a lot really good video to get good idea about Shinkansen but just one missing thing how to book a ticket for green car from train station and choose the seat near window!!
Thanks! That's covered in this video, about booking seats at the ticket machine - you can choose which seat you want: czcams.com/video/5PTBmrtZ8Nw/video.html
Great video, thank you. We're doing research into booking our JR pass and found this, as well as many of your other videos, to be very helpful. Certainly the Green Car looks more premium. Do you feel there is a better car in terms of booking the rear seats with luggage storage?
In terms of luggage, there'll be better availability of seats with luggage space in the green car, because it's always less full than the standard car. However you can't put suitcases by your knees in the green car because the luxurious, larger footrest is in the way!
I used the luggage delivery service and it was sooo goooood. I got my suitcases delivered on the same day (narita-tokyo) and I didn't have to worry about hauling my big suitcases (2) around the trains and while walking around the city (I arrived at about 10 am, but could check in at 3 pm+, so I had a few hours of exploring to do). And it wasn't really that pricey. Maybe it's more pricey for longer trips - still worth it.
That's good to know - I've heard a lot of good things about it! I think routes from the airport offer same day delivery more than other routes - makes sense as you want your stuff straight away!
@@cakeswithfacesi thought JR pass doesn’t work on Nozomi shinkansen even when you have the JR pass Green Class.. you can only take hikari shinkansen
@@lindaparker1043 Just replied to your pther comment! :-) For anyone else reading this - the Nozomi isn't currently included with any JR Pass. When the price goes up in October, you can take the Nozomi if you pay an extra fee per trip (they haven't yet announced how much it'll be).
@@Indieandcade I haven't used it myself, but the luggage delivery service is Takkyubin from Yamato Transport (they have a cute cat logo!): www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/#anc-howto
They deliver same day from the airport and some locations, but for most it's delivered next day. So you'd need to carry a smaller overnight bag with you. From what I've heard, it's an excellent service and they're very reliable, but you may need to drop it off in the morning for next day delivery.
The Tokyo Station location says it offers same day delivery, but it may only be to local destinations in the Kanto area: www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/facilities/tokyo_station.html
@@cakeswithfaces this is so helpful! Thank you so much! And for your videos :)
lol i always run into a close-up of trees/woods when i start to film out the window
It's those barriers on the shinkansen line that always ruin my shot when I press record!
Honestly, I just went with the green car on the assumption that there would be less people in it.
You assumed correctly!
I’ve only ever been in the green car once before and that was because i accidentally booked that ticket (which wasn’t a bad thing because it was a longer trip 😊). Also have to say that the luggage forwarding service is the best thing ever. I hadn’t used it on the previous 4 times i had been to Japan (mainly as i was travelling solo), but this time round i was travelling with a group and so we decided to do luggage forwarding because it would be easier through some of the bigger stations we were travelling through (eg Osaka, Kyoto, shinjuku). Usually the luggage gets there overnight or 1 day later and its fairly cheap AUD $15-20 each piece. With a big of forward planning, this service makes travelling through japan so much easier. Definitely recommend doing that to save hauling a suitcase up the many many staircases that appear to just be in Japanese train stations 😂
Hey fellow Aussie! I'll be looking to doing the same with luggage forwarding when I'm there later in the year. I've never done it before so. Is it as simple as asking the hotel staff to help with this service, filling out a form and paying a fee? Thats usually how people describe it but am a bit nervous still. Thanks!
Glad you got to try the green car (even if it was a surprise accident!). Good to know the luggage forwarding worked well. I know what you mean about those staircases! There've been times when we've done a relay up and down them with the suitcases. 😂
@@dickwintered It’s super easy! You do need to double check that your hotel is able to send or receive the luggage. Some places have it in-house, but we found that it was also available at one of the post offices that we stayed near in Kyoto which was super helpful. The staff are usually really helpful, even if their English isn’t super extensive (google translate and Say Hi to the rescue!) It honestly is pretty easy and i don’t know why i didnt do it until now! Have fun on your trip…japan is honestly one of the best places I’ve ever visited.
@@jurrassitol15 thanks friend! Did you email each hotel beforehand to see if they could do it?
@@dickwinteredIt might be a good idea to email the property in advance or read the website carefully. If it is a major business hotel or a high-class inn, they will respond by courier service. Individually run hotels and B&Bs are not eligible, so it would be best to have it shipped from a nearby convenience store or take it to a courier counter at a major station.
