Travel influencer Ridge Hayashi (@ridge.hayashi) put his train travel fears to rest with his bullet train journey from Tokyo to Kyoto.
From seat tips to ideal Uber pickup spots, he shows viewers how to make the most of what turned out to be a smooth two-hour trip.
@ridge.hayashi how to take the shinkansen from tokyo to kyoto? 🗺️ Come with me to Kyoto on the bullet train🚅⛩️ #japan #tokyo #kyoto #travel #shinkansen #bullettrain ♬ 真夜中のドア〜stay with me - 松原みき
Japan's famous Shinkansen, or "bullet train," easily connects travelers to other Japanese cities while providing a "first-class experience." However, Ridge almost didn't make the Tokyo to Kyoto journey because of concerns about buying the correct tickets and how to get there. As the video pans around a spotless station with vending machines filled with ice cream and packaged sandwiches, Ridge admitted, "I was stressed for nothing."
According to the travel vlogger, you can book tickets online — he got his one-way ticket the night before for $100 USD. While car travel also allows non-stop views, you must concentrate on driving, stopping for fuel, tolls, etc. At least with the train, you can sit and relax as you soak in the scenery between cities or take a nap until you reach your destination.
Ridge pointed out that the seats on the left provide a view of Japan's Mount Fuji, but you can save by getting tickets on the ride site as he did. Once you reach your destination in Kyoto, walk across the street to get a cheaper Uber than right out front.
After a commenter questioned the $100 one-way price, another noted how the train trip looked "easier and fun than going [through] another airport." Not only is this mode more fun and easier than airport travel, which requires arriving two to three hours ahead of time, but travelers can also experience the luxury that's unavailable for the same price on a plane. Plus, trains are way cleaner for the planet. According to Flight Right, airplanes fly ahead in carbon pollution — train travel produces 96.5% fewer emissions for the same trip.
Japan's Shinkansen runs solely on electricity and has an aerodynamic shape. According to Ask Nature, the innovative front-end design inspired by the kingfisher bird's beak reduces air resistance, making travel 10% faster while consuming 15% less energy than before. Plus, the noise-polluting sonic boom when exiting tunnels is gone.
Other countries have options too. Switzerland is testing out alternative train fuels like hydrogen. While lagging behind other countries, the U.S. has one in Florida and the Acela connecting New York and Washington, D.C.
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