View source for Kodama (train)

{{Short description|Japanese high-speed train service}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox rail service
| name        = ''Kodama''
| image       = JRW-500 V2 inHimeji.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption     = JR West 8-car [[500 Series Shinkansen]] on a ''Kodama'' service at [[Himeji Station]], August 2009
| type        = [[Shinkansen]] ([[Shinkansen#Service names|Local]])
| status      = Operational
| locale      =
| predecessor = 
| first       = 1958 (Limited express)<BR/>1 October 1964 (Shinkansen)
| last        = 
| successor   = 
| operator    = [[Central Japan Railway Company|JR Central]], [[West Japan Railway Company|JR West]]
| formeroperator= 
| ridership   = 
| start       = {{STN|Tokyo|x}} ([[Tōkaidō Shinkansen]])<br>{{STN|Shin-Osaka|x}} ([[Tokaido Shinkansen]] and [[San'yō Shinkansen]])
| stops       =
| end         = {{STN|Hakata|x}} or {{STN|Hakataminami|x}} ([[San'yō Shinkansen]])
| distance    = 
| journeytime = 
| frequency   = 
| trainnumber = 
| line_used   = [[Tokaido Shinkansen]]<br/>[[San'yō Shinkansen]]
| class       = Green/standard
| access      = 
| seating     = 
| catering    = None
| observation = 
| entertainment= 
| otherfacilities= 
| stock       = 500/700/N700 series
| gauge       = {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
| el          = 25 kV AC overhead
| speed       = {{Convert|285|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}<ref name="kotsu2008">{{cite book | title = JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル |trans-title=JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File| publisher = Kōtsū Shimbun | year = 2008 | location = Japan | isbn = 978-4-330-00608-6}}</ref>
| owners      = 
| routenumber =
| map         = 
| map_state   = 
}}

{{Nihongo|'''''Kodama'''''|こだま||"Echo"}} is one of the three train services running on the [[Tōkaidō Shinkansen|Tōkaidō]] and [[San'yō Shinkansen]] lines.
Stopping at every station, the ''Kodama'' is 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 (train)|Nozomi]]'' or ''[[Hikari (train)|Hikari]]'' services, which make fewer stops, although the ''Nozomi'' requires paying a supplement under the [[Japan Rail Pass]] while the ''Kodama'' does not,<ref>{{Cite web |title=About JAPAN RAIL PASS {{!}} JAPAN RAIL PASS |url=https://japanrailpass.net/en/about_jrp.html |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=japanrailpass.net}}</ref> making these services an affordable alternative.

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

The trainsets used for ''Kodama'' service are the same [[700 Series Shinkansen|700 series]], and [[N700 Series Shinkansen|N700 series]] trains used for the ''Hikari'' and ''Nozomi'' services. Older [[100 Series Shinkansen|100 series]] and [[300 Series Shinkansen|300 series]] trains were also used for ''Kodama'' services on the Sanyō Shinkansen until they were withdrawn in 2012. In December 2008, reconfigured [[500 Series Shinkansen|500 series]] trains entered ''Kodama'' service to replace the withdrawn Sanyō Shinkansen [[0 Series Shinkansen|0 series]] trains. Many Sanyō Shinkansen ''Kodama'' services continue to and from [[Hakataminami Station|Hakataminami]] on the [[Hakataminami Line]].

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 Prefecture|Kanagawa]] and [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]].

The newest shinkansen trainset, the [[N700 Series Shinkansen|N700]], is currently used on some early morning and late night ''Kodama'' runs between [[Kokura Station|Kokura]] and [[Hakata Station|Hakata]] stations in [[Kyushu]]. 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, including the ''Nozomi'', ''Hikari'', ''Sakura'', and ''Mizuho'', to pass through before resuming their journeys.