I'm a huge green car fan, the seats are sooooo comfortable! Highly recommended if you are doing some long Shinkansen trips. If you are tall or a "cuddly" build then the green car seats are perfect. I agree that the green cars are always less busy than the ordinary cars. As well as the Shinkansen, Green cars are available on many other JR long distance trains.
Your comments about the luggage are spot on. I travel with a standard 'large' size suitcase and it is under 160cm so I don't have to make a reservation for the rear row but I always do as it makes it so much easier to travel. You *can* still use the space if it is empty and you don't have a seat reservation for that row, but it is prioritised for the people booking the rear seats (the conductor can help you find somewhere else to put your luggage if needed). Great video as always Amy :)
Glad you enjoyed it too! That's a good point about the extra space being good for larger people. And having fewer seats in the row makes it so much more comfortable!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
Pro tip: you're supposed to take your shoes off when using the soft side of the footest.
Several other people mentioned that in the comments too - it's something I hadn't heard of, but it makes sense now I know! Of course, I would have taken them off if I'd realised. 🙏
hmmm,... quite seriously, the next time I have to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka to visit relatives, I'll just take the overnight bus. You can sleep so time isn't really lost and it's much cheaper. The buses I saw this week pull into Kyoto station so you end up where the train is.
I was waiting to hear the Japanese version of "Mind the gap" in the station.
😂😂 I guess the Japanese version is: "Kiiroi sen no uchigawa ni sagatte omachi kudasai" = stand behind the yellow line. It's fun to learn the station announcements, you hear them a lot!
“ashimotoni gochui kudasai” ,which means “whatch your step”. 😊
@@aisaka19600710 Oh yes, you hear that a lot! On escalators, etc, too!
I can confirm. Even during gold week there was usually empty seats in the green car. It was totally worth the money. Maybe not with the change of JR rail passes now though.
Good to know, thank you! Hope Golden Week wasn't too crazy for you!
@@cakeswithfaces it wasn't too bad. It was pretty crowded at all the tourist spots but still awesome.
@@MrGundawindy My cancelled 2020 trip was going to be overlapping Golden Week - I got tempted in by the cheaper flights!
God bless Japan!
Japanese trains are the best!
I used Takkyubin (Yamamoto) to ship my luggage from Osaka to my hotel in Tokyo and it was so worth it. There were so many stairs at the train stations. It would've been a real pain to carry them. Totally worth the $30.
Great! I've heard lots of good things about it!
@@saeedahmadi2200 Yes, it's the same service. I love their cat logo!
Bigger stations usually have escalators or an elevator in at least 1 exit, and they usually work. But a few don't.
When you get to smaller rural stations that are above ground, they frequently have an overpass to reach the tracks on the other side of the station, so you have to carry your bags up and down the stairs.
The second time I visited Japan I used the Green car variant. I was quite glad I did, often getting less crowded cars and overall I felt it was more comfortable. At the time I did not found the difference in amount that big to not go for first class. I have not yet watched your video (am at the office ^_^) but I thought I share my opinion in the comment.
Excellent, that's exactly what I found too - it was much less crowded in the green car than when I walked through the standard car, on every trip. Glad it was the same for you too at another time of year!
@@cakeswithfaces Watched the video now :) Brought back good memories.
Always enjoy watching your videos and I think they can help people that never been to Japan before a lot on how things work.
@@WolfyLuna Thanks, I hope so! I remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan - it was exciting but also quite nerve-wracking!
素晴らしい映像ありがとう。
新幹線乗ってみたい...田舎者です😅
新幹線に乗るのはいつも楽しいです!
Hellow, welcome to Japan.
Thank you, I love Japan!
Im lucky in that my trip is early december, so since you can get Passes 3 months ahead, i can get one just before the price increase and lock myself in at that price.
but also with the yen dropping like mad against the pound, the current green car pass price is roughly what the standard was a few months back!
Wow that's a great point about the exchange rates - how surprising!! I'm probably going to get some yen now while the rate's good, even though I don't have a trip booked at the moment! 😅
I rode the Shinkansen for the first time last month (used one of your older vids as reference, minus the JR Railpass part). Me and my friends chose the green car and, honestly, very glad we did. The footrest was quite nice to have. It's so... empty. I mean, it wasn't literally, but it might as well be. I still didn't understand why the ticket reservations blocked off certain seats though, as not every seat was occupied at any point of the ride, even though it didn't let me choose those for mines. No joke, like you mentioned, if planes had as much space as the shinkansen... man, traveling would be so much better.
