山陽新幹線の上空を旅する空中飛行散歩｜博多駅〜新大阪駅 上空鉄道ルート | Hakata to Shin-Osaka by Air: Shinkansen Route Tour | Japan

山陽新幹線の上空を旅する空中飛行散歩｜博多駅〜新大阪駅 上空鉄道ルート | Hakata to Shin-Osaka by Air: Shinkansen Route Tour | Japan

This time, we’ll fly over the Sanyo Shinkansen from Hakata Station to Shin-Osaka Station. Enjoy a total of 19 stations and a 622.3 km flight. Hakata Station, the departure station, is the boundary station with the Kyushu Shinkansen, and 8-car Kyushu Shinkansen trains run directly to the Sanyo Shinkansen. We’ll start from above Hakata Station and head towards Kokura Station. Hakata Station handles 45,044 passengers per day. It is a station operated by JR West and JR Kyushu. JR West serves the Sanyo Shinkansen and Hakata-Minami Line, while JR Kyushu serves the Kyushu Shinkansen, Kagoshima Main Line, and Fukuhoku-Yutaka Line. JR Kyushu handles 125,462 passengers per day at Hakata Station. In addition to JR lines, the station is also home to the Fukuoka City Subway’s Hakata Station, which is served by the Airport Line and Nanakuma Line. We’ve now left Fukuoka City and are flying over Hisayama Town. Adjacent to Fukuoka City, Hisayama Town is designated as an urbanization control area, with 97% of the town covered in forests. We soon enter neighboring Miyawaka City. Inunaki Dam comes into view below. Miyawaka City has a population of approximately 24,500 and is located roughly halfway between Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City. It thrives as an industrial city, home to Toyota Motor Kyushu’s factories and other facilities. Our next stop, Kokura Station, is located in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, with a population of just over 900,000. Excluding prefectural capitals, Kitakyushu City is second only to Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture in terms of population size. The passenger numbers for the Sanyo Shinkansen stations introduced in this video are based on the Travel Facilitation Initiative Report published by JR West in March 2024. Please note that these figures are published as passenger numbers, so please note that the calculation method may differ from the passenger numbers generally published by JR. The road that crosses the tracks from the left and comes to the right is the Kyushu Expressway. After crossing the Onga River, we entered the skies above Kitakyushu City. Yahatahigashi Ward, where we are currently flying, is the most populous administrative district in Kitakyushu City, accounting for a quarter of the city’s total area. Due to its size, the division of the district was once considered. The road on the left is Kitakyushu Urban Expressway Route 4. Once we cross Mount Sarakura, 622 meters above sea level, in front of us, we finally approach the center of Kitakyushu City. Kitakyushu City is located on the northeastern edge of Kyushu, facing the Sea of ​​Japan, the Seto Inland Sea, and the Kanmon Straits. Eighty percent of the coastline is artificial coastline, including ports and harbors, with only about 20 kilometers of natural coastline. Further ahead, around Kokura Station, there were two fires at Tanga Market in 2022 and another at Torimachi Shokudo Street in 2024. We curved to the right and arrived above Kokura Station. Kokura Station, located in Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu City, has a daily passenger traffic of 24,248 people . It is served by the Kagoshima Main Line, Sanyo Main Line, Nippo Main Line, Hitahikosan Line, and the Kitakyushu Rapid Railway and Kitakyushu Monorail Kokura Line. Now, we continue our flight toward Shin-Shimonoseki Station. We head toward the Kiku Peninsula, cross the Kiku Mountains, and head toward the Kanmon Strait. The Mojiko area, facing the Kanmon Strait, is famous as the gateway to Kyushu. The area around Moji Ward, where we are currently flying, has little flat land, and the city has developed mainly on the flatlands and slopes along the coast. The area around Mojiko Station has been redeveloped as Mojiko Retro, attracting many tourists. Baked curry, a dish of curry topped with cheese and egg, is a famous dish originating from Mojiko Port, so be sure to try it when you visit. We’ve finally crossed the Kanmon Strait and entered the skies above Yamaguchi Prefecture on Honshu. From Hinoyama Park, located along the strait, we can see the Kanmon Strait, Shimonoseki City, and the Sea of ​​Japan. The night view from here is registered as a Japan Night View Heritage Site and is said to be worth $10 million. We reached Shin-Shimonoseki Station, the first station