{"id":3697,"date":"2023-05-24T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T05:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog?p=3697"},"modified":"2025-12-10T17:18:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T16:18:49","slug":"hello-kitty-shinkansen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen","title":{"rendered":"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The cutest bullet train"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\">The Hello Kitty Shinkansen is a pink-and-white <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\">bullet train that <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">runs<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> on <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">Japan\u2019s<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> Sanyo Shinkansen <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">line, <strong>connecting<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"><strong> Shin-Osaka and Hakata stations<\/strong>. It <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">includes<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> themed cars, a gift shop, and <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">provides<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> a <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">charming travel<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> experience with its <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">stylish<\/span><strong><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> Hello <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">Kitty<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"><strong> design<\/strong>. <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">Passengers<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> can ride it <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">using<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> a standard train ticket or a <\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP diff-chunk_inserted__h6DOS\">valid<\/span><span class=\"diff-chunk_chunk__3TftP undefined\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/jr-west-passes\">JR-WEST Rail Pass<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In October 2025, JR West announced that the Hello Kitty Shinkansen would <strong>end operations in spring 2026<\/strong>, after around 8 years of service. The exact final running date has not been confirmed yet, but special farewell events and campaigns will be held until the collaboration finishes. Fans still have a limited time to enjoy this iconic pink bullet train.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>The Japan Railway West Co., better known as JR West, debuted a Hello Kitty bullet train service on its<strong> Sanyo Shinkansen line in 2018<\/strong>. Like other special Shinkansen trains, this train was always planned as a limited-time service. JR West has now confirmed that it will operate only until spring 2026, with operation days announced several months at a time.<\/p>\n<p>Until service is suspended, the iconic Hello Kitty train is covered by your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\">JR Pass<\/a>! Read on to find out more about this service and final running dates.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_white no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Closing_of_operations_in_spring_2026\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Closing of operations in spring 2026<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Hello_Kitty_Shinkansen_route\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Hello Kitty Shinkansen route<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Hello_Kitty_bullet_train_features\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> Hello Kitty bullet train features<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Paying_homage_to_Western_Japan\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.1<\/span> Paying homage to Western Japan<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_to_ride_the_Hello_Kitty_bullet_train\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> How to ride the Hello Kitty bullet train<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Hello_Kitty_Shinkansen_timetable\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">5<\/span> Hello Kitty Shinkansen timetable<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Hello_Kitty_Shinkansen_operation_2025_calendar\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">6<\/span> Hello Kitty Shinkansen operation 2025 calendar<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Closing_of_operations_in_spring_2026\">Closing of operations in spring 2026<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In a press release published on 30 October 2025, JR West confirmed that the Hello Kitty Shinkansen will <strong>retire in spring 2026<\/strong>. This marks the end of the collaboration between JR West and Sanrio that began when the themed train entered service on June 30, 2018.<\/p>\n<p>As part of the farewell, JR West is planning special campaigns, onboard events and <strong>limited-edition Hello Kitty Shinkansen merchandise<\/strong>. Travelers can expect meet-and-greets with Hello Kitty in Car 1 on selected days, giveaways, and commemorative goods available on board, at the Kyoto Railway Museum, and at some JR West station shops, as well as online.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>exact final day of operation has not yet been announced<\/strong>. JR West has stated that future operation days and the final timetable will be published on the official Hello Kitty Shinkansen website and updated step by step. If you want to ride this iconic train before it disappears, it\u2019s best to plan your trip as early as possible and check the latest information close to your travel dates.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Hello_Kitty_Shinkansen_route\">Hello Kitty Shinkansen route<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Following the big hit character <em>Evangelion<\/em> train, which ran from late 2015 until May 2022, the Hello Kitty-themed bullet train has proven to be a worthy successor.