Shinkansen Passing at High Speed Mishima Station 三島駅 and Mt Fuji
Shinkansen Passing at High Speed Mishima Station 三島駅 and Mt Fuji
Overview
In this concise episode, John Daub visits Mishima Station in Shizuoka Prefecture, one of the few locations along the Tokaido Shinkansen line where bullet trains pass through at full speed. While many major stations require trains to slow down, Mishima offers a thrilling train-spotting opportunity combined with a stunning view of Mount Fuji from the platform. John captures the rush of the Nozomi and Hikari trains blowing past at 300 kilometers per hour, providing tips for travelers holding a JR Rail Pass on how to utilize the slower Kodama trains to stop here.
Beyond the trains, John showcases a local specialty: a Mishima Unagi Ekiben (station bento box featuring eel). He explains the difference between unagi (freshwater eel) and anago (saltwater conger eel), enjoying the meal before boarding his own Kodama train back to Tokyo. This video serves as both a train enthusiast's delight and a practical travel guide for experiencing the Shinkansen network more deeply.
Highlights
- 00:00:00 John captures a Shinkansen passing at top speed with no warning.
- 00:00:19 Explanation of why Mishima Station is unique for train spotting.
- 00:01:39 Another high-speed pass with Mount Fuji visible in the background.
- 00:03:45 Breakdown of Shinkansen types: Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama.
- 00:04:20 John reveals his ekiben purchase: Mishima Unagi bento.
- 00:05:47 Boarding the Kodama train and discussing seating types.
- 00:07:54 Close-up of the unagi don and sauce description.
- 00:11:20 Final thoughts on using the Kodama for a relaxed journey.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00:00 Introduction at Mishima Station platform.
- 00:00:19 JR Rail Pass tips and Kodama train info.
- 00:01:39 Second Shinkansen pass with Mt. Fuji view.
- 00:03:45 Difference between Nozomi and Hikari trains.
- 00:04:20 Ekiben unboxing and Mt. Fuji view.
- 00:05:47 Boarding the N700-series Kodama.
- 00:07:25 Benefits of riding the Kodama.
- 00:07:54 Eating the Unagi Ekiben.
- 00:11:20 Conclusion and sign-off.
Japan Travel Tips
- JR Rail Pass Strategy: If you have a JR Rail Pass, consider stopping at Mishima Station for 20–30 minutes. You must take a Kodama train to stop here, as faster trains do not halt.
- Train Spotting: Mishima is one of the few stations where Shinkansen pass at full speed (300 km/h). In major cities like Tokyo, trains slow down significantly.
- Viewing Mt. Fuji: The platform at Mishima offers a distinct side view of Mount Fuji. Try to time your stop when the weather is clear.
- Ekiben: Station bento boxes are worth the price (around $15) for the quality and local specialty ingredients.
- Seating: Juseki (non-reserved seating) is often available on Kodama trains, making them less crowded and more relaxed than Nozomi trains.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Shinkansen Types:
- Nozomi: The fastest super express, makes few stops.
- Hikari: Semi-fast, stops at a few more stations than Nozomi.
- Kodama: The local Shinkansen, stops at all stations including Mishima.
- Ekiben (駅弁): Literally "station bento." These are boxed meals sold at train stations, often featuring local specialties.
- Unagi vs. Anago:
- Unagi: Freshwater eel, typically grilled with a sweet-spicy sauce (tare).
- Anago: Saltwater conger eel, often softer and used in sushi or tempura.
- Juseki (自由席): Non-reserved seating. Ji means free, seki means seat.
Food & Drink Guide
- Mishima Unagi Ekiben
- Description: Station bento featuring grilled freshwater eel (unagi) over rice (unagi don).
- Price: Approximately $15 USD.
- Location: Purchased at Mishima Station.
- John's Reaction: Describes the sauce as perfectly balanced (sweet and spicy), the eel as tender and soft. Notes it is pricey but worth it for a special treat.
- Timestamp: 00:04:20
People
- John Daub: Host and narrator. He guides viewers through the train spotting experience, explains the Shinkansen system, and reviews the local ekiben.
Key Takeaways
- Mishima Station is a hidden gem for photography enthusiasts wanting to capture the Shinkansen at full speed with Mount Fuji in the background.
- The Kodama train is a viable, less crowded alternative to the Nozomi for JR Pass holders, though it takes longer.
- Investing in a local ekiben enhances the train travel experience significantly.
Notable Quotes
- 00:00:00 "Oh, that was so fast. I'm at Mishima Station and we're gonna watch the Shinkansen go by at top speed in about a minute."
- 00:01:39 "It's gone. It's like a ghost."
- 00:03:45 "The Nozomi are the super expresses and they go a little bit faster and they blow by pretty quick."
- 00:05:47 "Juseki means non-reserved. Ji means free. Free seat. Get it?"
