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Japanese Railways Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Japanese Railways Quizzes, Trivia

Japanese Railways Trivia

Japanese Railways Trivia Quizzes

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5 Japanese Railways quizzes and 50 Japanese Railways trivia questions.
1.
  Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen!   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The stereotypical travel poster for Japan shows a bullet train whizzing past a snow-capped Fujiyama. This quiz demonstrates how the development of one of the world's most advanced trains systems became an everyday feature of Japanese life.
Average, 10 Qns, 1nn1, Jul 06 22
Average
1nn1 gold member
Jul 06 22
146 plays
2.
  The Japanese Bullet Train   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
My friend is an importer of 'N' gauge model Japanese trains, and I challenged him to write a quiz on Japanese trains. Here it is... Shinkansen is the Japanese word for 'Bullet train', and refers to both the rail routes and the trains themselves.
Difficult, 10 Qns, ozzz2002, Apr 01 07
Difficult
ozzz2002 gold member
334 plays
3.
  Tokyo Rail Lines    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Part Two in a series of quizzes about railway systems in Japan. This quiz concentrates on the rail lines in and around Tokyo. Beware! There are several red herrings in the options.
Very Difficult, 10 Qns, ozzz2002, Apr 01 07
Very Difficult
ozzz2002 gold member
350 plays
4.
  Tokyo and Trains    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is for the true Tokyo boy or girl. It is all about train lines and train stations in this great city.
Difficult, 10 Qns, PDW823, May 06 06
Difficult
PDW823
344 plays
5.
  A Tour on the Tokyo Metro!    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
We go beneath Tokyo's surface and go on a ride on the local train in central Tokyo! Keep in mind: (sen = train line).
Tough, 10 Qns, Tunio, Dec 05 07
Tough
Tunio
252 plays
Related Topics
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Japanese Railways Trivia Questions
1. What was the main limiting factor in Japan from developing its own "bullet train"?

From Quiz Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen!

Answer: Existing narrow gauge rail network

The first Japanese railway opened in 1872 from Shinbashi in Tokyo to Yokohama 40 km to the south. On European advice, the Japanese government chose a narrow gauge of 1035mm as this was thought to be more suitable due to its largely steep terrain. The Dangan Ressha (bullet train) Project was conceived in 1939, to boost the transportation capabilities of the Tokyo to Osaka lines. This included switching to wide-gauge rails to accommodate high-speed passenger trains. Land was procured but work was abandoned due to WWII. This land and tunnels were used in the 1957 proposal which saw the greenlight for the high speed train line. Shinkansen does not mean "Bullet train as many non-Japanese speakers believe but it means "New Main Line" to reflect the busiest train route of Tokyo to Osaka. The bullet train moniker stuck though as the first models were actually shaped like a bullet. Japan was the first country to build dedicated railway lines for high-speed rail travel Under the otld narrow gauge, a track curve could be taken at a maximum speed of 130km/hr. On a standard gauge track the same curve could be taken at 145km/hr. Hence the need for dedicated track. This question was rushed into this quiz by Shinkansen fan 1nn1 from Team Phoenix Rising.

2. Which private railway company in Tokyo runs the longest suburban trains?

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: Keikyu with 12 cars on their main line.

Red herring #1. The Odakyu Romance cars are considered an express service, not suburban, JR East is not a private railway company and Eidan/TOEI do not combine these sets.

3. Which JR station is the busiest in Tokyo and in the world?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: Shinjuku

Shinjuku is the busiest and the most fun station in the world. The station handles in the range of 1 to 2 million people every day, going in and out of it's ticket gates. It is an amazing place to visit, especially when trying to catch the last train!

4. What date was the Sanyo line fully completed?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: 1975

The line operates between Shin-Osaka and Hakata with the fastest trip taking just over two hours. Pretty impressive, as it is over 620 kilometers (380 miles)! Work commenced in 1967, and the line to Okayama was completed in 1972. The Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo to Shin-Osaka Bullet train service) was opened in 1964, and was the first bullet train.

5. The first trip of a Shinkansen train took place on 1 October 1964, ten days before the beginning of which landmark event in Japan's post-war history?

From Quiz Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen!

Answer: The first Tokyo Olympics

While becoming a member of the United Nations in 1956 enabled post-war Japan to establish itself in the international community, hosting the 18th edition of the Olympic Games was essential to its transformation into a major player on the international stage. The unveiling of the first Shinkansen line, completed in just five years, became a symbol of the new Japan - accompanied by the slogan "Be in time for the Olympics". At 6 a.m. of 1 October 1964, the Series 0 "Hikari" train, a striking piece of machinery with a distinctive, bullet-shaped nose cone (hence the nickname of "bullet train") and an immaculate, ivory-and-blue livery, left Tokyo Station's Platform 19 on its first journey on the Tokaido line connecting the capital with Osaka. The train originally took four hours to cover the 515 km (320 mi) between the two cities, travelling at a speed of 210 km/h (130/mph). By the following year, the duration of the journey had shortened to 3 hours 10 minutes, and the train's speed had increased to 220 km/h (137 mph). The colours of the train's livery, which had never been used before, symbolized its safety (due to the lack of level crossings), which rendered the use of cautionary colours such as red or yellow unnecessary. The impact of the introduction of the Shinkansen on Japanese economy and society as a whole was enormous, and ushered an era of growth and prosperity for the country. The success of these trains also encouraged other countries to build their own high-speed rail systems. Crown Prince Akihito's wedding to Michiko Shoda happened in 1959, while the Osaka World Expo took place in 1970. This winning question sped into the quiz with just a little help from LadyNym from Team Phoenix Rising.