== Stopping patterns (as of January 2024) ==
''Kodama'' trains stop at all stations between Tokyo and Hakata. In order from east to west, this comprises {{STN|Tōkyō|x}}, {{STN|Shinagawa|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Yokohama|x}}, {{STN|Odawara|x}}, {{STN|Atami|x}}, {{STN|Mishima|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Fuji|x|Shizuoka}}, {{STN|Shizuoka|x}}, {{STN|Kakegawa|x}}, {{STN|Hamamatsu|x}}, {{STN|Toyohashi|x}}, {{STN|Mikawa-Anjō|x}}, {{STN|Nagoya|x}}, {{STN|Gifu-Hashima|x}}, {{STN|Maibara|x}}, {{STN|Kyoto|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Ōsaka|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Kōbe|x}}, {{STN|Nishi-Akashi|x}}, {{STN|Himeji|x}}, {{STN|Aioi|x|Hyōgo}}, {{STN|Okayama|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Kurashiki|x}}, {{STN|Fukuyama|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Onomichi|x}}, {{STN|Mihara|x}}, {{STN|Higashi-Hiroshima|x}}, {{STN|Hiroshima|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Iwakuni|x}}, {{STN|Tokuyama|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Yamaguchi|x}}, {{STN|Shin-Shimonoseki|x}}, {{STN|Asa|x}}, {{STN|Kokura|x}}, and {{STN|Hakata|x}}.

No ''Kodama'' service operates the entire distance from Tokyo to Hakata. For this reason, a transfer is required at Shin-Osaka in order to proceed in either direction.

==Rolling stock==
* [[500 Series Shinkansen|500 series]] 8-car V sets
* [[700 Series Shinkansen#8-car E sets (700-7000 series)|700-7000 series]] 8-car E sets
* [[N700 Series Shinkansen|N700A series]] 16-car X/K sets, modified from Z/N sets
* [[N700 Series Shinkansen#8-car S sets (N700-7000 series)|N700 series]] 8-car S/R
** 8-car P sets modified from K sets began service on 12 September 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 September 2025 |title=N700系6000番代P4編成が営業運転を開始 |trans-title=N700-6000 Series set P4 begins revenue service |url=https://railf.jp/news/2025/09/12/133000.html |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=[[Japan Railfan Magazine]] |language=ja}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Shinkansen 500 (8086233447).jpg|JR West 500 series ''Kodama'', August 2010
File:JRW N700 series N3.jpg|JR West N700 series, April 2009
</gallery>

===Former rolling stock===
* [[0 Series Shinkansen|0 series]]
* [[100 Series Shinkansen|100 series]]
* [[300 Series Shinkansen|300 series]] 
*[[500 Series Shinkansen|500 series]] 16-car W sets
* [[700 Series Shinkansen|700-0 series]]
* [[700 Series Shinkansen|700-3000 series]]

<gallery>
File:R61 Kodama 635 Higashi-Hiroshima 20030719.JPG|JR West 0 series at [[Higashi-Hiroshima Station]], July 2003
File:JRW Shinkansen Series 100 K55.jpg|JR West 100 series, October 2008
File:JRW Shinkansen Series 300 F6.jpg|JR West 300 series, October 2008
File:JRwest 500 nozomi 29 kodama 697 shiniwakuni.jpg|JR West 500 series set W7 (left) on the ''[[Nozomi (train)|Nozomi]]'' 29 service passing set W8 (right) on the ''Kodama'' 697 service at [[Shin-Iwakuni Station]], November 2008
File:JRC 700 series C37.jpg|JR Central 700 series, April 2009
</gallery>

====Pre-Shinkansen====
* [[151 series]]

==Formations==

===N700 series (16 cars)===
(All cars are no smoking except for smoking compartments located in cars 3, 7, 10, and 15.)
{| cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2
|-
|colspan=8 style="text-align:left"|←Hakata||colspan=8 style="text-align:right"|Tokyo→
|-
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-left:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|1
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|2
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|3
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|4
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|5
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|6
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|7
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|8
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|9
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|10
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|11
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|12
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|13
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|14
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|15
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|16
|- style="text-align:center;"
|style="border:solid 2px gray; bgcolor=white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:greenyellow;"|G
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:greenyellow;"|G
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:greenyellow;"|G
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|}

===500 series (eight cars)===
(All cars are no smoking except for smoking compartments in cars 3 and 7.)
{| cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2
|-
|colspan=4 style="text-align:left"|←Hakata||colspan=4 style="text-align:right"|Shin-Osaka→
|-
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-left:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|1
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|2
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|3
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|4
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|5
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|6
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|7
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|8
|- style="text-align:center;"
|style="border:solid 2px gray; bgcolor=white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|}

