Shinkansen 500 series retires in July 2027: December is the last school holiday to ride a 500 Kodama from Shin-Osaka
This week's news · Checked 2026-10-30
What happened. On 26 Oct 2026, JR West announced that the 500 series Shinkansen (the long-nosed one) is scheduled to retire in July 2027. The yellow inspection train Doctor Yellow (set T5) is also due to retire in 2027. Scheduled 500 series trains from Shin-Osaka to Hakata end on 13 Jan 2027.
From 16 Jan 2027, the 500 series comes back as a temporary Nozomi between Himeji and Hakata: all seats reserved, mostly on weekends and public holidays. It is the first "500 Nozomi" since its scheduled runs ended in 2010, about 16 years ago.
| Train | Dates (2027) | Times (Japan time) |
|---|---|---|
| Nozomi 626, Hakata → Himeji | Saturdays 16, 23, 30 Jan; 6, 13, 27 Feb | Hakata 12:45, Kokura 13:01, Hiroshima 13:52, Okayama 14:32, Himeji 14:54 |
| Nozomi 627, Himeji → Hakata | Sundays 17, 24, 31 Jan; 7, 14, 28 Feb | Himeji 12:09, Okayama 12:31, Hiroshima 13:12, Kokura 14:01, Hakata 14:19 |
Tickets for this Nozomi are sold through e5489 (JR West's online booking), Midori no Madoguchi ticket counters and reserved-seat machines. They are not sold on Smart EX.
JR West is also selling fan tours on its tabiwa Travel site (in Japanese), all first come, first served:
- Ride Doctor Yellow while it inspects the line: 4 and 22 Dec (Shin-Osaka → Hakata), 5 and 23 Dec (Hakata → Shin-Osaka). Opens 4 Nov at 1pm Japan time (noon in Malaysia).
- Farewell display of two 500 series sets at the Hakata depot, 7 Dec. Opens 11 Nov at 2pm Japan time.
- The last scheduled 500 Kodama from Shin-Osaka, 13 Jan. Opens 9 Dec at 1pm Japan time.
What it means for you.
- December school holidays in Osaka, Hiroshima or Fukuoka with a train-mad kid: this is the last school break to ride a 500 series from Shin-Osaka before 13 Jan. The JR Pass covers the Kodama with no add-on; the Nozomi needs an extra ticket (rules and the honest sum in the JR Pass article).
- The JR Pass only pays for several cities. The 7-day pass is now ¥53,000 from overseas agents (the official site still shows ¥50,000, checked 30 Oct 2026). If your trip is Osaka → Hiroshima → Fukuoka and back, do the sum first: Klook: nationwide JR Pass (price depends on the pass type).
- Doctor Yellow does not carry regular passengers. Seeing it on a platform is luck; riding it is only through the tabiwa tours above. Whether overseas visitors can register on tabiwa has not been confirmed.
Watch out.
- Not every Kodama is a 500 series. Check the train type in the timetable or ask at the JR counter before you book.
- Tour opening times are in Japan time, which is 1 hour ahead of Malaysia. JR West says opening dates and details may change.
- The 500 Nozomi starts on 16 Jan, after the December school holidays. For a December trip, only the scheduled 500 Kodama is on offer.
Affiliate links may be used; your price doesn't change. Sources: JR West press release, 26 Oct 2026, "~Thank you 500 series & Doctor Yellow~" (Japanese), westjr.co.jp; JR West "The Last Run" special site (Japanese), jr-odekake.net; JR Pass prices from the JR Pass article (official site checked 30 Oct 2026). Checked 30 Oct 2026.