on Honshu. Shin-Shimonoseki Station serves 9,246 passengers daily and is served by the JR Sanyo Main Line. From the southern end of the platform, we can see the entrance to the Shin-Kanmon Tunnel, which crosses the Kanmon Strait. Shimonoseki City is home to Karato Market, a large market with rows of stalls facing the Kanmon Strait. We recommend enjoying some food while gazing at the 133-meter-high Kanmon Bridge . Now, we continue flying east. The next station, Asa Station, is 26.6 kilometers away, and the actual ride time is approximately 10 minutes. The road crossing the tracks is the Chugoku Expressway, which continues through the inland Chugoku region to Suita City in Osaka, connecting with the Meishin Expressway and other expressways. The Sanyo Shinkansen runs along the Seto Inland Sea, but due to the lack of flat land and the difficulty of land acquisition, it often travels through mountainous areas. As a result, 50% of the route is tunnel-like. Currently, we are above Sanyo-Onoda City, with a population of approximately 56,000. Sanyo-Onoda City is the only municipality with the longest five-character name written entirely in kanji. We will soon reach the skies above Asa Station. Asa Station has a daily passenger load of 2,832 and is served by the Sanyo Main Line and Mine Line. Asa Station on the Shinkansen opened in 1999. It is the newest station on the Sanyo Shinkansen. The green space below is Monomiyama Comprehensive Park, a natural park featuring approximately 6,000 irises of 20 species. Now, we continue flying toward our next station, Shin-Yamaguchi Station. The distance to Shin-Yamaguchi Station is 35.1 km, with an actual distance of 24.1 km, and the actual ride time is approximately 11 minutes. The Atotsu River flows to the right. It originates from Mount Katsuragi in northern Yamaguchi Prefecture and flows into the Seto Inland Sea in Ube City. Our next station, Shin-Yamaguchi Station, was located in Ogori Town, Yoshiki District, and was named Ogori Station until its merger with Yamaguchi City in 2005. In response to requests from local residents for Nozomi trains to stop there, the station was renamed to its current name with the 2003 timetable revision. We are now flying over Yamaguchi City. The road below is the junction where the Yamaguchi-Ube Road and National Highways 2 and 9 intersect. Yamaguchi City is the prefectural capital of Yamaguchi Prefecture, but according to a survey conducted by a research organization, its population is lower than that of Shimonoseki City . Before the Heisei Great Merger, Yamaguchi City had a population of only about 140,000, making it the smallest prefectural capital city in Japan. We have arrived above Shin-Yamaguchi Station. Shin-Yamaguchi Station has a daily passenger count of 14,996 and is served by the Sanyo Main Line, Yamaguchi Line, and Ube Line. Yamaguchi City’s downtown area is located around Yamaguchi Station, about 20 minutes inland on the Yamaguchi Line, toward the mountains. Incidentally, the Google Earth map of the area around Yamaguchi Station is 3D. The road crossing the tracks is the Suita-Yamaguchi Line of the Sanyo Expressway. The next station after Shin-Yamaguchi Station is Tokuyama Station. The distance to Tokuyama Station is 44.3 operating kilometers, but the actual distance is 41.1 kilometers, with an actual ride time of approximately 12 minutes. Most of the journey to Tokuyama Station is through mountainous areas. The Sanyo Shinkansen has a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour, while the Tokaido Shinkansen has a maximum speed of 285 kilometers per hour. This difference is due to the fact that the Sanyo Shinkansen section is constructed with a larger curve radius than the Tokaido Shinkansen section, allowing for easier speeds. The train was originally built to travel at 250 km/h, so I’m impressed by the technological advances in the vehicle. Mount Ohira comes into view before me, at an elevation of 631 meters. There was a mountaintop park and a ropeway to the top, but it was discontinued due to aging and losses. We now fly over Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, where Tokuyama Station is located. Tokuyama Station is located near a port facing the Seto Inland Sea, surrounded by factories in the Setouchi Industrial Region. Ferries also depart from and arrive at Otsushima and Taketazu Port in Oita Prefecture. The Suita-Yamaguchi Line of the Sanyo Expressway, which approaches the Shinkansen tracks in places, is constructed along a similar route to the Sanyo Shinkansen, so I