Watch this the next time you're stuck in a tiny airplane seat. This traveler shared a train-travel experience that rivals many airlines' first-class tickets.
From Kyoto to Tokyo, TikToker Kana (@kanainlosangeles), who self-identifies as a "Japanese native living in LA," shares her experiences in the two vastly different places.
In this video, Kana takes the bullet train with a first-class ticket, which grants her access to the "green car" in the Shinkansen system.
@kanainlosangeles Riding the Green Car (First Class) on the Shinkansen (bullet train) home from Kyoto to Tokyo 🚅🌸 As a Japanese native, this was my FIRST time on the Green Car and loved it 😍 Either way, make sure you ride on the left side on the way back to the city for views like THIS of Mt. Fuji if you're lucky 🗻🇯🇵 #shinkansen #bullettrain #japantiktok #japantravel #japantrip #japantravelguide #kyototravel #japantok #japanthings #japantravelguide #japantravels ♬ Neo Soul, Cafe, Adult-like fashionable songs(1372096) - Jasper Lab
Kana describes the pleasant experience of picking up her favorite lunch items at the well-stocked establishments in Kyoto Station before boarding the train, saying, "It's the best station ever."
Kana boarded the green car, shocked by the amount of comfortable space. "This is actually the first time I am riding the green car, so I was really excited … it is beautiful," Kana said. "Look at all this space, and the footrest really made all the difference."
Lastly, Kana shared breathtaking views of the iconic Mt. Fuji as the train sped by.
"Look at this incredible view … I got emotional," she said.
In Japan, bullet trains are an incredibly effective way of traveling across the country, whether you're traveling in luxury, visiting family, or simply commuting. The Shinkansen system is one of the most well-developed high-speed train systems in the world.
Not to mention, the reduced reliance on cars provides shorter commute times, and reducing the country's carbon pollution contributes to better air quality.
Japan's leaders created these human- and environment-centered solutions during a period of rapid economic growth. According to the Japanese Embassy, "by the early 1960s, capacity on the Tokaido Main Line, which connected Osaka with Tokyo, had reached its limit."
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Sign me up 👍 This historic moment to choose to develop a train system over reliance on cars was incredibly forward-thinking and had positive implications on citizens' quality of life and cost of living, compared to places reliant on car travel.
While car collisions injure or kill hundreds annually in car-dependent cities like Los Angeles, according to the L.A. Police Department, Japan's Shinkansen system has kept citizens safe.
Even in the wake of natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, "The Shinkansen has carried over 10 billion passengers with an impeccable safety record of 'zero passenger fatalities'" for 50 years, reported the Japanese Embassy.
"Among rich cities, Tokyo has the lowest car use in the world. According to Deloitte, a management consultancy, just 12 percent of journeys are completed by private car," wrote Daniel Knowles in his book Carmageddon: How Cars Make Life Worse and What to Do about It, according to an excerpt published by HeatMap.
"Walking and public transport dwarf both sorts of vehicles. Tokyo has the most-used public transport system in the world, with 30 million people commuting by train each day," wrote Knowles.
Not only is the train system irresistibly efficient, but it can also be cheaper than owning a car. For comfort, pricing, timeliness, safety, and of course, the stunning views, TikTokers were sold on the Shinkansen train system as the best choice.
"Take my money," one commenter wrote.
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