How to Travel on the Shinkansen with Kids: Our Family Guide to Japan’s Bullet Trains

How to Travel on the Shinkansen with Children

There is something about the Shinkansen that makes travelling through Japan feel like part of the adventure.
The first time you see one arrive at the platform, it almost feels a little unreal.
It is long.It is incredibly clean.
It is very quiet.

And then, suddenly, it is gone again.
When we travelled through Japan with our children, the Shinkansen quickly became one of those experiences we knew we would remember. Not just because it gets you from one city to another incredibly quickly, but because travelling by bullet train in Japan is an experience in itself.
And honestly? With kids, it was much easier than we expected.
If you are planning a family trip to Japan, don’t let the thought of navigating Japanese train stations put you off. Once you understand a few basics, travelling on the Shinkansen is surprisingly straightforward.
It also makes moving between places like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka so much easier.
And if you’re still putting your Japan itinerary together, our Japan with Kids: The Ultimate Family Travel Guide (2026) is a great place to start. We have split it into Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, so you can build your trip step by step without having to figure everything out yourself.

The moment you realise how fast the Shinkansen actually is

We had seen videos of the Shinkansen before our trip.
But seeing it in real life is different.
You stand on the platform with your children, watching the signs and trying to make sure you are standing in the right place. And then the train appears.
It doesn’t slowly rumble into the station like you might expect.
It seems to glide in.
And before you’ve really had time to process it, the doors open and everyone starts boarding in an incredibly calm and organised way.
No pushing.
No chaos.
No one trying to squeeze onto the train while the doors are closing.
For a family used to travelling by train in Europe, it was almost strangely peaceful.
Of course, our children were mostly interested in one thing:

“How fast does it go?”

Very fast.
The Shinkansen can reach speeds of around 285 km/h on some routes, although the exact speed depends on the service and route. And somehow, sitting inside the train, it doesn’t feel like you’re travelling anywhere near that quickly.
That is probably one of the strangest things about it.
You look outside and the landscape is flying past, while inside everything feels calm.

Booking your Shinkansen tickets

One of the first things to decide is whether you need reserved seats.
With children, we would absolutely recommend reserving seats whenever possible.
It simply makes life easier.
You know exactly where you’re sitting, and you don’t have to walk through the train hoping to find seats together.
This is especially useful when travelling as a family.
Depending on your route, you can buy tickets at the station, use ticket machines or purchase them online. If you are using several different trains during your Japan trip, it is worth planning your major journeys before you arrive.
Don’t leave everything until the last minute just because the Japanese train system is so efficient.
We learned that having a rough plan makes family travel much more relaxed.
You can always leave some days flexible.

And then there are the suitcases…

This is where travelling around Japan with children can get interesting.
Because Japanese train stations can be huge.
Really huge.
And although the Shinkansen itself is wonderfully comfortable, you still have to get your luggage from your hotel to the station, through the station, onto the train and eventually to your next hotel.
With four people, that can quickly become a small expedition.
This is one of the reasons we love our Travelicious packing cubes, 
We use different colours for different family members, which makes finding things so much easier. Instead of opening four suitcases every time someone needs a clean T-shirt, everyone knows exactly which cube belongs to them.
It also makes moving between hotels much less frustrating.
Because when you’re travelling through Japan, you’re probably not staying in one place.
Tokyo.
Kyoto.
Osaka.
Maybe Hiroshima.
Perhaps a few days somewhere completely different.
Packing cubes mean you don’t have to completely unpack every suitcase at every stop.
You can simply pull out what you need.

Getting to the Shinkansen platform

Japanese train stations can look intimidating at first.
There are signs everywhere.
Japanese characters.
English signs.
Different train lines.
Different platforms.
People moving in every direction.
The good news is that the signage is generally excellent.
Look for the signs saying Shinkansen and follow those rather than trying to work out every single train line at once.
And give yourself time.
Especially with children.
We would much rather arrive at the station 20–30 minutes early than find ourselves running through Tokyo Station with suitcases and children in tow.
That is not the kind of Japanese adventure we were looking for!
Once you know your train number, departure time and platform, things become much easier.

Don’t forget the station food

One of the best things about travelling by Shinkansen is that you don’t necessarily need to organise a full meal before you leave.
Japanese train stations are packed with food options.
And then there are ekiben — beautifully packed Japanese lunch boxes designed to be eaten on the train.
For the kids, choosing an ekiben became part of the experience.
For us, it was a chance to try something new without having to sit down in a restaurant.
And there is something wonderfully Japanese about opening a little lunch box while the countryside rushes past your window.
Just remember that not every train ride is the place for a noisy family picnic. Keep things tidy, be considerate of other passengers and take your rubbish with you.

Where do you put your luggage?

This is something worth thinking about before you board.
The Shinkansen has luggage storage areas, and larger luggage may have specific rules depending on the train and route.
If you are travelling with particularly large suitcases, check the luggage requirements for your specific service before you travel.
This is another reason we prefer travelling with organised luggage.
A suitcase that opens easily and isn’t packed to the absolute limit is much easier to deal with when you have four people boarding a train.
And if you’re wondering what we actually packed for Japan, have a look at our Ultimate Japan Packing List too. It is one of those things we wish we had written before we left!