expect to see it often in the future. I’m also impressed by the bridge construction technology on the highway as it runs through mountainous areas. From here, the train makes a sharp curve toward the sea, and the scenery changes as the cityscape appears. Soon we’ll be flying over Tokuyama Station. Tokuyama Station has a daily passenger traffic of 13,828 and is served by the Sanyo Main Line and the Iwakuni Line. Shunan City, where Tokuyama Station is located, was formed through a merger in 2003 and is located within the former Tokuyama City. While there was much discussion surrounding the renaming of Shin-Yamaguchi Station, the station immediately preceding it, Tokuyama Station, which was located in Tokuyama City and changed its name due to the merger, has so far maintained its name. Is there actually a movement to change the name? If any locals know anything about this, please comment on the differences between Shin-Yamaguchi Station and Tokuyama Station. The road to the right of the tracks is National Route 2. We continue flying toward Shin-Iwakuni Station, the next station after Tokuyama Station. We are currently over Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Kudamatsu City withdrew from merger negotiations with Shunan City, so it remains a neighboring municipality. We return to Shunan City, but pass by after just over 10 seconds, and soon enter the airspace of neighboring Iwakuni City. The distance from Tokuyama Station to Shin-Iwakuni Station is 47.1 km, with an actual distance of 38.1 km and a ride time of approximately 13 minutes. Shin-Iwakuni Station is located in the mountains, away from the city center of Iwakuni, but in terms of operating kilometers, it is treated as the same station as Iwakuni Station . Therefore, if you have a ticket that allows you to get off at any station along the way, you can transfer between Iwakuni Station and Shin-Iwakuni Station. As an aside, if you have time, please take a look at the area around Iwakuni Station on Google Maps or Google Earth. At the time of this video’s creation, only a small portion of Iwakuni City was elevated, but Iwakuni Station is flat, while the buildings in front of the station are elevated, creating an interesting phenomenon. Sorry for the silly story. By the way, we’ve crossed the Sanyo Expressway again. We’re approaching Shin-Iwakuni Station, so we’ll continue lowering our altitude as we go. Even after passing Shin-Iwakuni Station, we’ll continue flying through the mountains for a while, so please enjoy watching. And so, we’ve arrived above Shin-Iwakuni Station. Shin-Iwakuni Station has the lowest daily passenger traffic on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, with 1,884 passengers. Other JR lines run through the station, but the third-sector Nishikigawa Railway serves it. The Nishiki River flows right next to the station. Including its tributaries, the river stretches 331 kilometers, making it the largest river in Yamaguchi Prefecture. As predicted, we continue flying through the mountains. We soon leave Yamaguchi Prefecture and enter Hiroshima Prefecture . The Oze River, visible between the mountains below, marks the prefectural border. The Seto Inland Sea is visible to the right, but there’s still very little flat land. We continue toward Osaka, paralleling the Sanyo Expressway. Hiroshima Station, next to Shin-Iwakuni Station, is 31.8 operating kilometers away, with an actual distance of 29.3 kilometers and a ride time of approximately 14 minutes. We are currently flying over Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Many people may not be familiar with the name Hatsukaichi, but when you hear that it’s home to Miyajima and Itsukushima Shrine, you’ll probably think, “That’s it!” If you’re ever in the area, be sure to enjoy some conger eel rice and fresh oysters. I can’t handle oysters, so I’m looking forward to the conger eel rice and fried maple leaves. We ‘re gradually approaching the flatlands surrounding Hiroshima City. The main road you see on the right is National Route 2, the Nishi-Hiroshima Bypass, a free expressway connecting Hiroshima City and Hatsukaichi City. The road on the left is the Sanyo Expressway. We’re now flying over Hiroshima City. Hiroshima City is a designated city with a population of approximately 1.17 million, and is positioned as a regional hub city, home to branches of major corporations and government offices in the Chugoku region. Because Hiroshima Airport is quite far from Hiroshima City, many people prefer to travel between Hiroshima and Tokyo