<\/p>\n<p>The adorable train provides a <strong>Kodama service on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/sanyo-shinkansen-jr-pass\">Sanyo Shinkansen line<\/a><\/strong>, which connects the western cities of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/cities\/osaka-travel-guide\">Osaka<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/fukuoka-travel-guide\">Fukuoka<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5582\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5582\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\"  decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5582\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/sanyo-shinkansen-map.jpg\" alt=\"Sanyo Shinkansen line map\" width=\"700\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/sanyo-shinkansen-map.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/sanyo-shinkansen-map-300x223.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5582\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sanyo Shinkansen Map<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The train makes <strong>stops at each station between Shin-Osaka and Hakata Station<\/strong> in western Japan&#8217;s Fukuoka prefecture, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/kobe-travel-guide\">Kobe,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\">Okayama<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hiroshima-travel-guide\">Hiroshima<\/a>, and has some unique features.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Hello_Kitty_bullet_train_features\">Hello Kitty bullet train features<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The first two cars are decked out in full Hello Kitty adorable fashion, with motifs from the famous Sanrio character and her friends and even a photo booth!<\/p>\n<p>The first car, called <strong><em>Hello! Plaza<\/em><\/strong>, does not have any passenger seats. Instead, it showcases local specialities, delicacies, and souvenirs from the regions in the new JR West\u2019s line.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\"  decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20501 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-hello-plaza.jpg\" alt=\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen Hello Plaza\" width=\"490\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-hello-plaza.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-hello-plaza-300x190.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The second car named <strong><em>Kawaii! Room<\/em><\/strong> is a passenger car covered from top to bottom with the popular Sanrio feline character and her friends, featuring a Hello Kitty doll in Shinkansen uniform.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\"  decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-20506 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-kawaii-room.jpg\" alt=\"Hello kitty shinkansen kawaii room\" width=\"490\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-kawaii-room.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-kawaii-room-300x190.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You can<strong> explore both of these cars<\/strong> when riding with the JR Pass. You can also <strong>sit in the Kawaii! Room car<\/strong>, which is all non-reserved seating. This means you can enjoy the experience with your pass, without any additional reservation fee!<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, instead of the usual Shinkansen jingle, the train rings the original <strong>Hello Kitty theme tune<\/strong> as it approaches the stations!<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Paying_homage_to_Western_Japan\">Paying homage to Western Japan<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>JR West is highlighting every <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/regions-of-japan\">region<\/a> along the new bullet train\u2019s itinerary. They\u2019ve released <strong>eight original Hello Kitty designs<\/strong> holding a local delicacy from each of the places the train stops, like a green apple for Tottori prefecture, a strawberry for Fukuoka, and a black shell for Shimane prefecture.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3708\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3708\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\"  decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3708 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hello-kitty-train-route.jpg\" alt=\"Hello Kitty train route and regions\" width=\"500\" height=\"473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hello-kitty-train-route.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/hello-kitty-train-route-300x284.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3708\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Itinerary and highlighted regions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first region to be highlighted was Sanin, home to the Shimane and Tottori prefectures. Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Fukuoka soon followed. In Okayama Station, you can even get your <strong>Hello Kitty ekiben<\/strong>\u00a0(shinkansen-shaped take away box)!<\/p>\n<p>Also, a special <strong>Hello Kitty caf\u00e9 and a souvenir shop<\/strong>, selling exclusive merchandises related to Hello Kitty Shinkansen, is operating at Hakata Station in Fukuoka.<\/p>\n<p>As the collaboration approaches its end in spring 2026, these <strong>limited-edition items<\/strong> are becoming even more sought-after by fans who want a last Hello Kitty Shinkansen memory. Make sure to pick up your commemorative souvenir while you still can!<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_to_ride_the_Hello_Kitty_bullet_train\">How to ride the Hello Kitty bullet train<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>The Hello Kitty Shinkansen is included with your JR Pass<\/strong>, so you can ride it for free as any Kodama Shinkansen service. Since JR West has announced that the Hello Kitty Shinkansen will only run until spring 2026, we recommend booking and planning your ride as early as possible, especially during weekends, holidays, and peak travel seasons.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n            <a class=\"fasc-button banner-button-shortcode fasc-size-large fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-after fa-chevron-circle-right fasc-style-bold\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/the-japan-rail-pass\">\n                Buy your JR Pass\n            <\/a>\n        <\/p>\n<p class=\"note\">Though it is not necessary, we strongly advise you to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/faq\/seat-reservation\">reserve your seat<\/a>, since chances are high it will be packed for the duration of its run.