JR East’s GranClass is Like Flying First Class on Rails
My first experience with Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train service was in 1996 when my then fiancé and I boarded a Kyoto-bound train at Tokyo Station. I clearly remember the moment the sleek white 300-series train pulled away from the station in near silence, my breath caught in my chest. Watching the world race by outside at 170mph while sitting in near silence (except for the occasional cheerful greeting of the attendant pushing the refreshment cart up and down the aisle), I was convinced that Japan was a country not of this world.
The Shinkansen experience continues to be a favorite for first-time visitors to Japan, but as a travel writer, the novelty of riding it has long worn off on me. Sure, riding the Shinkansen is still a utilitarian pleasure, more convenient than the hassle of flying, and still one of the most comfortable forms of mass transit in existence. Then JR East went and introduced a new level of service, GranClass, completely disrupting my perspective on standard Shinkansen travel.
Once again, my Shinkansen experience began at Tokyo Station, this time in the View Gold Lounge, a facility similar to a premium airline lounge, offering snacks and beverages in a quiet, comfortable area as you wait for your train to depart. Our destination was Aomori, northward at the top of Honshu, just before crossing the Tsugaru Strait to Hokkaido. A few minutes before departure, I headed up to the platform to the GranClass car, where a smartly dressed attendant stood by to welcome me. Settling into a shell-like leather-bound seat, I reclined deeply without concern for invading the personal space of the person behind me. The GranClass cabin seats just 18 passengers, with plenty of room for everyone to stretch out as they wish. The seats not only recline but also have adjustable leg and foot support as well. Need slippers or a blanket? Just call for the attendant, and those are yours to use too.
The cabin door slid silently open, and our personal cabin attendant bowed deeply before providing us with the meal and beverage menus for our roughly three-hour journey. The beverage menu featured a surprisingly wide variety of mostly domestic drinks, from Yamanashi Prefecture wines to sake from various regions, and fruit juices from orchards across the country. While delivering a glass of Yamanashi wine, our attendant asked if I preferred a Japanese or Western-style meal. A choice of meals on a simple train ride? If this was GranClass service, I was now hooked.
GranClass is a premium class service on select routes of the JR EAST Shinkansen lines from Tokyo to Tohoku (the northern area of Honshu between Tokyo and Hokkaido), Hokuriku (the Sea of Japan coastline facing continental Asia), and Joetsu. Akin to flying First Class at a fraction of the price, the GranClass cabin consists of 18 refined seats in a 2–1 configuration enveloped in the warmth of leather, wool, and wood. A dedicated GranClass attendant tends to cabin guests, offering a variety of amenities. Beverages, including domestic wines and sake, and a wide variety of non-alcoholic drinks are available throughout the journey, along with a light meal designed exclusively for GranClass.
Both Japanese and Western meal options are available on the trip, featuring seasonal ingredients that offer unique regional flavors year-round. In the autumn, we were treated to herb-roasted Hokkaido salmon and a gratin with venison simmered in red wine for the Western course, and clams simmered in miso and ginger, and grilled miso Sanriku coho salmon in the Japanese course. The meals are light fare; consider them just a taste of the delicacies that await you at your destination rather than a full meal. The Japanese course was an exceptionally well-conceived variety of sweet, savory, and umami delights.
After enjoying a meal and beverage, it wasn’t easy to keep from dozing off for a while in the premium leather seat. Individual seats exist within a shell that doesn’t intrude on other passengers’ space when you are fully reclined, complete with leg rests and a reading light. As the world sped by in near silence outside my window, I spent the next half hour in and out of peaceful rest. Across the aisle, a fellow passenger was catching up on his email while enjoying a glass of sake from Tohoku; it wasn’t long before he, too, put his work away and dozed off for a while.
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As ridiculous as it seems, I felt a bit disappointed as we pulled into our destination, knowing my GranClass experience was coming to an end. It takes a special kind of service to make the journey feel equal to or better than the destination, yet somehow, GranClass has pulled it off.
How to book a GranClass Shinkansen Ticket
GranClass service is available on several JR East Shinkansen routes, including the Tohoku, Hokuriku, and Joetsu lines. Tickets can be booked conveniently using Welcome Suica Mobile by following the detailed instructions on the JR East GranClass webpage.
With a GranClass ticket, you can also enjoy the View Gold Lounge in Tokyo Station, similar to a premium airline lounge offering beverages and snacks while you wait for your departure time.
Although the premium cabin is the same on all routes, not every route offers full amenities, such as meals and beverage service. Be sure to check the JR East GranClass website to see what is available on your trip.