by Shinkansen, which takes almost the same total travel time. The river you’ll soon see ahead is the Ota River. Hiroshima City is surrounded by plains centered around the delta of the Ota River. The river we cross after the curve is the old Ota River. The next river becomes the Kyobashi River, and after crossing this river, we reach Hiroshima Station. In this video, we are turning around toward the Shinkansen exit. Hiroshima Station has a daily passenger traffic of 14,1126, and is served by the Sanyo Main Line, Kure Line, Kabe Line, Geibi Line, and Hiroshima Electric Railway streetcars. Immediately to the right upon exiting the station is Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima, the home stadium of the Hiroshima Carp. Officially known as Hiroshima Municipal Baseball Stadium, it is owned by the city of Hiroshima. The Hiroshima Toyo Carp manages and operates it as a designated manager. As soon as we leave Hiroshima Station, the plains end and we enter the mountains. Now, we continue flying toward our next stop, Higashihiroshima Station. The distance to Higashihiroshima Station is 31.8 operating kilometers, with an actual distance of 29.3 kilometers and an actual ride time of approximately 11 minutes. Higashihiroshima City, where our next station is located, has a population of approximately 200,000 and is being developed as a university town centered around Hiroshima University. There’s a city called Kitahiroshima City in Hokkaido, but Kitahiroshima in Hokkaido originated from Hiroshima Prefecture. Apparently, about 100 people immigrated from Hiroshima in 1884. Apparently , they wanted to name the city after their leader, Ikujiro Wada, but Wada refused, so the city was named after his hometown, Hiroshima. The road running parallel to the tracks, from left to right, is not the Sanyo Expressway, but the Higashihiroshima-Kure Expressway. This expressway connects Kure City along the Seto Inland Sea to the next station, Higashihiroshima, and connects to the Sanyo Expressway in Higashihiroshima City. We’ll soon be flying over Higashihiroshima Station. Higashihiroshima Station has a daily passenger load of 2,472 people and is a Sanyo Shinkansen station with no other lines. Now, we’ll continue flying toward our next station, Mihara Station. The road crossing the tracks ahead is a bypass of National Route 2, the Saijo Bypass. We’ll continue toward Mihara Station, the station after Higashihiroshima Station. The next station, Mihara Station, is 39.6 km away, with an actual distance of 30.9 km. The actual ride time is approximately 11 minutes. Mihara City, with a population of approximately 84,000, faces the Seto Inland Sea. Off the coast of Mihara City are scattered islands along the Shimanami Kaido, which connects Onomichi City on Honshu with Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. We will soon be flying over Mihara City. The Sanyo Shinkansen opened in 1975. At the time, the 0-series Hikari trains had a maximum speed of 210 km/h, connecting Shin-Osaka and Hakata in 3 hours and 44 minutes. In 2017, the N700-series Nozomi trains increased their speed to a maximum of 300 km/h, shortening the journey time to 2 hours and 21 minutes. This represents a reduction of 1 hour and 23 minutes. Currently, the timetable is more flexible, so the journey takes slightly longer. While passing through a tunnel section, the Sanyo Main Line tracks and the Numata River line the mountainside to the right. The Numata River flows into the Seto Inland Sea in Mihara City, just ahead of us. We can see the city of Mihara in the distance. Near Hiroshima Station, two stops before, I mentioned how far Hiroshima Airport is, and it’s actually located on the mountainside of Mihara City. It ‘s certainly far from Hiroshima City, isn’t it? We’ve reached the skies above Mihara Station. Mihara Station has a daily passenger count of 10,882 and is served by the Sanyo Main Line and the Kure Line. Now, we continue flying toward our next station, Shin-Onomichi Station. The distance to Shin-Onomichi Station is 11.5 operating kilometers, with an actual distance of 10.5 kilometers and an actual ride time of approximately 6 minutes. This section is the shortest distance between stations on the Sanyo Shinkansen. Onomichi City often comes across the image of a hilly town, right? However, the Setouchi area has little flat land, so there are many hilly areas . We quickly reached the skies above Shin-Onomichi Station. Shin-Onomichi Station has a daily passenger count of 1,956, and is a standalone station on the