Kodama (train)

Infobox j-rail service
name=Kodama


caption=Shinkansen 0 Series Kodama at Fukuyama Station, April 2002.
type=Super Express
operator=JR Central, JR West
lines=Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Sanyō Shinkansen
startyear=1964
endyear=
stock=0/100/300/700/N700 series

"Kodama" (こだま) is one of the three train services running on the Tōkaidō/Sanyō Shinkansen."Kodama" trains stop at all stations, making "Kodama" the slowest Shinkansen service for trips between major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. The Kodama trains are used primarily for travel to and from smaller cities such as Atami. Travelers between major cities generally take the "Nozomi" or "Hikari" services, which make fewer stops.

The Japanese word "kodama" means "echo". It was originally a name of limited express trains on the conventional Tōkaidō Main Line, which was discontinued by the inauguration of the Shinkansen in 1964.

Shinkansen "Kodama"

"Kodama" trains generally run over shorter distances than "Nozomi" and "Hikari" trains. Typical "Kodama" runs include Tokyo - Nagoya, Tokyo - Shin-Osaka, Shizuoka - Shin-Osaka, Shin-Osaka - Okayama, Shin-Osaka - Hiroshima, Okayama - Hakata and Hiroshima - Hakata, as well as some shorter late-night runs.

The trainsets used for "Kodama" service are the same 300 Series and 700 Series trains used for the "Hikari" and "Nozomi" services. Older 0 Series and 100 Series trains are also used for "Kodama" services on the Sanyō Shinkansen.

Most "Kodama" trains have both reserved and non-reserved cars; however, some morning "Kodama" trains to Tokyo and evening trains departing Tokyo have non-reserved cars only to accommodate commuters living in Kanagawa and Shizuoka.

The newest shikansen trainset, the N700, is currently used on some early morning and late night "Kodama" runs between Kokura and Hakata stations in Kyūshū. All standard-class cars are non-reserved, and, as with all other N700 services, there is no smoking on these trains except in designated on-board smoking rooms.

At most intermediate stations, "Kodama" trains wait for faster trains, such as the "Nozomi", "Hikari" and "Hikari Rail Star", to pass through before resuming their journeys.

Pre-Shinkansen "Kodama"

"Kodama" debuted as a limited express service on the Tōkaidō Main Line on November 1, 1958. This was the first EMU train service of the Japanese National Railways classified as a limited express, the highest (fastest) of train types on the national railway system. The train travelled between Tokyo Station and Osaka Station in 6 hours and 50 minutes and first enabled passengers to go and return between the two cities in one day. This is why the train was named "Kodama", or echo.

The conventional "Kodama" train ran until September 30, 1964, the day before "Kodama" debuted on the Shinkansen.