What animal is the bullet train in Japan?

The engineers looked to nature to re-design the bullet train. They noticed how kingfisher birds are able to slice through the air and dive into the water to catch prey while barely making a splash. They then re-designed the front end of the train to mimic the shape of the kingfisher's beak.



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Innovation Details. The engineers looked to nature to re-design the bullet train. They noticed how kingfisher birds are able to slice through the air and dive into the water to catch prey while barely making a splash. They then re-designed the front end of the train to mimic the shape of the kingfisher's beak.

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You bet they do! Momonga, the cute and cuddly mascot we see throughout the film and plastered all over the train carriages, may have been made up but is actually scarily true to life.

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Will a Japan Rail Pass Save You Money? Note that the cost of a normal one-way shinkansen (bullet train) ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto is ¥13,320 and the roundtrip fare is ¥26,640. An ordinary one-week pass is ¥29,650. A one-way trip on the JR N'EX (Narita Express from Narita International Airport into Tokyo) costs ¥3,070.

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Instead, what makes the Shinkansen (and any Ltd. Express train) more expensive then regular trains is a hefty standard surcharge: the supplementary special-express ticket, which covers the premium experience of traveling on the nice fast trains. And yes, you have to pay it even if you have to stand.

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Japan's famous bullet train used to make a loud boom when it travelled through tunnels. But, thanks to a spot of bird-watching, an engineer was able to fix the problem after he was inspired by a kingfisher.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In the lead-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Japan was abuzz with anticipation. But it wasn't just the upcoming games that was generating excitement. People across Japan, and the globe, were also eagerly waiting for the launch of Tokaido Shinkansen — the world's very first bullet train.

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Trains originally reached top speeds of 130 miles (210 km) per hour, but improvements in track, train cars, and other components have made possible maximum speeds of between 150 and 185 miles (240 and 300 km) per hour. In early 2013 some trains began operating at up to 200 miles (320 km) per hour.

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The Tokaido Shinkansen has more than 340 services on average each day, with trains running every three minutes during peak hours. The Tohoku, Joetsu, Hokuriku, and Hokkaido Shinkansen networks also have a total of more than 320 services each day.

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The cost of constructing the Shinkansen was at first estimated at nearly 200 billion yen, which was raised in the form of a government loan, railway bonds and a low-interest loan of US$80 million from the World Bank.

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A standard fee for a one-way Tokyo to Kyoto ticket is around 160 USD during peak seasons and 100-120 USD off peak, although the price heavily depends on such factor as what travel class you prefer or do you purchase a ticket with reserved or unreserved seats.

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