Holiday Ayo - Shinkansen are known as bullet trains because they can travel incredibly fast. However, on September 30, 2025, a Hokkaido Shinkansen in Japan experienced a different experience.

The Shinkansen, entering the Seikan Tunnel en route to Shin Hakodate Station in Hokuto, suddenly slowed to 36 km/h at around 11:00 PM local time.

By law, Shinkansen are advised to slow down when passing through the undersea tunnel that crosses the Tsugaru Strait, which separates Hokkaido and Japan's main island, Honshu.

The Hokkaido Shinkansen's speed gradually slowed as it entered the tracks. However, upon exiting the tunnel, the train remained at a slow pace.

The Hokkaido Shinkansen's speed at that time was recorded at only 36 km/h, compared to the safe 160 km/h.

So, what caused this?

The Hokkaido Shinkansen operator, JR Hokkaido, revealed the cause of the Shinkansen train's slow speed.

He stated that it was not due to a technical issue, but rather a simple reason: the driver was distracted.

According to Japan Today, as the train entered the Seikan Tunnel, the driver engaged the brakes to reduce the train to a safe speed.

After entering the tunnel, the brakes should have automatically released. However, the driver forgot to accelerate due to a lack of concentration.

Another crew member realized they were not traveling as fast as usual and immediately explained the situation to the driver on duty. The driver regained consciousness after receiving a phone call from the crew member.

The train reportedly arrived on time at its destination station in Shin Hakodate, Hokuto. No passengers were injured in the incident.

According to FNN Japan, all 50 passengers on board the train are confirmed safe. However, the Hokkaido Shinkansen is still investigating the driver for deviating from normal train operating procedures.

The investigation is focusing on the cause of the driver's impaired consciousness. The driver has apologized for the incident.

He promised to take action to prevent a similar incident from happening again.