- 00:07:54 "When the unagi is grilled perfectly, it's so good. So tender and soft."
Related Topics
- Shinkansen Train Types Explained
- Best Mt. Fuji Viewing Spots
- Ekiben Guide: Best Station Bentos in Japan
- JR Rail Pass Tips and Tricks
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #mishima #shinkansen #mt-fuji #ekiben #unagi #train-spotting #shizuoka #kodama #jr-pass #travel-japan #japan-rail
Full Transcript
00:00:00 John Daub: Oh, that was so fast. I'm at Mishima Station and we're gonna watch the Shinkansen go by at top speed in about a minute. They don't give you any warning here. Here it comes. This is awesome.
00:00:19 John Daub: Mishima Station. A lot of people come here. If you're on a JR rail pass, you might want to stop here for just 20-30 minutes. You have to come here on a Kodama train, which is a local Shinkansen, but you get really beautiful views of Mount Fuji from the platform of Mishima. And if you're lucky and you have to change trains here, you might get a chance to see one or two go by. That was the second one that I got to see. The Kodama trains, the one I'm going to be riding, only come once or twice an hour.
00:01:13 John Daub: So I have to wait here and maybe we're gonna get another chance to see a Shinkansen blow by here at 300 kilometers an hour. That was pretty fast. Coolness achieved. Mishima Station doesn't have a lot of things to do here. So yeah, train spotting is one of them.
00:01:39 John Daub: All right, we're gonna wait here. Probably gonna be about 5 to 10 minutes for the next train. And my train leaves in 10 minutes from now at 11:21. I'm heading back to Tokyo. It's about 50 minutes from here to Tokyo. Atami is the next station, Shin-Yokohama, Shinagawa. Oh, here we go. Here we go. That was fast. Full speed. And then here's Mount Fuji. Do you see? So you get, we can get them both in the picture. It's good effort. Good effort. It's gone. It's like a ghost.
00:02:40 John Daub: Mishima is one of these stations where you can see it going by full speed. You can't do it in Tokyo in the cities. The train does not go at full speed. You can do it here. All right, that's one of the few. I think we're gonna get a chance on the other platform. Do you see like they come pretty quickly? I had to bring these live. Sorry, I didn't make any announcements here. Yeah, definitely click the thumbs up and encourage me. Okay, here's a treat. We're gonna get one more before I end this live stream. Do you see it coming? Oh man, this is so cool. This is so awesome. I don't know if that's top speed. That one was going slower than the other one.
00:03:45 John Daub: They do go pretty fast. The Nozomi. That could have been a Hikari. The Hikari ones will stop at a couple other stations. The Nozomi are the super expresses and they go a little bit faster and they blow by pretty quick. I'm gonna get my bags here. I'll get on the Kodama and then we're gonna end this live stream in five minutes. I don't know. Maybe there's another one that'll come by, but I doubt it. That's pretty cool, huh? Aren't you glad that I went live? Just kind of spontaneous.
00:04:20 John Daub: I did get a bento. Check it out. I did get an ekiben (station bento) because I haven't eaten anything. This is a Mishima unagi (eel) ekiben from Shizuoka unagi. And it was about $15, but I figured it's worth a try. Look at Mount Fuji up there. Here comes my train. We're almost there. Kodama 640 bound for Tokyo is arriving at track number 6. Mishima has a very nice view. It's different. Mishima's view of Mount Fuji is a little bit different than other areas. It's on the side of it.
00:05:47 John Daub: This is my train here I'm going to be boarding. This is the Kodama. And, of course, it's not coming quite as fast. They used to have the blue noses on it, the older ones. I think they stopped running in the middle of the millennium or so. About 2005. Ah, she's a beaut. This is a 700. I think it says N700-series. But it's pretty comfortable. It's not as crowded. Most of them are juseki (non-reserved seating). Juseki means non-reserved. Ji means free. Free seat. Get it?
00:07:25 John Daub: The thing with the Kodama is it's never crowded. You can always relax here. So sometimes if you just want to take an extra 30 minutes on the train, it's worth riding the Kodama and chillaxing. I have the choice because only the Kodama stops here.
00:07:54 John Daub: Eki-ben. So if you can get the $15 one, I'll show you my eki-ben. This is an anago (conger eel) bento. It should be pretty good. Look at the unagi. It's so perfectly sauced. The unagi don is that the sauce goes into the rice. And the unagi sauce is a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy. There's something to it that's really really nice. When the unagi is grilled perfectly, it's so good. So tender and soft. It's always going to be a little pricey, but you gotta get an eki-ben whenever you can.
00:11:20 John Daub: Alright guys, thanks for watching this really short episode on the Mishima Station blow-by experience. It's pretty cool to stop here just for 15-20 minutes, take the Kodama to Shizuoka, or Nagoya, and then get on an express train then. But the Kodama is not a bad train. It's a good, bad way to get around. Bye guys.