The seats are surprisingly comfortable

Once you’re on board, the whole experience becomes much easier.
The seats are comfortable, there is plenty of legroom and the train is remarkably smooth.
Which is perfect when travelling with kids.
They can look out of the window, eat a snack, play a game or simply watch Japan disappear outside.
And then something magical happens.
You start seeing Japan between the cities.
Little towns.
Rice fields.
Mountains.
Traditional houses.
Forests.
And if you’re lucky, maybe even Mount Fuji.
We weren’t.
At least, not in the way we had imagined.
Our Mount Fuji day turned into one of those travel moments where things don’t quite go according to plan. We didn’t get the perfect Fuji view we had hoped for, but we discovered something else along the way.
You can read that story in Mount Fuji with Kids: We Didn’t See Fuji, But We Found Something Else.
Because that is the thing about travelling through Japan.
Sometimes the moments you didn’t plan become the ones you remember.

Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen

For many families, the Shinkansen journey from Tokyo to Kyoto is one of the big travel days of a Japan itinerary.
And it is a brilliant way to connect the two cities.
Instead of spending hours at an airport dealing with check-in, security and transfers, you simply make your way to the station, find your platform and step onto the train.
Then you’re on your way.
Kyoto feels completely different from Tokyo.
Tokyo is enormous, energetic and futuristic.
Kyoto is quieter, more traditional and filled with temples, gardens and narrow streets.
We loved experiencing both.
If you’re planning to visit Tokyo with your children, don’t miss our Tokyo with Kids story. And when you’re ready to slow things down and explore temples, gardens and traditional Japan, our Kyoto with Kids guide will help you plan that part of your trip.

Osaka is just around the corner

The Shinkansen also makes it incredibly easy to combine Kyoto and Osaka.
And Osaka is a completely different experience again.
Where Kyoto feels elegant and traditional, Osaka feels lively, colourful and wonderfully chaotic.
It is also a favourite with children because there is so much to do.
And if your family loves theme parks, you can easily combine Osaka with a visit to Universal Studios Japan.
We did exactly that — because sometimes even on a cultural trip through Japan, the kids need a day where the biggest decision is which roller coaster to ride next!
Our Osaka with Kids guide is a useful companion if you’re adding the city to your itinerary.

A few things we learned travelling by Shinkansen with kids

After travelling around Japan as a family, there are a few things we would definitely do again.

Arrive early.

Not ridiculously early, but give yourself enough time to find the right platform without stress.

Reserve seats.

Especially if you’re travelling with children. Sitting together makes the journey much easier.

Keep your luggage manageable.

You don’t want to be dragging enormous suitcases through a massive station while trying to keep track of your children.

Travelicious tip: luggage forwarding

There is one thing we quickly learned when travelling around Japan with children: you don’t always need to take your suitcases with you.
Japan has an incredibly convenient luggage forwarding service, known as takkyubin. Instead of dragging your suitcases through a huge train station, onto the Shinkansen and then through another city, you can have them sent directly to your next hotel.
Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it?
But it works brilliantly.
You can usually arrange luggage forwarding through your hotel, convenience stores or dedicated delivery counters. Your luggage is collected, labelled with your destination details and delivered to your next accommodation.
That means you can check out of your hotel in Tokyo, keep a small overnight bag with you and travel to Kyoto without wrestling with four suitcases.
And with kids, that can make a huge difference.
Imagine arriving in Kyoto with nothing more than your day bags. You can step off the Shinkansen, explore the city, have lunch or visit a temple without immediately worrying about where to leave all your luggage.
There is just one important thing to remember: your luggage doesn’t necessarily arrive at the same time you do. Depending on the route and service, forwarding can take a day or more, so always check the expected delivery time and keep everything you need for the next day or two in your hand luggage.
For us, this is where packing cubes make even more sense. Everyone has their own cube, so you can simply grab the clothes and essentials you need for the journey and leave the rest of the suitcase to travel ahead.
It is such a simple thing, but it can completely change the way you experience travelling around Japan.
Less luggage. Less stress. More time to enjoy Japan.

Bring snacks.

Even if you plan to buy food at the station, having a few familiar snacks for the kids never hurts.

Let the children enjoy the journey.

The train itself is part of the Japan experience.
Don’t make the journey all about getting from A to B.
Look out of the window.
Try an ekiben.
Watch the landscape change.
And let the kids marvel at the fact that they’re travelling on a bullet train in Japan.

Is the Shinkansen worth it with children?

Absolutely.
In fact, we would say it is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to travel around Japan as a family.
There is something wonderfully stress-free about it.
You don’t have to drive.
You don’t have to navigate Japanese roads.
You don’t have to spend hours at an airport.
You simply arrive at the station, board your train and watch Japan unfold outside the window.
And for us, that became part of what made our Japan trip so special.
The Shinkansen wasn’t just transportation.
It was another little adventure.
One that our children still talk about.
And when we look back at our Japan journey — from the bright lights of Tokyo to the temples of Kyoto, the energy of Osaka and the beautiful scenery along the way — those train journeys are part of the memories too.

Japan is waiting. All aboard!

Read our Japan with Kids for more tips and inspiration.