Undersea Rail Tunnel Between Japanese Islands: Seikan Tunnel Explained
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- čas přidán 22. 12. 2023
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In newest RE video, we tried to uncover background, project development, construction, costs, and, of course, the wide-ranging benefits of the worlds longest undersea tunnel - the Seikan Tunnel in Japan!
The Seikan Tunnel, an engineering marvel of international significance, stands as a testament to human ingenuity and determination, and it connects the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido. It overcame formidable geographical and environmental challenges and transformed the economic and social landscape of Japan. It is also the world's longest undersea tunnel and even held the record as the longest of all tunnels - until Switzerland's Gotthard Base Tunnel opened (2016).
This Tunnel was officially opened during 1988, after approx. 24 years of heavy works. It features a double-track cross-section with a length of 53.85 km, including a 23.3 km stretch under the seabed. The tunnel's track level is approximately 100 m below the seabed and 240 m below sea level.
What is also good to know is that in 2005, the Hokkaido Shinkansen project was launched, with the aim of extending the Shinkansen network through the tunnel with a three-track rail system (it was narrow gauge initially but build with Shinkansen standards in mind!).
Shinkansen services began in 2016, connecting Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto stations, in just four hours and two minutes.
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6:40 Yen, not Yuan
What is more amazing is that the Japanese took time to finish this project, and it took them 25 years. In other countries, I have seen extended period projects like this would have been abandoned by the government because government change hands and their priorities change too.
And to think they are actually investigating if they can build a second tunnel so that the Shinkansen doesn't have to slow down so much in the tunnel but keep up the speed to save more time between Sapporo and Tokyo.
Yes, there are rumors about it. It would certainly be interesting to see what kind of construction technology the Japanese would use to build the new tunnel.
Maybe more advanced than the first tunnel. There were no TBMs used in building the Seikan Tunnel. Just blast and clear mining methods.
@@RailwaysExplained Where are the sources for your videos?
@@michaelrmurphy2734 I doubt it will change much, if you look at the various projects under the Alps, the Faroe Islands and other places where the whole thing is 30-60km TBMs alone are not reliable as they run into varied conditions. Australia has a massive ongoing failure with a hydropower project that tried, TMBs can be part of the solution but pilot tunnels being widened consecutively in stages is the best and most reliable technique.
"Mind-blowing stuff! 😮 I can't believe the Seikan Tunnel's immense impact on Japan. Who else here is amazed by this engineering marvel?
I rode this shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in January '23! It was super fast and comfortable, but no internet in the tunnel.
Also it takes 3 more hours from there to Sapporo. So I hope the shinkansen extension happens fast.
Do you have to change trains? Shinkansen to slower Sapporo bound train?
@@michaelrmurphy2734 Yep exactly as you said.
I changed trains 2 times. Kyoto-Tokyo non-express shinkansen (2.5 hrs), Tokyo-Hakodate shinkansen (4 hrs), Hakodate-Sapporo train (3 hrs).
I could just fly but I had JR Pass so it was free and I like trains + luggage capacity
And the second train went through the tunnel, right?
@@michaelrmurphy2734 Yes. I believe it's called the Tohoku Shinkansen.
@@michaelrmurphy2734The section where Seikan Tunnel is located is the Hokkaido Shinkansen. To the south from Shin-Aomori Station is the Tohoku Shinkansen, and to the north is the Hokkaido Shinkansen.
"Fun" fact about the Gotthard Base Tunnel: it's currently closed until September 2024, after a derailment in August 2023. There must be a potential video in that unfortunate incident.
A small correction, at least I think so: "1.1 trillion yuan..." But the yuan is the (base unit of) currency in China. Japan uses the yen. I wouldn't be surprised if the two words are related.
The Seikan Tunnel doesn't get a lot of exposure, possibly because anything railway-related tends to be Europe-centric. And admittedly, there are a lot of projects going on in Europe. But that makes it all the more interesting to see content from elsewhere in the world. Maybe some of the railways that the Chinese are building in Africa?
OH, NO! Did not hear that. And the Gotthard Base Tunnel is impressive too.