I used the takkyubin service this time and man it's great. I had to fill out the paperwork myself the first time, but the woman at the Kuroneko hub in the Shinagawa Prince Hotel said English was fine so I filled it out like that and she just made some minor notes in Japanese. I didn't even fill it out properly (didn't put the right info in the right spot lol), but it went okay. It is definitely worth the $20 or so. I was told from others though that the forms should be in Japanese (and obviously filled out correctly), so who knows lol. Mines went totally fine, though whatever notes the lady added to it probably made the difference.
Side note: for people like me that easily get motion sick (though surprisingly not on the inner city trains), the shinkansen CAN still induce that nausea, despite the smooth-ish ride. So be a little cautious about eating, especially an eki-ben. My ride to Osaka from Tokyo involved eating and that wasn't a wise decision lol. Return ride, I didn't eat and I had a much better experience.
So glad you enjoyed the green car too! It's how train travel should be in an ideal world! :-) I hadn't thought about motion sickness actually - but the motion on the shinkansen does feel slightly different to a regular train. I'm sure the new maglev trains will be different again when they're running in a few years time!
Good to hear it went well with Takkyubin. It's good that your luggage arrived safely, even if you don't fill the forms in perfectly in Japanese! I've heard a lot of good things about it. Usually I just carry my suitcases with me, but with my plans for my Japan trip next year it looks like I might be trying it out for the first time then (I'll be making a video of course!).
@@cakeswithfaces Yeah, motion sickness is weird for me. Car/taxi rides are almost guaranteed to trigger it and the NEX did too. The regular trains though don't (e.g. Yamanote), but that might be because I stand typically stand, the bumpiness is different maybe, or the louder noises counterbalances it? Who knows. Would be nice if the new ones don't at all, but at least I know the current ones are okay as long as I don't provoke, like eating a bento lol.
Thanks for the video, please help to review the LUUP scooter rental service , how to check out and return the scooter for tourist , thank you !
If I try it out I'll definitely make a video!
My partner wants to do the green car and I was like no, standard is good. But we will be doing some peak time travel and this will increase our chances of being able to get those trains. So something to reconsider.
Hope this helps you decide! I'd always automatically gone for standard in the past as well, but I'm glad I got to try the green car - it's so comfortable!
Yes, you have to try it, bro, the highest fastest train in Southeast Asia... the speed is 350 K kilometers, the newest fast train in Southeast Asia, the first in Indonesia, Jakarta - Bandung, lots of tourist attractions in the city of Bandung which is beautiful and comfortable and cool and cool and beautiful....
Hi Amy! Do you know of Coco ichiban Museum in Nagoya near Biwajima Satation?
Some youtuber mentioned it (forgot who), but I can't find it on google maps, thanks in advance!
Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for telling me! If only I'd known when I was in Nagoya earlier this year! It seems that's where their first restaurant was. Looks like this is it on Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/vnrVomjEv91MATpM7
i always wanted to know what a green car looked like!
It was a real treat to try it out - so comfy! 🎶
Great video Amy. Just wondering how much extra it is to upgrade to green car? Thanks.
Currently for a 7 day JR Pass it's about 10,000 yen extra for the green car version. After the prices go up in October it'll be about 20,000 yen extra.
If you just want to try it for an individual trip, as an example, the ticket price from Tokyo to Kyoto is about 5000 yen extra for the green car compared to the standard car. (So if you travel enough, the JR Pass is pretty good value even after the price increase).
The unfolded footrests should never be used with shoes. In Japan, after unfolding the footrest, you must first take off your shoes before you put your feet on the unfolded footrest.
I didn't realise that at the time - so embarrassing. 🙈🙏 Obviously, now that I know, next time I'll take my shoes off.
If you have a JR green pass are you able to use the regular non-reserved cars too or only the Green Cars? Thank you :)
If you have Green Pass you can go in any carriage you like, so yes you can use the standard car (reserved or non-reserved) if you want to. The Green Car is reservation only, so there's no unreserved section in that class.
