Which Stations Does the Shinkansen “Hikari” Stop At? A Complete List and Travel Times Explained

The Hikari is a Shinkansen service that operates on both the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.

It stops at major stations such as Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Kokura, and Hakata (Fukuoka). *Note: Some trains may also stop at additional stations depending on the schedule.

This page introduces the stations where the Hikari Shinkansen stops.

List of Hikari Stops

Here is a complete list of stations where the Hikari Shinkansen stops.

● : All Hikari trains stop
○ : Most Hikari trains stop
▲ : Only some Hikari trains stop

The Hikari is a Shinkansen service that operates on both the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.

It stops at major stations such as Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Kokura, and Hakata (Fukuoka). Note: Some trains may also stop at additional stations depending on the schedule. The Hikari serves popular cities for both tourism and business.

At each station, passengers can transfer to JR local lines or subway networks, making it a convenient starting point for regional travel.

Stations such as Odawara, Atami, Mishima, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Gifu-Hashima, Maibara, Nishi-Akashi, Aioi, Shin-Kurashiki, Fukuyama, Shin-Onomichi, Mihara, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Shin-Iwakuni, Tokuyama, and Shin-Yamaguchi are served only by select Hikari trains. Be sure to check the timetable in advance on NAVITIME or other reservation sites Japan Travel by NAVITIME

Hikari Travel Times

Here is a summary of travel times for each section of the Hikari. The Hikari is a mid-speed Shinkansen service—slower than the Nozomi, but faster than the Kodama.

Between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, the fastest Nozomi takes approximately 2 hours and 21 minutes, while the Hikari takes about 2 hours and 54 minutes—roughly 30 minutes slower. Although it takes longer than flying, the Shinkansen runs frequently and offers the advantage of easy, immediate boarding.

On the Sanyo Shinkansen, Sakura and Kodama services are more common, and Hikari trains run less frequently.

The Hikari offers non-reserved seats, reserved seats, and Green Car (first-class) seats, allowing passengers to choose based on their needs.