Exhibition on Shinkansen at 60

A Japanese bullet train nose cone has gone on display in London, to mark 60 years since the first-generation Shinkansen entered service.

Japan House is marking the anniversary with events including an exhibition (running from October 2) which features a window display of ‘eki-ben’ bento boxes - lunch boxes which are sold at railway stations in Japan.

It’s the first time this nose cone has been displayed outside Japan. More than a metre tall and weighing 80kg, the nose cone was used for the very last journey of the original ‘Series 0’ Shinkansen on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line, and is commemoratively printed with the date. Visitors can see the display until January 2025.