<\/p>\n<p>If you wish to ride on this very special train, especially car 2 Kawaii! Room, don&#8217;t forget to reserve your seat at any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/faq\/japan-rail-pass-exchange-offices\">JR Office<\/a>. The train numbers are <strong>Kodama 842<\/strong> (Hakata to Shin-Osaka) and <strong>Kodama 849<\/strong> (Shin-Osaka to Hakata).<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Hello_Kitty_Shinkansen_timetable\">Hello Kitty Shinkansen timetable<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Please find below the <strong>Hello Kitty Shinkansen daily schedule<\/strong> (with train number) and all the stops and stations so you can plan your trip to purrrfection!<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background: #3793f4; color: #ffffff; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"4\">Timetable<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Station<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Kodama 842 (Hakata to Shin-Osaka)<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Station<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Kodama 849 (Shin-Osaka to Hakata)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hakata <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/fukuoka-travel-guide\">(Fukuoka)<\/a><\/td>\n<td>7:04<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Osaka<\/td>\n<td>11:37<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kokura<\/td>\n<td>7:22<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Kobe<\/td>\n<td>11:50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shin-Shimonoseki<\/td>\n<td>7:31<\/td>\n<td>Nishi-Akashi<\/td>\n<td>12:01<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Asa<\/td>\n<td>7:44<\/td>\n<td>Himeji<\/td>\n<td>12:15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shin-Yamaguchi<\/td>\n<td>7:53<\/td>\n<td>Aioi<\/td>\n<td>12:27<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Tokuyama<\/td>\n<td>8:10<\/td>\n<td>Okayama<\/td>\n<td>12:50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shin-Iwakuni<\/td>\n<td>8:23<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Kurashiki<\/td>\n<td>13:02<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hiroshima-travel-guide\">Hiroshima<\/a><\/td>\n<td>8:38<\/td>\n<td>Fukuyama<\/td>\n<td>13:16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Higashi-Hiroshima<\/td>\n<td>8:52<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Onomichi<\/td>\n<td>13:29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mihara<\/td>\n<td>9:12<\/td>\n<td>Mhara<\/td>\n<td>13:41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shin-Onomichi<\/td>\n<td>9:18<\/td>\n<td>Higashi-Hiroshima<\/td>\n<td>13:56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fukuyama<\/td>\n<td>9:31<\/td>\n<td>Hiroshima<\/td>\n<td>14:08<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shin-Kurashiki<\/td>\n<td>9:45<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Iwakuni<\/td>\n<td>14:29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\">Okayama<\/a><\/td>\n<td>10:09<\/td>\n<td>Tokuyama<\/td>\n<td>14:42<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Aioi<\/td>\n<td>10:35<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Yamaguchi<\/td>\n<td>14:58<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/himeji-castle-travel-guide\">Himeji<\/a><\/td>\n<td>10:48<\/td>\n<td>Asa<\/td>\n<td>15:11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nishi-Akashi<\/td>\n<td>11:02<\/td>\n<td>Shin-Shimonoseki<\/td>\n<td>15:24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shin-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/kobe-travel-guide\">Kobe<\/a><\/td>\n<td>11:12<\/td>\n<td>Kokura<\/td>\n<td>15:34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/shin-osaka-station\">Shin-Osaka<\/a><\/td>\n<td>11:25<\/td>\n<td>Hakata<\/td>\n<td>15:51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"custom-shortcode-element image-right\"><div class=\"image-container desktop\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/kansai-hiroshima-area-pass-cta-1.png\"  width=\"300\" height=\"202\" alt=\"Buy your Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass\"><\/div><div class=\"content-container\"><div class=\"custom-title\">Unlimited travel within the Kansai and Hiroshima regions<\/div><div class=\"image-container mobile\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/kansai-hiroshima-area-pass-cta-1.png\"  width=\"300\" height=\"202\"  alt=\"Buy your Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass\"><\/div><div class=\"custom-text\"><\/p>\n<p>A 7-day pass ideal for exploring the Kansai and Hiroshima regions, including unrestricted use of the Sanyo Shinkansen between Osaka and Hiroshima.<\/p>\n<p><\/div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/regional-passes\/kansai-hiroshima-pass\" class=\"custom-button\">Buy your Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Hello_Kitty_Shinkansen_operation_2025_calendar\">Hello Kitty Shinkansen operation 2025 calendar<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Check out the <strong>operating days calendar<\/strong> before your trip to ensure your Hello Kitty experience!<\/p>\n<p>Operation days are marked on the calendar with a pink ribbon.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"color: #ff758d;\"><strong>Pink ribbon: Operation days<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>\/: Non-operative days<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\"  decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22167 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-calendar-dec-feb-800x487.webp\" alt=\"hello kitty shinkansen operational day calendar\" width=\"800\" height=\"487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-calendar-dec-feb-800x487.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-calendar-dec-feb-300x183.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-calendar-dec-feb-768x468.