Nozomi (のぞみ) is the fastest train service running on the Tokaido and San'yō Shinkansen lines in Japan. The service stops at only the largest stations, and services using N700 series equipment reach speeds of 300 km/h along the stretch between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata. The trip between Tokyo and Osaka, a distance of 515 km, takes 2 hours 21 minutes on the fastest Nozomi service, with the fastest service between Tokyo Station and Hakata taking 4 hours 46 minutes. The trains stop at fewer stations than the Hikari and Kodama trains. On the Tōkaidō Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Ōsaka, Nozomi trains stop only at Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya and Kyōto. On the Sanyō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata, all Nozomi trains stop at Shin-Kobe, Hiroshima, Okayama and Kokura, with certain trains also stopping at additional stations. Foreigners traveling with a Japan Rail Pass are required to purchase a special ticket to use the Nozomi service.

Stopping patterns (as of January 2024)

Legend ''Only basic Nozomi stopping patterns are shown. Additional Nozomi trains with differing stopping patterns are added during holiday and high-peak travel periods and are not included in this table.'' Note:

• Some trains begin/terminate at Nagoya, Shin-Osaka,Nishi-Akashi, Himeji, Okayama, or Hiroshima.

Rolling stock

Current rolling stock

Former rolling stock

Formations

Current operations

N700 series / N700S series

As of November 2024, trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Hakata end, and car 16 at the Tokyo end. All seats are non-smoking. Electric power outlets are located at the ends and at window seats of standard cars, and at each seat in Green cars. In 2021, payphones were removed from cars 4, 9, 15 (previously present on N700 trains only) and car 12 (previously present on all trains). In March 2024, smoking rooms were removed from all Tokaido, San'yo, and Kyushu Shinkansen trains and station platforms.

Former operations

700 series

Services formerly operated with 700 series sets at the time of their removal in March 2020 were as follows:

History

Wartime steam services

The Nozomi name was first used for long-distance express services operated between Busan in Japanese-occupied Korea and Mukden (now Shenyang) in the former Manchukuo (now China) from 1934. From 1938, the services were extended to run between Busan and Xinjing (now Changchun) in Manchukuo. The 1,530 km journey from Busan to Xinjing took over 29 hours, with an average speed of 52 km/h. The services were run down between 1943 and 1944.

Shinkansen services

Nozomi shinkansen services commenced on March 14, 1992, using new 300 series trainsets with a top speed of 270 km/h. From March 1997, 500 series trainsets were introduced on Tokyo - Hakata Nozomi services, running at a maximum speed of 300 km/h and covering the section between Shin-Osaka and Hakata in 2 hours 17 minutes. 700 series trains were introduced on Nozomi services in 1999, and N700 series trains were introduced from July 1, 2007, initially with four daily round-trip runs. All regularly scheduled through Nozomi services to the San'yō Shinkansen (Tokyo–Hakata) were operated by N700 series sets from 13 March 2010. From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, all regularly scheduled Nozomi services, including runs limited to the Tokaido Shinkansen, were operated by N700 series sets. Effective December 2023, JR Central and JR West adjusted all Nozomi services to operate completely with reservations during three seasons that experience the highest ridership: New Years and Christmas (late December through the first week of January), Golden Week (29 April to 5 May), and the Obon festival (mid to late August). These adjustments were made in a bid to increase seat patronage and reduce the amount of standing passengers. Starting in March 2025, Nozomi services will begin operating with only two unreserved cars instead of three outside of peak periods, with officials citing an increase in the popularity of online train reservations.