Sanyo Shinkansen line with no other service. It is the second-lowest-traveled station on the Sanyo Shinkansen line after Shin-Iwakuni Station. Now, let’s head to our next station, Fukuyama Station. The distance to Fukuyama Station is 20.1 operating kilometers, with an actual distance of 17.4 kilometers, and the actual ride time is approximately 8 minutes. We are currently over Fukuyama City. In this video, we fly over 622.3 operating kilometers from Hakata Station to Shin-Osaka Station , covering a total distance of 553.7 kilometers, in approximately 24 minutes. There are brief stops along the way, but how fast do you think we’re traveling? The entire section is manually edited, so there are some discrepancies, but we’re traveling at roughly just under 1,700 kilometers per hour. Isn’t that faster than you might imagine? So, we’ve arrived above Fukuyama Station. Fukuyama Castle is located north of Fukuyama Station. You can see it from the Shinkansen platform. Fukuyama Station has a daily passenger count of 38,310, and is served by the Sanyo Main Line and Fukuchiyama Line. There are five Shinkansen stations in Hiroshima Prefecture, and Fukuyama Station is the last one. Next, we continue our flight toward Shin-Kurashiki Station in Okayama Prefecture. The Shinkansen enters a tunnel, and the density of detached homes above it is astounding. Just past these homes is the prefectural border, and we enter the skies above Okayama Prefecture. Okayama Prefecture has a total population of just over 1.81 million, making it the second largest prefecture in the Chugoku-Shikoku region after Hiroshima Prefecture. Apparently, it has the most sunny days of any prefectural capital in Japan . The Sanyo Expressway approaches from the left. It really does seem like we’re driving through similar terrain. We’re currently flying over Kasaoka City and have just entered the skies above Asakuchi City. Asakuchi City has a population of just over 30,000 and is the smallest city in Okayama Prefecture. Next is Kurashiki City, with a population of approximately 464,000. The area along the Kurashiki River in the city center, with its white-walled streets blending Japanese and Western styles, is still preserved as a scenic area and is one of the prefecture’s leading tourist destinations. The Honshu side of the Setouchi Ohashi Bridge, connecting Honshu and Shikoku, also crosses Kurashiki City. We leave the mountains and enter the plains, where fields spread out. As the tracks straighten, we arrive above Shin-Kurashiki Station. Shin-Kurashiki Station has a daily passenger load of 13,604 and is served by the Sanyo Main Line. The center of Kurashiki City is located around Kurashiki Station, two stations away on the Sanyo Main Line, about eight minutes away. Now, we’ll fly toward our next stop, Okayama Station. Across the tracks ahead is a connecting road connecting the Sanyo Expressway on the left and National Route 2 Tamashima Bypass on the right. The distance to the next station, Okayama, is 25.2 km (operating kilometers), with an actual distance of 25.8 km and a ride time of approximately 11 minutes. Below are the Yanaibara Reservoir and the Takahashi River. The Takahashi River is one of Okayama’s three major rivers and boasts the largest drainage area in the prefecture. Okayama City, with a population of just over 700,000, became a designated city in 2009. Due to land acquisition difficulties during the construction of the Sanyo Shinkansen , the section between Shin-Osaka and the next station, Okayama Station, opened in 1972, prior to the full line opening. The full line to Hakata was not completed until March 1975, three years later. We are now over Okayama City. Beyond this, after crossing the small Sasagase River, there is a Shinkansen depot, as well as a conventional line depot and freight terminal, on the right side of the tracks. The tracks curve left and we reach the skies above Okayama Station. Okayama Station has a daily passenger traffic of 130,676 people . It is served by the Sanyo Main Line, Ako Line, Hakubi Line, Uno Line, Seto Ohashi Line, Tsuyama Line, Kibi Line, and two tram lines (Okayama Electric Tramway). With numerous lines intersecting, it is a terminal station, serving as one of the most important rail transport hubs in the Chugoku-Shikoku region. The Asahikawa River curves to the right and crosses. The Sanyo Main Line and Ako Line run alongside to the right of the tracks. The distance to the next station, Aioi Station, is 67.9 operating kilometers (55 kilometers in actual distance), with a ride