The Shinkansen (bullet train) network is Japan's flagship rail achievement, operating a 3,041-kilometre network of dedicated high-speed lines connecting the major cities of Honshu, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. The Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka is the world's busiest high-speed rail line, carrying over 150 million passengers per year on services that depart every three to four minutes during peak hours. Nozomi services complete Tokyo to Shin-Osaka in 2 hours 22 minutes using N700S trains at 285 km/h. The Sanyo Shinkansen continues from Shin-Osaka to Hakata via Kobe, Okayama, and Hiroshima. The Tohoku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to Shin-Aomori in just over three hours, while the Hokuriku Shinkansen links Tokyo to Kanazawa in 2 hours 28 minutes.
The JR conventional network covers all of Japan's less-urbanised areas with Limited Express, Express, Rapid, and Local train categories. Limited Express trains (Tokkyu) are the premium long-distance conventional services, often branded with distinctive names such as the Super Hakuto (Kyoto to Tottori), the Thunderbird (Osaka to Kanazawa), and the Odoriko (Tokyo to Izu). These require a separate Limited Express supplement on top of the basic fare and are frequently used by domestic leisure travellers.
Private railways in Japan operate the densest urban networks in the world. The Yamanote Line (JR East) runs a 34.5-kilometre loop around central Tokyo with 30 stations and services every two to three minutes. The Tokyu, Odakyu, Keio, Seibu, Tobu, and Keikyu private railways extend from Tokyo into surrounding prefectures, connecting to JR lines and each other at numerous interchange stations. The Osaka loop city network includes JR's Osaka Loop Line and private railways operated by Hankyu, Hanshin, Kintetsu, and Nankai serving the wider Kinki region.
The Japan Rail Pass is the primary ticketing option for foreign visitors, providing unlimited travel on all JR rail lines (Shinkansen Hikari and Kodama, but not Nozomi or Mizuho) for 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days. It must be purchased outside Japan and activated at a JR ticket office on arrival. Regional passes covering specific areas like the JR West Kansai Pass or JR Kyushu Rail Pass are also available. IC cards (Suica, Pasmo) are rechargeable contactless cards used on urban rail, buses, and convenience stores throughout Japan.