5 quick facts about the Shinkansen, Japan's mighty bullet train

While riding the Shinkansen in Japan, Kapuso journalist Sandra Aguinaldo said that she can't help but think of the state of the MRT in the Philippines. 

The regular trains in Tokyo already have enviable efficiency, but the mighty Japanese bullet train is nothing short of an engineering marvel. The speed is remarkable at 320 km per hour at maximum speed with passengers aboard and the story behind its design even more so.

Here are five quick facts about the Shinkansen:

1. Its unique shape is inspired by the kingfisher, meant to reduce the "boom" that goes with high speed travel.

2. The original Shinkansen from 1964 can be seen at the Railway Museum, where you can also see the evolution of the train systems in Japan and how engineers overcame geographical obstacles among other things. 

3. Deputy Director of Project Development, Railway Bureau, the Ministray of Land, Transportation, and Infrastructure Ryochi Akimoto explained that to maintain the high speed, the Shinkansen must move in a straight line. So, they figured out how to lay tracks not around oceans or mountains but through it. 

4. Most Shinkansens are automated and run at a designated speed. Brakes are immediately deployed if it exceeds that speed and it also responds directly to a seismometer. The train will slow down or stop in the event of an earthquake to ensure passenger safety.

5. Since its launch in 1964, no fatalities have ever been recorded.

The Shinkansen's first stop in Southern Japan is Kagoshima Chuo Station and this is where Sandra Aguinaldo began her trip. 

"Tahimik sa loob ng Shinkansen. Hindi mo mariring ang ingay sa labas," Aguinaldo said, "Pati ang mga tao sa loob, tahimik din."

It feels like the train is floating on the tracks, she added. Its maintained so well, you wouldn't think it services over a million people a day. — Aya Tantiangco, GMA News