In brief
Japan’s Tokaido Shinkansen experienced major disruptions after a snake became entwined in a power line, leading to the suspension of services between Tokyo and Osaka during the busy Golden Week holiday. Passengers expressed frustration as they faced delays amidst high travel demand.
One of Japan's busiest bullet train lines, the Tokaido Shinkansen, came to a sudden standstill when a snake tangentially hung on a power line, leading to an unexpected power outage. The suspension of services began around 17:25 local time on Wednesday and lasted approximately an hour and a half before operations resumed around 19:00, as reported by Central Japan Railway Company and various local news sources.This incident unfolded during the peak of Japan's Golden Week, a holiday characterized by a series of four national holidays within a week, significantly increasing transportation demands. Additionally, with Osaka hosting the World Expo until October, travel and tourism in the region are at an all-time high.The snake disruption affected trains traveling between Gifu-Hashima and Maibara stations, halting both Tokyo-bound trains headed to Nagoya and those destined for Osaka. As railway authorities scrambled to restore power, reports indicated that passengers gathered anxiously at train stations, forming long queues at ticket machines as they sought information about their travel.Frequent shinkansen rider Satoshi Tagawa, 46, shared his surprise at experiencing such a chaotic situation for the first time during his many travels: “I use the shinkansen several times a month, but this is the first time I have experienced suspensions due to a power outage.” Contrarily, 26-year-old Kazutoshi Tachi expressed his growing impatience with the delays, stating, “I want them to run on time.”This isn't an isolated incident; the shinkansen has seen similar disruptions before due to snakes. A notable event occurred in April 2024 when operations were briefly halted for 17 minutes to remove a snake from the tracks between Nagoya and Tokyo.