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen-calendar-dec-feb.webp 1003w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For the latest information, please check the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jr-hellokittyshinkansen.jp\/en\/\">website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Hello Kitty Shinkansen is a pink-and-white bullet train that runs on Japan\u2019s Sanyo Shinkansen line, connecting Shin-Osaka and Hakata stations. It includes themed cars, a gift shop, and provides a charming travel experience with its stylish Hello Kitty design. Passengers can ride it using a standard train ticket or a valid JR-WEST Rail Pass. In October 2025, JR West announced that the Hello Kitty Shinkansen would end operations in spring 2026, after around 8 years of service. The exact final running date has not been confirmed yet, but special farewell events and campaigns will be held until the collaboration &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The cutest bullet train&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20511,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"acf":{"related_tours":{"tour_number":false},"pageresume":"The Hello Kitty-themed bullet train is included with the JR Pass! Check its route, 2025 timetable and adorable features and ride the cutest Shinkansen!.","bread_1":false,"bread_2":false,"bread_3":false,"bread_4":false,"bread_5":false,"bread_6":false,"bread_7":false,"bread_last":false,"custom_guide":"","shortcodes":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.10 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The Cutest Bullet Train (2026 Update) | JRailPass<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Catch the Hello Kitty bullet train while you still can! It&#039;s included with your JR Pass. Find out about final running dates and timetables before the service ends.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3697\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The Cutest Bullet Train (2026 Update) | JRailPass\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Catch the Hello Kitty bullet train while you still can! It&#039;s included with your JR Pass. Find out about final running dates and timetables before the service ends.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-24T05:00:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-10T16:18:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"JRailPass\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"JRailPass\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2\"},\"headline\":\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The cutest bullet train\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-24T05:00:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-10T16:18:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\"},\"wordCount\":1115,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Trains &amp; Transportation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\",\"name\":\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The Cutest Bullet Train (2026 Update) | JRailPass\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-24T05:00:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-10T16:18:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"Catch the Hello Kitty bullet train while you still can! It's included with your JR Pass. Find out about final running dates and timetables before the service ends.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Japan Travel Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The cutest bullet train\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass\",\"description\":\"Discover Japan by train with the Japan Rail Pass\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png\",\"width\":214,\"height\":60,\"caption\":\"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2\",\"name\":\"JRailPass\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The Cutest Bullet Train (2026 Update) | JRailPass","description":"Catch the Hello Kitty bullet train while you still can! It's included with your JR Pass. Find out about final running dates and timetables before the service ends.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3697","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The Cutest Bullet Train (2026 Update) | JRailPass","og_description":"Catch the Hello Kitty bullet train while you still can! It's included with your JR Pass. Find out about final running dates and timetables before the service ends.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen","og_site_name":"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass","article_published_time":"2023-05-24T05:00:35+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-12-10T16:18:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/hello-kitty-shinkansen.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"JRailPass","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen"},"author":{"name":"JRailPass","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2"},"headline":"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The cutest bullet train","datePublished":"2023-05-24T05:00:35+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-10T16:18:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen"},"wordCount":1115,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Trains &amp; Transportation"],"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen","name":"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The Cutest Bullet Train (2026 Update) | JRailPass","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-05-24T05:00:35+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-10T16:18:49+00:00","description":"Catch the Hello Kitty bullet train while you still can! It's included with your JR Pass. Find out about final running dates and timetables before the service ends.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hello-kitty-shinkansen#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Japan Travel Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hello Kitty Shinkansen: The cutest bullet train"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/","name":"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass","description":"Discover Japan by train with the Japan Rail Pass","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png","width":214,"height":60,"caption":"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2","name":"JRailPass","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3697"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3697"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22172,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3697\/revisions\/22172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}