Shinkansen Seat Types

Unreserved seat / 自由席

Non-reserved seating is available on many Shinkansen services, but not all. Hayabusa, Hayate, Komachi, Tsubasa and Kagayaki are all-reserved. Nozomi also operates without non-reserved seating during JR Central/JR West designated peak periods; dates vary by year.

Reserved seat / 指定席

With a reserved seat, your seating is guaranteed when you book your tickets, allowing you to travel with peace of mind knowing you have a designated spot.

Green reserved seat / グリーン席

Upgrade to Green reserved seats for enhanced comfort and complimentary blankets. Highly favored by Japanese business professionals, executives, and passengers seeking a more comfortable journey – think of it as the "business class" of Shinkansen seats.

GranClass seat / グランクラス

GranClass is the highest class of seating offered on Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen (Series E5 and H5), Hokuriku Shinkansen (Series E7 and W7), and Joetsu Shinkansen (Series E7).
It features spacious genuine leather seats and, on certain trains, a premium, dedicated customer attendant.
On trains designated as “with meals”, passengers are offered complimentary light meals and drinks, providing true value and the utmost comfort and freedom. In practice the full service runs on Tohoku/Hokkaido Hayabusa and Hokuriku Kagayaki. On Joetsu Toki and Tanigawa, and on Hakutaka, Asama, Tsurugi, Yamabiko and Nasuno, GranClass is sold as a seat only. The E8 series on the Yamagata Shinkansen has no GranClass.

Note: Some GranClass trains do not have a GranClass Attendant on board and do not offer snacks, drinks or wet towels, etc.