time of approximately 17 minutes. From Higashi-Okayama Station below, the Ako Line veers off to the right, running parallel to the Sanyo Main Line for the next 5 kilometers. Around the hill ahead, the Sanyo Main Line veers off to the left of the Shinkansen tracks, and the Shinkansen passes through tunnels and mountainous terrain before continuing toward Aioi Station. Some people may think that Okayama has a large peach harvest due to its image as the birthplace of the famous Momotaro character, but the top three are Yamanashi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture, with Okayama Prefecture not even making it into the top five. After crossing the Yoshii River visible below, we exited Okayama City, briefly passed through the northernmost part of Setouchi City, and entered the skies over Bizen City, with a population of approximately 29,000. National Route 2 and the JR Ako Line are lined up to the right. Ogaike Lake is visible below. The distance between Okayama Station and Aioi Station is 67.9 operating kilometers, 700 meters longer than the distance between Hakata and Kokura, making it the longest distance between stations on the Sanyo Shinkansen. However, the actual distance is 900 meters shorter than the distance between Hakata and Kokura, making it the second-longest. We are currently flying over Bizen City in Okayama Prefecture, but we are 15 seconds away from the border with Hyogo Prefecture. The first town we enter in Hyogo Prefecture is Ako City. Ako City is the site of the Ako Incident, a story told as “Chushingura.” It also thrived as a salt-producing region, with Ako salt distributed nationwide. We are currently flying over Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Hyogo Prefecture has a total population of 5.31 million, borders the Sea of ​​Japan to the north, the Seto Inland Sea to the south, and Osaka Prefecture to the east. Awaji Island, the largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, is also located in Hyogo Prefecture. The Chikusa River flows through the mountains. The shallow, fast-flowing Chikusa River favors the growth of moss on the rocks at the bottom, making it a popular fishing spot for sweetfish. As we approach the mountains ahead, we enter the skies over Aioi City. As we approach Aioi Station, we gradually lower our flight altitude. Aioi City has a population of approximately 26,000 and faces the Seto Inland Sea, home to Aioi Bay, a deep and intricate area within the Seto Inland Sea. The area around Aioi Bay has almost no flat land, and the hills surrounding the bay are a distinctive feature. We’ve reached the skies above Aioi Station. Aioi Station has a daily passenger count of 7,986, and is served by the Sanyo Main Line and the Ako Line. We’ll continue our flight toward our next station, Himeji. The distance to Himeji Station is 20.7 km, with an actual distance of 20 km and an actual ride time of approximately 9 minutes. We’re currently over neighboring Tatsuno City. The river flowing in front of us is the Ibo River. A local specialty is the famous hand-pulled somen noodles, Ibonoito. Up until this point, we’ve seen many flat Google Earth areas, but from here on, we’ll be passing through a 3D map all the way to our final stop, Shin-Osaka Station. Our next stop, Himeji City, has a population of approximately 516,000 and is designated as an international conference and tourist city. Leaving the north exit of Himeji Station, Otemae Street stretches out in a straight line, and beyond it stands Himeji Castle, designated a national treasure, an important cultural property, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once we cross the hill in front of us, the city begins to approach. The narrow tracks curving under the Shinkansen tracks on the left are the Kishin Line, and merging on the right is the Sanyo Main Line. We reach the skies above Himeji Station. Himeji Station has a daily passenger traffic of 97,078, and is served by the Sanyo Main Line, Bantan Line, Kishin Line, and Sanyo Electric Railway. We continue our flight toward our next station, Nishi-Akashi Station. The distance to Nishi-Akashi Station is 32 operating kilometers, with an actual distance of 31.1 kilometers and a ride time of approximately 11 minutes. Crossing the tracks in front of us is the Bantan Link Road. From Himeji Station, the Sanyo Main Line becomes the Kobe Line and continues straight ahead. The road visible on the left is the Himeji Bypass of National Route 2. While a free road for automobiles, frequent traffic congestion has led