5 weeks till my japan trip. I decided to go for the green jr pass. My logic was with the raising jr pass prices this may be the last time i get a jr pass so this is the est chance to try out the green car
Good idea, make the most of it! You'll be travelling in style. :-)
this is also my logic lol
@@cstpa1 Enjoy the green car! 🙂
Hi Amy great video. One quick question if you have a standard JR pass and want to try the green car as a treat is it possible to get an upgrade to your ticket just for one trip? Thank you
I don't know of any way to upgrade for just one trip, I think you'd just have to buy an individual ticket for that trip.
To get on the Shinkansen, you need two tickets: a regular ticket and a limited express ticket. If you want to ride a green car like this time, you can use your JR pass as a ticket and purchase a green limited express ticket for an additional fee to ride the green car of the Shinkansen. . However, you cannot ride the Nozomi train, which is the fastest train between Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, with the JR Pass.
On my last trip I opted for the Green Car JR rail pass and I have to say it was well worth it for travelling down to Kyoto and then on to Kanazawa. It was much quieter in the green car carriage and the seat was very comfortable. I don't think I'll go back to standard even though there's nothing wrong with it having travelled in this class many times in the past.
BTW I also treated myself to going Gran Class from Kanazawa back to Tokyo. Yes, it was expensive but I enjoyed it immensely and the bento meal and unlimited drink that came with the ticket was superb. Would I buy a Gran Class ticket again? Definitely.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day! I feel the same - I was always perfectly happy with standard class, but now I know what the green car's like I'll be tempted to go for it again!
i thought JR pass wont let you ride NOZOM even when you has green class JR rail pass..
@@lindaparker1043 You're right - currently the Nozomi isn't included with any JR Pass (green or standard). When the price goes up in October, you'll be able to ride the Nozomi if you pay an extra supplement per trip (they haven' yet announced how much that will be).
Thanks for this info! I would definitely like to take the green car for the only time we use the Shinkansen.
Was wondering though, would it be frowned upon if we reserved two seat windows instead of a row even though there are only two of us? The green car looked almost empty in comparison to the standard car.
I think that would be absolutely fine. There's always a chance someone might reserve the seat next to you, but you're right, the Green Car is always less busy than the standard car.
Thanks for making this video. We are still debating to get green pass or regular. I have question though! If we have a green pass, how does it work with JR busses and other trains apart from Shinkansen in terms of reservation? Thanks!
Some non-shinkansen trains have a green car - mostly long distance express trains. With them it works exactly the same as reserving a seat on the shinkansen. With other trains that don't have green cars, you can go on them just as you would with a regular JR Pass. I haven't used JR buses so not sure about them!
暑いときは車内販売のアイスがいいよ
スプーンが折れそうなくらい硬いけど
I've heard of that! But not tried it!
That’s gtk how much leg room compared to standard car … thanks for the tips
I was impressed with the legroom in the standard car... until I tried the green car and it was even more spacious!
東北新幹線（touhoku sinkansen）& 北陸新幹線
（Hokuriku sinkansen）の
グリーンクラス（Green class）
のサービス（Service）は
更に格上（Service of the upgrading）です。
機会があれば試してみてください
（Please challenge it）😊
I hope I can try them all one day!
Hi! Just wanted to say thank you for making such great videos ! I’m planning a honeymoon trip to Japan December and these have been very helpful. I have a question, should I buy the JR pass now before the price change in October 2023 for my December 2023 trip ? Will I lose any benefits if I buy it now or is it better to wait until October 2023 to buy it ? I don’t understand what all is changing so I figured I’d ask for your guidance !
I'd definitely buy it before the end of September so you can get it at the current price and save money! At the start of October the price is going up. They've said you'll also be able to pay a supplement to ride the Nozomi (the fastest shinkansen, which isn't currently covered by the pass), so you might not be able to do that; it's not confirmed exactly how it'll work yet. However that's not a problem as the trains you can ride are still just as fast, they just stop at one or two extra stations.
Yes you can buy the pass before Oct at the current price, but please be noted that you need to redeem the pass in Japan within 3 months of purchase. For example, if you plan to arrive in Japan on Dec 20 and redeem the pass that day, you shouldn’t buy your JR pass before Sep 20.
@@Anthony-traveller888 Ye s- it depends where you buy it from. Some agents sell it 3 months in advance, and a few are only 1 month in advance. At the moment Klook are offering it 6 months in advance.
