Blink and You’ll Miss It: The Tokaido Shinkansen at Odawara Station
What is the Shinkansen?
Are you looking for the perfect place to capture Japan’s famous bullet trains in action? Look no further than Odawara Station. Located just a short ride from Tokyo, Odawara is widely considered by railfans to be one of the absolute best Shinkansen trainspotting locations in the country.
Whether you want to photograph a train stopping or capture the raw energy of a bullet train blasting through at full speed, Odawara Station offers the perfect setup.
The Perfect Layout for Bullet Train Photography
What makes trainspotting at Odawara Station so unique is its specific track layout. The station features:
- 2 Passing Tracks (Express Lanes): Located in the center, allowing non-stopping express trains to barrel through the station without slowing down.
- 2 Stopping Tracks: Located on the outer sides, where local trains pull in safely.
Because the station is built on a slight curve, photographers can capture incredible, dynamic angles of the trains leaning into the turn as they pass through.
💡 Pro-Tip for Photographers: If you want to avoid the crowds and get unobstructed photos or videos, visit Odawara Station during weekday daytimes. You will have much more room on the platforms to set up your perfect shot without passenger interference.
What is the Shinkansen?
Before diving into the best spots on the platform, it helps to understand what makes these trains so legendary:
A Massive Network: There are 9 primary Shinkansen lines spanning across Japan (plus 2 “Mini-Shinkansen” branches), connecting major cities with absolute precision.
High-Speed Marvels: The Shinkansen (Japanese bullet trains) travel at extreme speeds. On the Tokaido Shinkansen line, trains reach operating speeds of up to 285 km/h.
The main shinkansen fleets you will see are:
- N700S
(This photo was took at Hakata Station)
- N700a
- N700A
Description of each Fleet
- N700S Series (Shinkansen Supreme): The newest flagship model on the Tokaido line, recognizable by its sleek, aerodynamic “dual supreme wing” nose design and signature LED headlights.
- N700a & N700A Series: The reliable workhorse of the line, which looks very similar to the N700S but features a slightly different nose contour and large “A” logos on the side.
(Note: Depending on the specific service—Nozomi, Hikari, or Kodama—these trains will either fly past Odawara at maximum speed or glide to a smooth stop right in front of you!)
The slight difference between the two types of N700:
Actually, N700 series has two variants, and I find it very thrilling and exciting to wonder every time a N700 passes. So the types are:
- N700A
- N700a
While they seem very similar, well, they pretty much are. While the timing they were made, and their history is different.
First of all, N700a was:
- originally N700
- later retrofitted to the new tech of N700A
- was first made in 2005, while it started mass-production on 2007.
- Called small a.
The logo is this:
Meanwhile, N700A was:
- First made in 2013.
- Already had advanced systems when they were made.
- called big A.
- A is bigger than N700 on the logo.
It looks like:
This is the clear? (not sure if it is clear or not) difference between N700a and N700A. Some people might think, the appearance looks identical, why pay attention to the logo? Spotting and distinguishing these trains from each other can be fun.
Why Odawara Station is perfect for trainspotters:
Odawara station is situated on a slightly curve, and this adds a flavor to your photos and videos, as angles can make a train stand out even more. Additionally, at the station, you will be able to take both stopping and passing shinkansens, which is very exciting. You can see the dynamic view, which could be a scene like this:
This scene is very thrilling. When shinaknsens pass through the station, you will feel the vibe and the vibration of the shinkansen. The sound is very huge, and these trains can be very fast. You can easily take shinakansens at this station, so I really recommend it!
