On October 1, JR Central introduced “Supreme Class,” the first fully private seating on the Tokaido Shinkansen in 23 years.
The company has already introduced the “Supreme Class Cabin,” which features fully private compartments, and the “Supreme Class Seat,” which features semi-private compartments, will begin service during fiscal year 2027.
While detailed hardware specifications, service details, pricing, and booking procedures are covered in depth in a separate article, in this piece I’d like to share my experience riding on an actual train that departed from Tokyo Station.
First, regarding their location: There are only two “Supreme Class Cabins” per train set—a “private compartment for up to two people” (seat number 21A) in Car 7 and a “private compartment for one person” (seat number 21D) in Car 10.
Since there are no regular seats in the vicinity of either of them, a quiet atmosphere is maintained. For example, Car 7 is an S Work car designed to allow for voice communication during video conferences, and directly across the aisle from Private Room 21A is a private business booth.
Even if someone were talking on the phone in the business booth, the two walls separating the spaces should prevent any significant disturbance to the quiet. I also tried having a conversation with the door closed, and I didn’t even need to raise my voice. If you watch the video above, you’ll notice that the noise subsides slightly the moment the door closes (around the 26-second mark).
As for Car 10, although they haven’t been installed yet, a total of six “Supreme Class Seats” will be added around the 21D private compartment, so it’s unlikely to become a hectic, crowded environment.
Although the two types of private rooms have different capacities, their basic layout is the same; it’s not wrong to think of the private room for up to two people (21A) as simply the single-person private room (21D) with a longer depth and a fixed sofa added.
This private compartment, designed for up to two people, is a luxurious space featuring a main seat with a reclining mechanism and a fixed sofa facing each other—it’s so spacious that one person would have more than enough room to spare. While the walls extend all the way to the ceiling, creating a sense of being enveloped, the table is foldable and retractable, freeing up space so you can stand up and walk around (even if only a few steps). It offers a level of spaciousness that defies the traditional image of the Shinkansen—enough to make you want to do a little dance.
That impression grew even stronger once I sat down. Since removing the overhead luggage rack creates a sense of openness, I didn’t really mind having walls right on either side. Even when I stretched my legs out, I didn’t bump into anything, and if I reclined the seat all the way back (to 130 degrees), I could probably sleep comfortably.
It might not become an official policy—since it could lead to more people leaving things behind—but if possible, I’d like to take off my shoes and change into slippers (maybe some with a logo on them…).
© Source travel watch