富士山を見ることが出来なかったのは残念でしたね。富士山は恥ずかしがり屋(She is shy)なのですぐ隠れてしまうのです💦
It's always a rare treat to see Fuji-san! 🗻
I think the green car is worth it for a longer journey, certainly anything over two hours, but standard is fine for other trips unless the train is likely to be very busy. I've always bought the green car rail pass in the past, but probably won't bother for my trip in September, as Tokyo > Kyoto will be my only long journey.
The only bad time to use the standard was one trip I was on when, despite the train being busy, one carriage was nearly empty. I was surprised until the door opened, then realised the toilet must have malfunctioned as the who carriage smelled like an open sewer, with just a handful of people braving in out. Maybe they'd booked seats and were too polite to move.
It is so annoying that the Hyperdia site has stopped listing train times. That was a really useful planning tool, but is now almost useless. There are other sites, but the information between them never seems to tally up.
Oh no, hopefully that's very rare that the bathrooms malfunction! (Wish I could say the same for trains in England...!) 😅
I've been using Japan Travel by NaviTime since Hyperdia stopped updating. It took a while to get used to it. Have you found the info's inconsistent between different sites?
The Green Car is comfortable when you want to spend time in a spacious and quiet environment. 😚💖✨
It really is! I wish the plane on the way to Japan was so pleasant and relaxing!
Also, do you know when in October will the price increase take place? Our trip starts the second week of October.
They haven't announced many details yet so there isn't an exact date. But you should still be able to get it at the current price for October. Depending on where you buy it from, you can buy the pass 1 - 3 months in advance, so I'd buy it as early as possible to get the current price.
@@cakeswithfaces thanks. The plan is to buy them next month.
@@j_609 That's what I'd do for sure! 🙂
I'm going to Japan in November and was thinking of getting the Green car JR Pass as a one off, would you know if i miss my booked train can I simply rebook a later train or would have to buy another ticket?
You might need to go to the counter and tell them to cancel the reservation you didn't take. I changed my mind about when I wanted to travel, and the ticket machine wouldn't let me book another train on that route on the same day. I had to go to the counter and get them to cancel the original booking before I could make another one, so I'd imagine something similar might happen. It's often fine to make a reservation when you arrive at the station to take the train, so if you're not sure which time you'll be travelling that might be the easiest thing to do (unless it's a busy time and there's a chance the trains would be fully booked).
@@cakeswithfaces Thanks so much for replying, I'd looked on line but couldn't find a definite answer one way or the other. PS loved your book its been a great help with planning my trip!
@@paulknight3854 Ah that's great to hear, thank you!!
GREEN CARS ARE MORE LIKE BUSINESS CLASS.
FOR TURE FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE, ONE HAS TO BE IN THE GRAND CLASS.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day - it looks amazing!
10:54 LOL I took the shinkansen a couple weeks ago and also missed Mt Fuji despite constantly checking for it! Perhaps the clouds or my ADHD lol. I took the green car as well and enjoyed it, its priced very reasonably too compared to a regular seat. The only regret I have is ordering a pork cutlet sandwich on the train, it was SUPER dry and bland 😅Next time I'll just bring food with me onboard haha
Oh no, seems like Fuji can be sneaky sometimes! Sorry you missed them too! I don't eat meat but my friends always love the katsu sandos from the convenience store.
Ice cream is recommended for sale on board. It's cold and it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to become hard enough to eat.
@@ykk-1 I'll have to try that next time!
@@cakeswithfaces
Unfortunately, wagon sales on the Tokaido Shinkansen will be discontinued in October of this year. 😭😭😭😭😭
If you are a Green Car passenger, you can order by the app. However, the types of products that can be purchased will probably decrease significantly. 😢
@@user-wb3wg3we8w Ah that's the first time I heard of that, thank you! So then we'll have to buy snacks from the station before boarding.
Thank you for the excellent video introducing Shinkansen onboard facilities. There is always something for me to learn from your videos, especially how a video storyline can be structured.
To answer the question of this video, it is indeed an option if you want to avoid the crowded space in Standard-class carriages, or if you are just ready to splurge. However, assuming that most viewers here are holidaymakers thinking about travelling with JR Pass, the forthcoming huge price increase of JR Pass may not make it worth the money, in my opinion.
JR says that the price increase of JR Pass this autumn allows the pass holder to get on board Nozomi and Mizuho (faster than Hikari, Kodama, Sakura and Tsubame), but with another supplement ticket to "purchase". This is no good news to the pass holder. This is no good to local users either, especially business travellers who may find themselves blocked by huge luggage of holidaymakers when they get in and out of the train.