===N700 series (eight cars)===
(All cars are no smoking except for smoking compartments in cars 3 and 7.)
{| cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2
|-
|colspan=4 style="text-align:left"|←Hakata||colspan=5 style="text-align:right"|Shin-Osaka→
|-
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-left:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|1
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|2
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|3
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|4
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|5
!colspan=2 style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|6
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|7
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|8
|- style="text-align:center;"
|style="border:solid 2px gray; bgcolor=white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|R
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:greenyellow;"|G
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|}

===700 series (eight cars)===
(All cars are non-smoking.)
{| cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2
|-
|colspan=4 style="text-align:left"|←Hakata||colspan=4 style="text-align:right"|Shin-Osaka→
|-
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-left:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|1
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|2
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|3
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|4
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|5
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|6
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|7
!style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray;"|8
|- style="text-align:center;"
|style="border:solid 2px gray; bgcolor=white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|NR
|style="border-top:solid 2px gray;border-bottom:solid 2px gray;border-right:solid 2px gray; background:white;"|C
|}

*G: Green car (first class) (reserved seating)
*R: Standard class reserved seating
*C: Standard class reserved seating + compartments 
*NR: Standard class non-reserved seating

==History==

===Limited express ''Kodama''===
[[File:JNR 181 Kodama 20080118.jpg|thumb|A preserved [[181 series]] car (original [[151 series]] car)]]
''Kodama'' debuted as a [[limited express]] service on the Tokaido Main Line on 1 November 1958. Services used [[151 series]] trainsets. This was the first [[Electric Multiple Unit|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 six 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.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

A [[narrow gauge]] [[Land speed record for rail vehicles#Narrow gauge|world speed record]] of 163&nbsp;km/h was established by a 151 series ''Kodama'' trainset on 31 July 1959.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlMy_aBpIhM|title = - YouTube|website = [[YouTube]]}}</ref> The conventional ''Kodama'' train ran until 30 September 1964, the day before ''Kodama'' debuted on the Shinkansen.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

===Shinkansen ''Kodama''===
The Shinkansen ''Kodama'' services began on 1 October 1964, operating between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka.

From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, the remaining [[100 Series Shinkansen|100 series]] K sets were withdrawn from ''Kodama'' services, with services operated by 8-car [[700 Series Shinkansen|700 series]] E sets becoming entirely non-smoking.<ref name="jrwest20111216">{{cite web|url= http://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/20111216_honsya.pdf|script-title= ja:平成24春ダイヤ改正について|trans-title= March 2012 Timetable Revision Details|date= 16 December 2011|work= News Release|publisher= West Japan Railway Company|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 17 December 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111216172516/http://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/20111216_honsya.pdf|archive-date= 16 December 2011|url-status= dead}}</ref> On-board trolley refreshment services were also discontinued on all JR Central ''Kodama'' services from the same date.<ref name="jrcentral20120317">{{cite web|url= http://railway.jr-central.co.jp/jikoku/_pdf/shahan-stop.pdf|script-title= ja:一部列車の車内販売の取止め及び見直しについて|trans-title= Discontinuation and revision of on-train sales for certain trains|year= 2012|work= News Release|publisher= Central Japan Railway Company|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 11 March 2012}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Also, some of the 16-car [[500 Series Shinkansen|500 series]] that used to run as the ''Nozomi'' service were cut short to eight cars to run as the ''Kodama'' service.

In an announcement by JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu made on 17 October 2023, the companies stated that all onboard smoking rooms on the Tokaido, San'yo, and Kyushu Shinkansen trains would be discontinued by Q2 2024;<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kinoshita |first=Kenji |date=17 October 2023 |title=東海道・山陽・九州新幹線の車内喫煙ルーム、2024年春にすべて廃止 |trans-title=All smoking rooms on Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen trains will be discontinued in spring 2024. |url=https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20231017-2795090/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018011801/https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20231017-2795090/ |archive-date=18 October 2023 |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=MyNavi Corporation}}</ref> this took effect on 16 March 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Smokers bitter as cigarettes banned on all Shinkansen lines {{!}} The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15202064 |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=The Asahi Shimbun |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of named passenger trains of Japan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

{{Shinkansen}}
{{JR Central trains}}
{{JR West trains}}

[[Category:Central Japan Railway Company]]
[[Category:West Japan Railway Company]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1958]]
[[Category:Named Shinkansen trains]]
[[Category:Tōkaidō Shinkansen]]