6. Riding another four stops to the east, we arrive at this big station. Five lines (Marunôchi, Hanzômon, Ginza, Yugatacho, Namboku) connect at this station, and another one linked with it. With Nagatacho station, what is the other station called?

From Quiz A Tour on the Tokyo Metro!

Answer: Akasaka-Mitsuke

The station, along with Ôtemachi station and Tameike-Sanno/Kokkai-gijidō-mae, is the only ones with five eidan lines connected at the area.

7. The trains of which lines have the highest speeds? (Watch out for that pesky red herring!)

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: Keikyu Limited Expresses at 120km/h

Keikyu Limited are regularly used in express services between Yokohama & Shinagawa (the 600 & 2100 type sets are actually capable of 130km/h). The Chuo line 201 set's maximum speed is 100km/h. Keihin Tohoku line 209's maximum speed is 120km/h, but service speed is not normally that high. The 'New Red Arrow' belongs to Seibu, not Tobu.

8. When did work start on the Yamagata line?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: 1987

This line runs from Tokyo to Shinjo, a distance of just over 421 kilometres. The line to Yagamata was opened in 1992, with the extension to Shinjo being completed in 1999.

9. Which line was the first to introduce 'Women Only' cars during late night services?

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: JR Saikyo

Keio was actually the first to provide this service, but is not on the list so is not a valid answer. Saikyo was the first JR line to do so.

10. A challenge when building the first Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Osaka (515 km) was the mountainous terrain between the two cities. How many tunnels needed to be constructed?

From Quiz Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen!

Answer: 67

The mountainous terrain that was a limiting factor in rail routes in Japan was not a factor with Shinkansen. The construction engineers just blasted tunnels into mountains and filled valleys and river crossings with bridges. In the initial 515km stretch between Tokyo and Osaka, there are over 2000 bridges and 67 tunnels. On the next section of the mainline, the 344km section between Okayama and Hakata, over half the route is tunnels The Seikan railway tunnel, when opened in 1998, was the longest on the overall Shinkansen line in Japan. At 53.8km (33.5 miles), it was the second longest railway tunnel in the world. It connects the Aomou Prefecture on Honshu Island to Hokkaido Island. This question was created with complete tunnel vision by Phoenix Rising's JAM6430

11. Which line does not use trains with 6 door cars?

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: Joban

Sobu's E231, Yokohama's 205 and Keihin Tohoku's 209 sets all have this facility. All of these lines cars normally have 4 doors.

12. How many stations on the Yamanote line begin with the letter "S"?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: 6

And they are; Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa, Shimbashi, Sugamo and Shin-Okubo. The Yamanote Line is Tokyo's most important train line. It is a circular line which connects Tokyo's major city centers. A trip around the whole circle takes approximately one hour.

13. What was the first name used to designate the new 300 series trains?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: Super Hikari

During pre-production, the name 'Super Hikari' was used until the eventual name 'Nozomi' was decided on. The 'Hayate' is the name for the newer E2-1000 sets running on the Tohoku line extension to Hachinohe.

14. Which line has cars with 5 doors for quicker passenger entry/exit?

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: Tokyo Metro Hibiya

This subway line is approximately 20 kilometres long, and runs between Nakameguro and Kita-Senju.

15. The station of Nogizaka can be visited by catching which subway line?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: Chiyoda

Nogizaka station is located in the Azabu area, a lovely and expensive part of Tokyo.

16. What type of speedometer does a 0 series Shinkansen (Bullet train) have?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: Horizontal bar graph

Many other sets eg 100, 300 use the angled/horizontal type. The other two types are not used on Shinkansen.

17. Taking another shortcut, we ride the Tôei Ôedo sen south five stops to Azabu-Juban station. If we translate this into English, which translation of Azabu-Juban gives the closest meaning?

From Quiz A Tour on the Tokyo Metro!

Answer: No. 10 Azabu

Azabu-Juban connects the Tōei Ōedo sen with the Namboku sen. The Namboku sen is famous for its automatic doors and elevators :) and clean, white subways.