This huge price increase seems to be an answer to address over-tourism, seen in places like Kyoto, Nara, etc., just like the plan announced by French government recently. I also hear that Kyoto also stopped selling the 1-day pass for the city bus and metro network. All these measures may also be seen as a sign of calming down jealous local users who pay full fare (although Jealousy is one of the worst things in life).
When all is said and done, the pass holder will be left suffering from the damage you pay, along with more complexity in making travel plans and arrangements. I hope that JR will re-think and reduce the amount of price increase. It is designed to be a promotional pass to facilitate holidaymakers coming to Japan but not to make profit out of selling the pass in anyway.
jr pass is too cheap. For Japanese people, free passes that allow you to move freely all over Japan are not on sale. There are free passes in each region, but they are more expensive than the JR pass after the price increase. On the contrary, I think this improvement is working in a good direction. Until now, there have been a large number of foreigners riding the Hikari and Kodama Shinkansen with JR Passes, and there have been cases in which it was inconvenient for those who wanted to use them for short distances. If the Nozomi train becomes available in the future, tourists will not only be able to move quickly from Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka, but also will be able to use it more comfortably by dispersing congestion.
@@ykk-1 It's illogical to compare JR Pass and ticket prices for the locals side by side. JR Pass is a promotional pass for foreign holidaymakers to explore and discover Japan on top of the expensive flight tickets, aiming to support the regional economy outside of the major cities. It may need a price increase to reflect the currency exchange situation, but the amount of the increase is penalising the users.
@@aldente2011 You may not know it, but there are a total of 6 railway companies called JR in Japan. This is because in 1987 the national railway was split up and privatized. Each JR has released a more affordable free pass for tourists, and I think JR's idea is to say that they want you to use this in the future. The pass that can be used by all JR companies no longer exists for Japanese people, but the pass for foreigners will probably continue to exist due to government policy. However, since prices are currently rising rapidly in Japan, it is natural to think that prices have been raised accordingly.
Thank you for the helpful video. I have a question re buying the train ticket and making a reservation online. I'll be traveling with my two elderly parents and we'll have one oversized luggage. Therefore, I would prefer to make a reservation that includes the luggage and travel in the green car. However, when I tried to book the train ticket online, it doesn't seem like there's an option available to reserve the oversize luggage space online. Am I correct in understanding that? I'm able to select seats, but there doesn't seem to be an option to reserve space for the oversized luggage ? Or if I missed anything ?
There should be a question about whether you want a seat with space for baggage. You can only select a seat if it's within a month of your trip. If it hasn't asked about baggage for some reason, just book the seats on the back row of the carriage - in most trains they're the ones with space behind them with space for suitcases. You'll enjoy travelling in comfort in the green car!
@@cakeswithfaces Thank you for responding so quickly. I'm planning to travel by the end of this month and I'm really looking forward to it. Keep up the excellent work!
@@stephaniesaw9336 Thanks, have an amazing trip!
グランクラス（ファーストクラス）もあります。
ぜひ試してみたいです
Hi sis, may I ask how to reserve for the 160cm luggage? Coz I book from Klook reserved seat but no selection for the luggage. Should I go to JR counter at my departure station before my departure date to reserve for it? Thanks
You need to book the seats at the end of the carriage. You can make the seat reservation either at the counter of a JR station, or at a seat reservation ticket machine - there's a demonstration here: czcams.com/video/5PTBmrtZ8Nw/video.html
If you bought your JR Pass from japanrailpass.net, you can reserve seats online before you go; if you bought it from anywhere else, you have to wait till you're in Japan.
Hello friend,
May I asking please
If I go from the end of September to first week of October. Do you know when I can purchase the card ? Thank you
Do you mean a JR Pass? You can buy it 1-3 months in advance, depending where you buy it from.
First time my family go to Japan
Please help me recommend where I can purchase
Green cars are now the equivalent of business class, not first class.
The equivalent of first class is "GranClass" on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, etc., but there are no GranClass seats on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen.
I'd love to try Gran Class one day, it looks amazing!
Yep, you will love it too, so if you have a chance, please try it.
With both passes can you use them to go all the way down south .?
Yes, both the standard and green car passes include the whole of Japan. There are regional versions that only cover a specified area, but it's very clear which they are, so I don't think you'd get them mixed up!