to the construction of the Harima Waterfront Area Road, a bypass of the Himeji Bypass. The river ahead is the Kakogawa River, and once you cross it, you’ll be flying over Kakogawa City. The tracks approaching from the right are the Sanyo Electric Railway line. From here, you’ll see many reservoirs from the air above Kakogawa City and Akashi City, so keep an eye out for them. Our next stop, Nishi-Akashi Station, is located in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture. Akashi City is famous for its Akashiyaki , or tamagoyaki. While known nationwide as akashiyaki, in this region it’s called tamagoyaki. It looks similar to takoyaki and has been eaten since the end of the Edo period, and is said to be one of the origins of takoyaki. While many restaurants across the country serve akashiyaki, you’ll likely notice a distinct difference when trying tamagoyaki at a local restaurant. If you’re in Akashi, be sure to try it at a local restaurant. As the tracks curve left, we reach Nishi-Akashi Station. Nishi-Akashi Station has a daily passenger load of 59,118 people and is served by the JR Kobe Line. Nishi-Akashi Station is a Shinkansen stop, but Akashi City’s central station is Akashi Station, located on the Kobe Line, and has more passengers. As soon as we depart Nishi-Akashi Station, we enter Kobe City skies. Now, we continue our flight toward our next stop, Shin-Kobe Station. The facility to the left of the tracks is the Nishi-Kobe Maintenance Base. The distance to Shin-Kobe Station is 22.8 operating kilometers, but the actual distance is 22.2 kilometers, with an actual ride time of approximately 9 minutes. The roads crossing the tracks are the Kobe West Bypass of National Route 2 and the Dai-ni Shinmei-Kita Line. The baseball stadium visible on the left is Hotto Motto Field Kobe, the secondary home stadium of the Orix Buffaloes. Its official name is Kobe Comprehensive Sports Park Baseball Stadium. Our next station, Shin-Kobe Station, is located at the foot of Mount Rokko at the northern end of downtown Kobe. Below us, the Shinkansen platforms are located on the short above-ground sections of the 7,970-meter Kobe Tunnel and the 16,250-meter Rokko Tunnel. Due to these topographical constraints, Shin-Kobe Station has a two-platform, two-track structure with no through tracks. We have reached the airspace above Shin-Kobe Station. Shin-Kobe Station has a daily passenger traffic of 19,248 people and is served by the Kobe Municipal Subway, but as a JR station, it is a Shinkansen-only station. JR Sannomiya Station is one subway stop away, and if you take the train towards Himeji, you will reach Motomachi Station and then Kobe Station. Kobe Station is the starting and ending station for the conventional Sanyo Main Line and Tokaido Main Line, but is usually referred to as the JR Kobe Line. Now, let’s continue flying towards Shin-Osaka Station, the final destination of this flight video. The next station, Shin-Osaka Station, is 36.9 km away, with an actual distance of 32.6 km and a ride time of approximately 13 minutes. We are currently flying over the 16,250-meter Rokko Tunnel, the second longest tunnel on the Sanyo Shinkansen, after the 18,713-meter Shinkanmon Tunnel. The tracks have emerged above ground. We are currently in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. After crossing the Muko River in front of us, we enter the skies over Amagasaki City and Itami City. The tracks make a gentle right curve, and the river that comes into view on the left is the Mo River. Beyond this, the tracks merge with the Inagawa River and Kanzaki River and reach Osaka Bay. After the right curve ends and the tracks straighten, the road we cross is the Meishin Expressway. After crossing the Kanzaki River, where the Mo River and Inagawa River meet, we leave Hyogo Prefecture and finally enter the skies over Yodogawa Ward in Osaka City. After passing through a nearly 90-degree left curve, the Tokaido Shinkansen siding facility is on the Shinkansen tracks, and on the right is the JR West Aboshi General Rolling Stock Center Miyahara Branch. Finally, we arrive above our final destination, Shin-Osaka Station. Shin-Osaka Station has a daily passenger traffic of 137,990, and is served by the Tokaido Shinkansen, Tokaido Main Line (also known as the Kyoto Line), Osaka Higashi Line, and Osaka Metro Midosuji Line. How did you enjoy the 19-station, 622.3-km operating distance, and 553.7km actual distance? There is also a video of the Tokaido Shinkansen flying to Tokyo Station, so please take a look.