@@michaelrmurphy2734 It's not like it's been splashed all over the news. I just happened to notice it when I looked up the Wikipedia page on the Gotthard Base Tunnel, and noticed something like "not operational".
It turns out that this derailment has caused a massive amount of damage (in the CHF 100 to 130 million range) that takes a year, minimum, to repair. And yes, it has caused major disruptions.
Will agree to an extent that the video topics on non-Euro/NA railways is superficial and lacking in some ways (at least outside of high speed rail and travel vlogging)
Small correction, one of the two Tunnels is open again. But to operate at full capacity again, the second tunnel has to be repaired, which will take until September 24. Still a massive damage, as 7km of track have to be completely repaired. The damage is estimated to be around 117 million dollars (100 million CHF).
@@hermann95 Yes, I should have described it a bit more accurately. Thanks for the correction.
Thank you for the detailed explanation about the Seikan Tunnel.
By the way, I think you mispronounced the Japanese currency, yen (6:40).
6:43 Yuan? Do you mean Yen?
Yen is a Japanese currency.
I like theI like how the Seikan tunnel where constructed for 2 reasones:
1. The pilot tunnel to test diffrent constructiontechniques. That is a smart move by the Japanese! Maybee expensive now but in the long run it'll be cheaper in maintenance having the very best in the main tunnel.
2. If the standards would change in the future, the Japanese made sure those standards would be met, also in the future. The tunnel where built from the start to meet future standards. Half the future job done now. Once again, costs where cut for the future.
These 2 techniques by the Japanese should be implemented globally when building tunnels. :)
They are planning to pack the 1067mm freight waggons inside 1435mm covered Wagons so that the speed for the shinkansen Trains in the Tunnel could be Raised. At the Moment there is the danger of "Blewing" the Freight Wagons or Containers off Track by the wind from faster shinkansen Trains when meeting a freigt train in the Tunnel.
Fun fact: The middle part of Tsugaru Strait belongs to international waters, while staying inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. This means the risk exists that either China, Russia or North Korea can carry out unrestricted submarine warfare there if they dare to do so.
IMHO Japan's main purpose of building the Seikan Tunnel is to ensure Hokkaido (I mean the whole prefectural jurisdiction which includes some outlying islands) will not be fully blocked in the worst case scenario, rather than simply eliminating the risk of another train ferry being sunk by natural disasters.
Impressive! I used this tunnel when I took a Shinkansen from Hakone to Hakodate, which is the terminal station in Hokkaido in 2023.
8:04 日本だと新幹線と一部の路線は標準軌を採用していて他の殆どの路線は狭軌を採用しているからである
This the kind of fine video that we would like to produce ourselves. Good work! Before the shinkansen was extended through the tunnel, we took the tour (since discontinued) where a train would drop you off and another one later collect you at Tappi-kaitei and you could get a tour of the tunnel complex. We took the tour in 2007, and are very happy we had the experience.
Great video. Very detailed as usual. Keep up the good work🙂
I went to the Seikan tunnel（青函トンネル）twice. It's very long! This tunnel is passing Shinkansen and cargo （freight）train.
Fourth here as I loss my jr pass in previous station.
The Seikan Tunnel is the world's longest submarine tunnel.
The Swiss tunnels are all above sea level. WELL above sea level!
Would be also interesting to see a video about "Train on train" project for this tunnel
amazing engineering , very impressive
It really is!
Interesting video. The extra rail on the track to accommodate 1067 mm gauge trains is interesting. As an Irish person I reckon that if a tunnel was built between Ireland and Britain an extra rail would be laid for 1600 mm gauge trains. This is an interesting and insightful video.
There are other sections in Japan where trains of different gauges run on three rails. For example, the Akita Shinkansen and Ou Main Line share the tracks between Mineyoshigawa Station and Jinguji Station, and the Hakone Tozan Train and Romance Car share the tracks between Hakone Yumoto Station and Iriuda Station.