18. Which two lines were connected (not physically - a change of platform is required) in December 2002?

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: JR Saikyo & JR Keiyo

When the extension of the Toyo Waterfront Railway (Rinkai line) was completed to Osaki, Saikyo line trains can run all the way through to Shin-Kiba, which is on the JR Keiyo line. JR Keihin Tohoku and JR Negishi are two names for the same line.

19. Which Tokyo subway line runs east-west through Tokyo and Chiba, and literally means East-West in Japanese?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: Tozai

If you didn't know Tozai sen went east-west through Tokyo, you may have known that To means east and Zai means west when the two different kanji are written together.

20. What is the minimum radius of the curves on the main line of the Sanyo Shinkansen?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: 3500m

When the Sanyo line was planned, the 2500m minimum radius of the Tokaido line was increased to 4000m, however there are sections of 3500m track before and after Shin-Kobe station.

21. Going one stop north to Roppongi-Itchōme station, we stop for a rest. What trains can you transfer to at this station?

From Quiz A Tour on the Tokyo Metro!

Answer: None

Roppongi-Itchōme station and Kamiyacho station on the Hibiya sen are the stops you would get off to the American Club and embassy.

22. On what subway line would you find the station called Senkawa?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: Yurakucho

Senkawa station is located a couple of stations away from Ikebukuro station (another huge station) on the Yuracho line.

23. Which series was the first to use AC rather than DC motors?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: 300

The changeover was done because AC (alternating current) motors are smaller, lighter and more powerful that DC (Direct Current) power plants. This took place in 1989, and all bullet trains since then operate on AC.

24. How many train lines stop the station, Oimachi?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: 3

Pretty tough, but if you really know Tokyo you should have got it. The lines are Keihin Tohoko, Tokyu Ooimachi and the Rinkai line. The Rinkai line is rather new and as a result is very expensive.

25. When the 400 series created the national speed record of the time, which line was it running on?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: Joetsu

This speed record was set in 1991, and was an awesome 345 kph! The record has since been raised to 443kph for a 'normal' bullet train, and over 581kph for the Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) train.

26. The Shinkansen celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014. What was the extent of the network at the time?

From Quiz Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen!

Answer: 2,300 km (1,249 mi)

The 50th anniversary of the launch of the first Shinkansen line was celebrated with a ceremony that took place at Tokyo Station's Platform 19 on 1 October 2014 at 6 am - exactly 50 years after that momentous inaugural departure. By that milestone date, service had been extended to the island of Kyushu, and the maximum speed of trains on the Tohoku line had reached 320 km/h (200 mph). After half a century, the extent of the network had grown to 2,388 km (1,480 mi), comprising six lines; a seventh line, the Hokkaido Shinkansen, would be added in 2016. The year 2014 also saw the beginning of construction of Phase 1 of the Chuo Shinkansen, a maglev (magnetic levitation) line between Tokyo and Nagoya, with trains expected to run at a speed of up to 505 km/h (314 mph). Phoenix Rising's LadyNym solemnly celebrated the completion of this question.

27. What colour is the stripe on the Ginza line?

From Quiz Tokyo and Trains

Answer: Yellow

Chiyoda line is a dark green colour, Toei Shinjuku line is a lighter green, Namboku line is a green blue colour, Marunouchi Line is red, Tozai Line is a light blue and Toei Mita Line is a dark blue.

28. Which series was the first to introduce a "Ladies Only" toilet?

From Quiz The Japanese Bullet Train

Answer: E1

Before 1994, Japanese women had to have good forward planning, or excellent bladder control skills. Just joking, folks, toilets were unisex before the E1 trains.

29. In 2011, The Japanese government approved new technology that would facilitate the train journey from Tokyo to Osaka in 67 minutes. What type of technology had been approved?

From Quiz Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen!

Answer: A Mag-Lev train capable of 500km/hr

Maglev, short for magnetic levitation, is a wheel-less train that uses two mgnet sets: one set to repel and push the train upwards 10-15mm off the track, and another set to move the elevated train ahead, utilising the absence of friction. The Chuo Shinkansen (Central Shinkansen) commenced development in the 70s but was approved for construction (about 9 trillion Yen or $US66 billion). The line will connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes and in the second stage, Tokyo to Osaka in 67 minutes. The train will run at a maximum speed of 505 km/h (314 mph). Nearly 90% of the 286-kilometer (178 mi) line to Nagoya will be through tunnels as the line is much straighter than the original Shinkansen route between the two cities. The engineering required is next level with a minimum curve radius of 8,000 m (26,000 ft) and a maximum grade of 4% (1 in 25).In 2020 the project stalled after Shizuoka Prefecture denied permission for construction work through its prefecture. This question was rushed into the quiz at breakneck speed by Phoenix Rising Team Member 1nn1.

30. Which line did not receive ex-Yamanote line 205 cars?

From Quiz Tokyo Rail Lines

Answer: JR Chuo line

Refurbished 4 car sets are being made for the Sendai Senseki line, new 10 car sets are being repainted for JR Keiyo and 6 door cars are being added to current Saikyo line 205 sets.

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