Google Earthを活用して、山陽新幹線の全ルートを空から一望する壮大なバーチャルツアー動画です。九州・福岡の玄関口「博多駅」から出発し、中国地方を横断、関西の中心「新大阪駅」までを上空からたどります。福岡・北九州・山口・広島・岡山・姫路・神戸など、日本を代表する都市の街並みや地形を、まるで空撮映像のように滑らかに飛行しながら眺めることができます。

この動画では、Google Earthならではの立体的な表現で、山陽新幹線がどのような地形を貫き、どんな都市を経由しているのかが一目でわかります。都市部の高層ビル群や港湾、郊外の住宅地、山岳地帯や瀬戸内海の沿岸など、多様な日本の風景をリアルに体感可能。鉄道ファンや旅行好きはもちろん、地理や都市開発に興味のある方、観光ルートを事前にチェックしたい方にも最適な内容です。

また、新幹線のスピード感とGoogle Earthの滑らかな視点移動を融合することで、実際に空を飛んでいるような感覚が味わえます。新幹線に乗ったことがある方は、上空から見ることで新たな発見があり、まだ乗ったことがない方は旅行気分を楽しむことができます。

山陽新幹線の路線全体を一気に俯瞰できるこの動画は、日本の鉄道インフラのスケールと、美しい景観が共存する絶景コンテンツです。ぜひ最後までお楽しみください！

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▼コンテンツデータ
博多駅（福岡県福岡市博多区）／利用人数：45,044人
小倉駅（福岡県北九州市小倉北区）／利用人数：24,248人
新下関駅（山口県下関市）／利用人数：9,246人
厚狭駅（山口県山陽小野田市）／利用人数：2,832人
新山口駅（山口県山口市）／利用人数：14,996人
徳山駅（山口県周南市）／利用人数：13,828人
新岩国駅（山口県岩国市）／利用人数：1,884人
広島駅（広島県広島市南区）／利用人数：141,126人
東広島駅（広島県東広島市）／利用人数：2,472人
三原駅（広島県三原市）／利用人数：10,882人
新尾道駅（広島県尾道市）／利用人数：1,956人
福山駅（広島県福山市）／利用人数：38,310人
新倉敷駅（岡山県倉敷市）／利用人数：13,604人
岡山駅（岡山県岡山市北区）／利用人数：130,676人
相生駅（兵庫県相生市）／利用人数：7,986人
姫路駅（兵庫県姫路市）／利用人数：97,078人
西明石駅（兵庫県明石市）／利用人数：59,118人
新神戸駅（兵庫県神戸市中央区）／利用人数：19,248人
新大阪駅（大阪府大阪市淀川区）／利用人数：137,990人

▼タイムライン
00:00 博多駅
02:32 小倉駅
03:27 新下関駅
04:34 厚狭駅
05:37 新山口駅
07:19 徳山駅
08:55 新岩国駅
10:43 広島駅
12:03 東広島駅
13:19 三原駅
13:52 新尾道駅
14:39 福山駅
16:00 新倉敷駅
17:10 岡山駅
19:24 相生駅
20:22 姫路駅
21:41 西明石駅
22:43 新神戸駅
24:06 新大阪駅

Experience the breathtaking beauty of Japan from above with this immersive Google Earth flight along the Sanyo Shinkansen route, stretching from Hakata Station in Fukuoka to Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka. This virtual aerial tour captures the full journey of one of Japan’s most important bullet train lines, connecting major cities across Kyushu, Chugoku, and Kansai regions.

Soar over iconic landscapes and urban skylines as you pass through vibrant cities like Kitakyushu, Hiroshima, Okayama, Himeji, and Kobe. From bustling cityscapes and coastal ports to serene mountains and residential areas, this virtual flight showcases the incredible diversity of Japan’s geography and infrastructure — all from a dynamic aerial perspective.

Whether you’re a Shinkansen enthusiast, a traveler planning your next adventure, or someone fascinated by Japan’s advanced transportation network and stunning natural beauty, this video is for you. By using Google Earth’s advanced 3D mapping features, we bring you as close as possible to the sensation of flying above the Sanyo Shinkansen route in real time.

You’ll witness how this high-speed railway weaves through terrain, cuts across rivers, tunnels under mountains, and connects cultural and economic hubs of western Japan. It’s an inspiring reminder of how engineering, innovation, and nature coexist in Japanese urban design.

This video is perfect for virtual sightseeing, educational purposes, or simply enjoying the scenic journey from the comfort of your home. Japan’s bullet trains are more than just a mode of transport—they’re a symbol of modern Japan, and this video lets you appreciate their path like never before.

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more virtual railway journeys and aerial views of Japan. If you’ve ever dreamed of exploring Japan by train, start your adventure in the skies—right here!