A well-traveled London-based fashion influencer recently shared their experience traveling from Tokyo to Osaka via the Tokaido Shinkansen — the Japanese bullet train system — their voyage lush with iconic views of the countryside and its natural wonders.
In the post, Charlotte Olivia (@iamcharlotteolivia) walked viewers through the ride from start to finish, noting their struggles and successes and including small pieces of advice for potential riders.
@iamcharlotteolivia byeee Tokyo….hello Osaka 👋🏼 #travelvlog #bullettrain #visitjapan ♬ original sound - Charlotte Olivia
"Very much looking forward to getting on the train," they said prior to boarding. Once they were seated and their journey well underway, they added: "It's just amazing. … I've got loads of space."
In particular, while getting to the station itself proved hectic without adequate time, Charlotte Olivia praised the amount of flexibility they were offered with their luggage and recommended that future travelers book tickets that permit extra space.
Along the train's route from Tokyo to Osaka, the video panned to the various sights outside the window, from urban center to countryside to Mount Fuji, one of Japan's most stunning natural monuments.
Japan Rail Pass says that the journey takes about two and a half hours — a huge step up from the nine-hour ride by local train or the eight-hour ride by highway bus. Even the corresponding airplane ride is estimated to take over three hours, which goes to show how speedy the Shinkansen is. For tourists who have only a few days or weeks in the country, spending seven or eight hours on travel alone may not be the most appealing option.
In addition to drastically cutting down on travel times, high-speed rails such as the Shinkansen reduce the number of individual cars on the road and pose an electric alternative to domestic flights. Trains already generate significantly less carbon pollution than planes and, when coupled with astoundingly short travel times, can do wonders for a country's air quality, weather patterns, and natural resources.
Responses to the original post were curious and supportive.
"Hi! Were you able to choose the luggage seat and the mt fuji view too?" one user asked, prompting Charlotte Olivia to share their seat details in a follow-up comment.
"Next time set google maps to accessible route and take lifts with luggage !!" another suggested. "Saved me so much stress."
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