Wow. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent video! Your efforts become still more valuable thanks to your perfect narrations. Thank you so much for sharing..Take care and keep well and safe...from Anwar
Thanks for such an interesting video... Very impressive... 😉👍
Glad you enjoyed it
2:49 日本国鉄103系電車っぽいものが写っているけどもしコレが103系ならこの映画は北海道の映像ではありません(103系電車は合計で3447両が製造されたけど北海道では衝突実験にしか使われてなかったため北海道では客扱いをした事が無いからです)
you just cant fool japanese tetsuota the train geeks
The only drawback is the speed limit. The Hayabusa bullet train does only up to 160k under the tunnel.
Meanwhile, I'm just sitting here in NYC wishing the Hudson Tunnel Project emulated this double-track design... or construction time for that matter.
I’m just glad they didn’t awaken any monsters like Godzilla or Mothra.
6:55 Yen not Yuan
6:44 you said 1.1 trillion yuan? That’s the wrong currency, it’s yen
Japan is the most technologically advanced country in the world, I love Japan. 🇯🇵❤️😊
Not anymore, SK and China is a major technological superhouse right now
@@jkigtehuioropsdfjoaw Nope. In China they're having to take down a lot of their buildings and technology because no one is using them. Also China is a Communist Dictatorship so no thanks.
South Korea isn't that technologically advanced, I knew people who went there and they said that SK was like a discount store version of Japan. Also, the main reason people go to South Korea is for K-pop. I don't fancy being a few miles away from North Korea either. Overall SK isn't that technologically advanced, it's like a discount store version of Japan. The only thing SK is really good at is making screens, and the only thing that keeps South Koreas economy going is Samsung and LG.
You can look it up, Search up most technologically advanced countries in 2024. datapandas rated Japan as the most technologically advanced country in the world. Japan is number 1, USA is number 2, SK is number 3.
GeeksforGeeeks rated Japan as the most technologically advanced country. Japan is number 1, SK is number 2, USA is number 3.
The US World and News report rated Japan as number 1 in technological expertise.
So there you go, Japan is the most technologically advanced country in the world, and Japan is the leading country in technology and robotics. 🇯🇵👍😊
@@jkigtehuioropsdfjoaw Nope. In China they're having to take down a lot of their buildings and technology because no one is using them.
South Korea isn't that technologically advanced, I knew people who went there and they said that SK was like a discount store version of Japan. Also, the main reason people go to South Korea is for K-pop. I don't fancy being a few miles away from North Korea either. Overall SK isn't that technologically advanced, it's like a discount store version of Japan. The only thing SK is really good at is making screens, and the only thing that keeps South Koreas economy going is Samsung and LG.
You can look it up, Search up most technologically advanced countries in 2024. datapandas rated Japan as the most technologically advanced country in the world. Japan is number 1, USA is number 2, SK is number 3.
GeeksforGeeeks rated Japan as the most technologically advanced country. Japan is number 1, SK is number 2, USA is number 3.
The US World and News report rated Japan as number 1 in technological expertise.
So there you go, Japan is the most technologically advanced country in the world, and Japan is the leading country in technology and robotics. 🇯🇵👍😊
At 6:44 you said 1.1 trillion yuan rather than yen
I used Sekan Tunnel with Blue train when I lived in Japan. Keep tunnel is very expensive. Tunnel has many damages right now.
Next Dalian sea tunnel
I wonder if they will ever connect shikoku and kyushu?
Kyushu is already connected to the Honshu San'yō Shinkansen Line running all the way from Kagoshima. There's also a short Shinkansen line in Nagasaki which in future will join up to this line. In the original network design in the 70's Shikoku was to be linked via Osaka, this plan was put on hold indefinitely.
@@rztrzt To each other, not to the mainland I mean. Not hsr, but maybe a road and rail bridge/tunnel
@@Hession0Drasha Ok got you now, east kyushu and west shikoku are not big economical areas for starters, a tunnel in that area would have to be 100m deeper than the Seikan tunnel, a bridge would need to be 13km long and apparently that place has very high winds. All these things are not considered economically viable. There was a 'concept' for a bridge some time back but it stayed as a concept and never went any further. Would be 'cool' to have them linked though but for now we have to make do with the ferries.
