Piracy on the Rails: All Aboard the “One Piece” Shinkansen!

Sail the Seto Inland Sea with the Straw Hat Pirates

On April 12, JR West launched the “One Piece Shinkansen,” a collaboration with the popular manga and anime series, running on the San’yō Shinkansen line between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Passengers can board the train alongside the aspiring Monkey D. Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Crew, setting off on a journey filled with the thrill of adventure.

The first train in the series is the “Setouchi Blue,” inspired by the beautiful sea views visible from the San’yō Shinkansen. From the Heian (794–1185) through the Warring States (1467–1568) periods, many pirates, led by the Murakami Suigun (naval pirates), were active on the Seto Inland Sea. This route along the coastline has been dubbed the Grand Rail, imitating the Grand Line from One Piece, encouraging travelers to collect treasures—attractions and specialties found at each stop.

The Setouchi Blue, photographed at a rolling stock depot in Okayama. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

The front car features Luffy on one side, with an image of his powerful “Gear 5” white form on the other. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

Luffy and Roronoa Zoro also appear above the windows. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

The Red Force, the ship of Shanks and the Red-Haired Pirates, joins the adventure. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

Packed with Popular Characters

Inside the train, vibrant designs featuring fan favorites can be found on headrest covers, compartment doors, and more. Some restrooms even feature mirrors decorated with the design of a wanted poster, letting passengers imagine themselves as an infamous pirate with a massive bounty.

Adding to the experience, the onboard chime when departing or arriving at stations uses the first opening theme song of the televised anime, “We Are!” At select stations, in-train announcements are made by the voice actors of Luffy and Tony Tony Chopper, so be sure not to miss them.

Original headrest covers featuring the cast of characters. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

Compartment doors that make you want to explore between your seat and the deck. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

Wanted posters issued by the Navy are scattered throughout the train. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

A restroom sink where you can feel like Shanks with a massive bounty, perfect for a photo op. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

Luffy and Zoro see you off at the boarding doors. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

The One Piece Shinkansen mainly operates between Shin-Osaka and Hakata as part of the Kodama service. On May 28, the “Tony Tony Chopper Train” will be introduced, followed by the “Monkey D. Luffy Train” on July 22. Three trains in total will be run at random.

Until May 7, operations are limited to certain days; from May 17 through the end of June, the trains will run daily. Since schedules and stops vary by day, and the schedule from July onward remains undecided, make sure to check the official website’s Train Guide before planning your adventure with Luffy and his crew.

The Car 2 door featuring Nico Robin’s name. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

Poster showing the full train design. (© Kusano Seiichirō)

The One Piece Shinkansen offers the fun of finding your favorite characters, like Buggy (top left) and Nefertari Vivi (top right). (© Kusano Seiichirō)

For more information on Japan’s Shinkansen network, see our route map.

Shinkansen Route Map

In the more than 60 years since the Tōkaidō Shinkansen began running between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan’s high-speed train service has expanded into a broad network of routes that stretches across the nation, and the famous “bullet train” continues to grow.

(Originally published in Japanese. Reporting and text by Nippon.com. Banner photo: The Setouchi Blue train and Luffy depicted on the front car. © Kusano Seiichirō.)