300 Series Shinkansen

Infobox EMU
name = 300 Series Shinkansen


imagesize = 240px
caption = 300 Series train set at Okayama Station, November 2006
InService = 1992 - Present
Manufacturer = Nippon Sharyo, Hitachi, Kawasaki, Kinki Sharyo
Family =
Built = 1,104 vehicles (69 sets)
Refurbishment =
Formation = 16 cars per trainset
Operator = JR Central, JR West
Depots = Tokyo, Osaka, Hakata
LinesServed = Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Sanyō Shinkansen
CarBody = Aluminium
CarLength = 25,000 mm (intermediate cars), 26,050 mm (end cars)
CarWidth = 3,380 mm
CarHeight = 4,440 mm
MaxSpeed = 270 km/h
Weight =
Capacity = 1,323 (200 Green + 1,123 Standard)
Acceleration = 1.6 km/h/s
Deceleration =
Traction = 40 x 300 kW
Power = 12 MW
Gauge = 1,435 mm
Voltage = 25 kV AC, 60 Hz overhead
Brakes =
SafetySystem =

The 300 Series Shinkansen high-speed trainsets for Japan's Shinkansen dedicated high-speed railways were introduced in 1992 on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen lines for use on the fastest Nozomi services, being capable of 270 km/h (168 mph). As more were delivered (66 trains by 1998) they replaced earlier units on Hikari service and allowed the thus displaced 100 Series units to finally in turn displace 0 Series units on almost all services.

The styling of these units is something of a 'curved wedge' at the front, replacing the aircraft-style nosecones of previous Shinkansen trains. The furthest forward point is the very bottom of the pilot. They are painted brilliant white with a medium-thick blue stripe beneath the windows.

They are only found in sixteen-car sets and have no restaurant cars, though they did originally feature two refreshment counters (later removed).

Technically, they are notable for being the first Shinkansen sets to employ three-phase AC traction motors instead of direct current units, as well as new bolsterless bogies to reduce weight.

Following the introduction of the N700 Series, withdrawals of the first 300 series trainsets started in 2007.