@@rztrzt let's hope improvements in material science, makes the economics more viable :)
There is a proposal of constructing the Hoyo Strait Connection between Ehime Pref. in Shikoku and Oita Pref. in Kyushu. It's actually not that feasible considering the traffic volume between these two regions are low, but they're connected by ferry. Although not feasible in the current time being, there's still a possibility as the Shikoku Shinkansen's original plan actually goes through the Hoyo Strait. The original plan is to connect Osaka and Oita through Wakayama and the to Shikoku via the Kitan Strait Crossing to Awaji Island (planned bridge or tunnel) and then to Shikoku (either utilzing the under-road section of the Naruto Great Bridge or a planned tunnel). The route will then traverse across Shikoku until reaching the west tip, and then passing the Hoyo Strait crossing (planned tunnel or bridge) to Oita before terminating in Oita City, which also has a possibility to connect to the planned Trans-Kyushu Shinkansen to Kumamoto
現在、青函トンネルの問題は山積みです。第1の問題はトンネルの老朽化で水漏れが以前より激しくなっています。
第2の問題は新幹線のスピードアップが出来ないことです。理由は貨物列車と線路を共有してるので、トンネル内で貨物列車と新幹線が高速ですれ違うと、貨物列車のコンテナが吹き飛ぶ可能性があるため、現在の新幹線では140kmに制限されてます。
新幹線の開業で東京から北海道まで1本で行ける事になったのは素晴らしいですが、夜行列車の寝台特急北斗星などが廃止されたのはとても悲しいです。
When they continue line to Sahalin?
Based on the fact that Japan and Russia had an awful relationship even before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine because of territorial disputes since the Second World War probably not.
@@tobi6891 Well, Russia plans to build a rail connection to Sahalin, so it would be at least possible to ship by rail from Japan. Of course, if Russians build that bridge first.
If the tunnel was designed to Shinkansen standards from the beginning, why is the maximum speed only 140 km/h? What is the limiting factor and why was it not avoided? That is a huge penalty for a high speed train, since you also have to consider deceleration and acceleration times.
The problem is that the speed of the Shinkansen cannot be increased. The reason is that the Shinkansen shares the track with a freight train, so if a freight train and the Shinkansen pass each other at high speed in a tunnel, the freight train's containers may be blown away, so the current Shinkansen is limited to 140 km/h.
@@RailwaysExplained Thank you for the explanation! That is unfortunate but it definitely makes sense.
@@RailwaysExplainedJR East Shinkansen run at 210 km/h during holidays when freight traffic is low.
Building this in an active quake zone remains a marvel. Experienced it in 2007. Surprised to find from Hakodate north to be all diesel. Sad to find that flights between Tokyo and Sapporo remain mostly cheaper. I wonder if the Shinkansen conversion also brought the 25kV overhead power?
Shure.Currently, the Hokkaido Shinkansen is under construction between Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station and Sapporo Station, and like the other sections, it will have a 25,000 volt AC, double-track track facility.
1:05 The Taisho Era was from 1919-1925
That's wrong. The Taisho era was a 15-year period from 1912 to 1926.
Where are the sources?
Primary Sources linked on Wikipedia is the best option for now, Japanese media is always a slippery slope for posting links in the description
@@jmstransit And not even wikipedia being cited. Can mention their list of patrons but not even one sources, meh
no, you didnt look. See the references page on the Seikan Tunnel Wikipedia Page at the bottom.
@@jmstransit Did you even read my comment? i said they are not even citing wikipedia as their source, "they" is this channel. I don't really care if wikipedia have the link or not, my problems is that this channel have patreons and can't even citing even one sources for their video?
Why japan didnt make long train above the sea better than under the sea? Is it coz tsunami
windstorm, snowfall ,roads freeze
0:57 大正じゃなくて明治じゃね
Indo cannot build tunnel like that!
Is this narrated by AI? Sounds weird
How can you say Yuan in a video on Japan... At least get the name of the currency right. Your video quality has fallen recently.
Interesting video but the narrator's accent is so strong it makes listening almost unbearable.
OH, NO! Like George Michael, he died on Christmas Day. SAD!
Impressive, but why not hyperlube?
wtf is hyperlube
Do you mean hyperloop?
@@SystemSmortlube, but hyper
@@SystemSmort it protects the drilbit, but since they didn't drill but blast, I guess that's why they didn't use the lube.
@@illiiilli24601giggity