JR Central announces semi-private class seats on Tokaido Shinkansen for 2027

3 comments

1. That seems like a weird direction to go in; going straight to ultra-high-luxury First seats a’la modern airliners.

   I’d have expected something akin to business class seats would make more sense?

   Current Green Cars are more like PE, than a “real” business class of 2025.

   Anyway, 150k for TYO-Osaka one way, I’m guessing?

2. Ya’ll can laugh, but this is just another sign of the class stratification that is constantly creeping into our daily existence at a increasing pace.

   Things are either enshitified or gentrified. If you can’t afford it, fuck off.

   The only war is class war. Even over train seats.

3. Apparently [this was announced last year](https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/new-private-rooms-on-tokaido-shinkansen-change-the-way-we-travel-from-tokyo-to-kyoto) ([official announcement](https://jr-central.co.jp/news/release/_pdf/000043528.pdf)), I thought it sounded familiar.

   Back then they announced 2 seats (now 6) per train, and starting fiscal year 2026, now 2027. They also had announced air conditioning and volume control, but that is not in the current announcement.