Japan Rail Pass
Railway In general, we divide two types of train lines in Japan: regular trains and Shinkansen. There are regular train lines operated by the Japan Railways (JR) company, some are owned by private operators. Although we say the Shinkansen is a type of train, it is actually operated by several different companies depending on the line, five of the main ones: The Tokaido Shinkansen (東海 道 新 幹線), the most important and congested line, which connects Tokyo and Shin-Osaka (including Nagoya and Kyoto), is operated by JR Central. Just imagine this route is the Tokyo line to the West. The Sanyō Shinkansen (山陽 新 幹線), a connection from Osaka to Fukuoka (covering Kobe and Hiroshima), is operated by JR West. The Tohoku Shinkansen, the Tokyo line to the north to the very end of the island, is operated by JR East. The Hokkaido Shinkansen, which connects to the Tohoku Shinkansen, opened in March 2016 which connects Shin-Aomori and Hakodate Hokuto via the underwater Seikan Tunnel on the Hayabusa Shinka