Oh by the way do you know the location I can book for onsen including food in room service please show for me
Thank you very much
I booked mine on the ryokan's own website (so they wouldn't have to pay extra fees to a booking website!). I'd highly recommend Morizuya in Kinosaki: www.morizuya.com/en/
You can also book many of them here: www.japaneseguesthouses.com/
All of the ryokan in Kinosaki can also be booked through this website: visitkinosaki.com/
Thank you
I'm curious as to whether you rode any "conventional" Limited Express trains and what the Green Car was like. The advantage they have over the Shinkansen is that you can see the scenery much better. Many of them have streamlined ends with clear partitions behind the cab so you can have a forward/rearward view.
There's a great one coming up - the train from Osaka to Kinosaki had lovely views! I filmed the green car too, so look out for that one! Can't wait to edit my Kinosaki videos, it's a gorgeous place! 😍
I think it's worth it, especially at the moment with the exchange rate of the Yen so weak. I wish I'd waited to buy my yen, could have saved a lot/bought more....ah well.
You never know how the exchange rate's going to go in the future. I just bought some yen, even though I don't have a trip planned - it's the best rate in 8 years right now.
What are the letters of the seats 💺 for a better view of Mount Fuji 🗻?
On the way from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, sit on the right hand side of the train. On the way back, sit on the left and keep your fingers crossed! 🤞
people just dont get attacked on trains but on buses but also in the streets here in england.
Maybe a stupid question but can you ride Ordinary if you have a Green? I mean if you missed reserve a place in Green car.
Yes, you can go in the ordinary car too. ☺️
For green car just the back seats have space for luggages?
Yes - it's the same as in the standard car.
Do we remove the shoes when using the foot rest?
Someone else just commented that yes, you should remove your shoes, so that's a faux pas on my part. 🙊 I didn't even think of that - but it makes sense now I know that!
@@cakeswithfaces
Please take a good look at the material and pattern on both sides of the footrest.
You'll probably understand why.
Because they are same as carpets and seat's face.
@@user-wb3wg3we8w Yes that makes sense now.
@@cakeswithfaces
Thank you for reply.
I think it's inevitable even if foreign tourists don't know about it.
We have a different culture.
I would be happy if you could show to foreign tourist how to use the Green Car footrest in a video.
I couldn't open the N700S schedule. Is there a route map?
This link should work: railway.jr-central.co.jp/pwd/_pdf/N700S.pdf It's updated each day (Japan time).
The N700S runs the same route as the regular Tokaido shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto.
Interesting that you didn't mention smartEX at all. I used the website in May and it was very straightforward.
There even was a green car discount for reserving in advance, and they claim reserved seats are slightly cheaper than buying at the station.
I could also register my IC card, so all I had to do at the station was tap in and pick up my seat reservation confirmation at the gate!
That sounds great, glad it worked so smoothly, and that's very handy being able to put the tickets on your IC card. So far I've always used a JR Pass, but there's a chance after the price increase it might work out better buying individual tickets on some occasions, so I'm sure I'll try it too at some point!
@@cakeswithfaces I've never actually used the JR pass. The staffed ticket gate hassle early on plus no Tokyo Metro made it unattractive for the little bit of money saved, especially on longer, one-way trips on a split itinerary.
I got a Hello Kitty themed IC card on my first visit in 2015 at Kansai Airport with the "ICOCA & HARUKA" bundle, and have been using that every year since then.
@@zeeZerl Whether the JR Pass is worth it does depend on your plans - especially after the price increase in October. It's much better now you can use the JR Pass in the automatic ticket gates - definitely an improvement!
@@zeeZerl You usually have to take at least a round trip shinkansen trip to make the 7 day pass worthwhile, and even more shinkansen trip for longer passes.
The current JR pass is like a regular ticket in that you insert the pass into the ticket slot in the front of the gate, and pick it up as you exit the gate. You still need to pick up seat tickets for each segment.
Nozomi is not covered by the JR Pass tho, correct? If I'm trying to get from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station, is there a green car option for someone who has a pass? I was watching a 6 year old video from someone and they were saying the train, I think Hikari did not have a green car. I bought a Green car pass before the hike, and now I'm like , .......?
If you bought your JR Pass before the price went up, it doesn't include the Nozomi. If you bought it after the price went up, you can pay an extra supplement (per trip) to go on the Nozomi if you want to.
The Hikari does have a Green Car (that's the one I'm in, in this video!). If you have a Green Car pass, you can go in the green car whenever you want to. Many limited express trains have them too, not just the shinkansen. However, the Green Car is reservation-only, so you have to reserve a seat each time (free of charge).
Please be aware that the Nozomi cannot be used with a JR Pass, no matter if you have the standard JR Pass or the Green JR Pass. You have to take the slower Hikari or the even slower Kodama. The video suggests that you can ride the new Nozomi if you have a JR Pass. You can't even ride the old one with it.
Absolutely right! I didn't mean to suggest that at all. There are so many things to mention about the JR Pass, so this video's just focussing on comparing the green car vs standard car, and where to put your luggage.
The new JR pass starting in October at much higher prices allows you to ride the Nozomi, but you have to pay a surcharge which depends on the route. Doesn't seem that worthwhile to me since the surcharge is not minimal, and the difference in travel time over Hikari isn't huge, e.g. less than 1/2 hour between Tokyo and Kyoto.
Yes, that's correct. Only reason for choosing the faster trains with additional fee would be to get some seats during high season. This is why I ordered green passes for September/October. September will probably be find but I expect the Shinkansen to be crouded in October. Choosing more expensive options could result in better chances in seat reservations during peak times. I plan to go across Japan within 7 weeks, sometimes just staying for one day in one place but with the higher price of the JR pass, even I would have no reason to use it. Luckily I still can use it for the old price and even with a green pass, it is well worth it.@@twostate7822
Do you have a video on where to buy food before boarding Shinkansen? So they don't sell food on board? Thanks
Recently they got rid of the food trolleys on the Tokkaido shinkansen (between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka). Usually I'll buy food from a convenience store on my way to the station (they're EVERYWHERE in Japan and have an excellent selection). There are also lots of shops inside the station. Sometimes they're good, and sometimes in the shinkansen section they focus more on "omiyage" = boxed souvenir sweets that people buy as gifts when they travel. But the shinkansen section of the station is where you'll find the fancy ekiben boxed lunches.
You might also like this video about how to take the bullet train: czcams.com/video/89_tv2LpitM/video.html
@cakeswithfaces Thanks. I guess Japan places these stores conveniently. We can't read, so knowing they are around the Shinkansen gates / area is a good sign. Is it after the gate? Or both before gate and inside platform? lol
@@mogtrader8 Stations are huge, so there'll be shops before the ticket gates and after. The shops selling ekiben (train bento boxes) are usually after the shinkansen ticket gates. Usually there's not too much on the platform itself, but sometimes there's a small kiosk up there.
@cakeswithfaces Thank you very much. It will be our first time and this helps us, mentally. We're afraid of being overwhelmed, but will remind ourselves to keep an eye out when inside. It feels like Japan is well planned and organized meaningfully. 😃
@@mogtrader8 I remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan! (That's partly why I make my videos, and my book). It is very organised and works well most of the time, and people are friendly if you get stuck!
I was enjoying sofa travelling with cakes for faces now she as abandoned us al,ugh.
Hey Amy, just a heads up. When you unfold the foot rest it's shoes off , not unfolded is shoes on ;-) Great vid as always .
I had no idea about that before! Someone else mentioned that in the comments; I hadn't heard that before and there's nothing telling you that in the train. 🙈 But now I know for next time, thank you!
@@cakeswithfacesthere was a sign right next to the foot rest showing you to remove your shoes. You must have missed it
@@froglady4360 Ah noo!!! Yes, I definitely would have taken off my shoes if I'd noticed that. Must have been too excited to be on the green car... 🙊😖
How much more expensive is the green car? Is it a standard % rate more?
Turns out around 30% more.
Worth experiencing at least once
If you book your tickets in advance on Smartex (official website from Japan Railways), there are discounts for booking in advance. If you book 30 days in advance, the green car isn't too much more than the regular price for the standard car. The only downside with the discounted tickets is that if you miss your train, they aren't valid for other trains that day like full price tickets.
Just discovered that children are allowed in green car, but an adult ticket must be purchased
Gran Class is the best!!!!! Too bad is not available on most of the routes. You need to TAKEOFF your shoes to use the foot rest in unfolded position. Notice the fabric? Having your shoes on the fabric is like standing on the seat with your shoes on. HOW RUDE!
I'd love to try Gran Class one day! 🎶 I honestly didn't realise about taking your shoes off for the footrests - if I'd known, I would of course have taken my shoes off. It's very embarrassing now, I wish I'd known at the time.