Japan's Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen now sell a private cabin called Supreme Class. JR Central says it entered service on October 1, 2026, on selected trains between Tokyo and Hakata, and each cabin is a private room behind an electronic-lock door.
You can book it only through Smart EX, JR's online reservation service, and JR Central prints its fares in yen. Here's what the cabin includes, what JR Central charges and how a traveler from the U.S. books it.
What Supreme Class Is
Supreme Class runs on selected Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama trains between Tokyo and Hakata. There are two cabin types.
The Car 7 cabin holds up to two guests and has a sofa. The Car 10 cabin is for one guest. In both, the seats can't be rotated.
Each cabin has an electronic-lock door that locks automatically. You unlock it by holding the IC card or QR ticket you used to board over the reader next to the door, and JR Central displays a Supreme Class logo near the boarding door closest to each cabin.
What's Inside the Cabin
A tablet in the cabin adjusts the recline, leg rest, lumbar support and seat heater, plus the lighting, the airflow and the audio volume. JR Central lists four lighting scenes: Normal, Business, Relaxation and Sleep. A dedicated Supreme Class Wi-Fi network has no time limit during your ride, and a speaker built into the headrest connects wirelessly to your device.
There's a large table, in-suite power outlets, USB-A and USB-C ports and a hanger. Car 7 adds the sofa. The luggage space beside your seat holds a carry-on-size suitcase, within 55 cm by 40 cm by 25 cm (21 by 15 by 9 inches).
After boarding, each guest gets a complimentary beverage and a confection, once per guest, on Nozomi and Hikari only. JR Central says there may be a wait, or the item may not be available, depending on train operating conditions and your section.
On Nozomi and Hikari you can also buy Supreme Class exclusive products through the Mobile Order Service. JR Central lists Banjo Jozo's Kamoshibito Kuheiji "Betsuatsurae," Takayanagi Seicha's Makinohara no Shizuku-cha Premium, Nakahira Farm's fruit smoothie and Sanei Foods' Hokkaido scallops. They're sold only between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, and products are subject to change.
What It Costs
JR Central prints these sample fares in yen, per adult, one way, on Nozomi in the regular season, with the basic fare and the limited express fare included. The page is marked "as of 17 June 2026."
- Tokyo to Nagoya: JPY 47,060 in Car 7, JPY 32,660 in Car 10.
- Tokyo to Shin-Osaka: JPY 60,790 in Car 7, JPY 42,390 in Car 10.
- Tokyo to Okayama: JPY 74,440 in Car 7, JPY 51,840 in Car 10.
- Tokyo to Hiroshima: JPY 86,620 in Car 7, JPY 60,020 in Car 10.
- Shin-Osaka to Hakata: JPY 72,690 in Car 7, JPY 50,090 in Car 10.
Smart EX says prices differ between Nozomi and Hikari or Kodama, and they move with the season: JPY 200 is deducted in the off-peak season, JPY 200 is added in the peak season and JPY 400 is added in the super-peak season, per adult. The full table for every section is in Smart EX's fare sheet. If you take a conventional train to or from the Shinkansen station, that fare is separate.
If a second person rides in Car 7, that person needs their own basic fare ticket and limited express ticket valid for the same train, in any class from Ordinary Car (reserved or non-reserved) to Green Car. JR Central says an accompanying passenger aged 6 or younger doesn't need a ticket. Only one person can be included in a single reservation, for both cabins.
How to Book
You reserve through Smart EX, the Tokaido Sanyo Kyushu Shinkansen Online Reservation Service, and a Smart EX membership is required. The Smart EX app is listed as available in the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand.
In the app, tap "Shinkansen Tickets," enter your date, time, stations and number of persons, then choose "Supreme Class" under "Seat Types." On the website the menu is "Search Train" and the field is "Seat Type." Pick your train, then pick the Supreme Class car.
Sales start at 10:00 a.m. one month before the boarding date. The one-year advance reservation service isn't available for Supreme Class, and EX Service tickets aren't sold at station ticket offices or through EX from LINE. Boarding works only with a transit IC card or a QR ticket, and paper tickets can't be picked up.
Changes, Refunds and Delays
Before you enter the ticket gate and before departure, you can change a reservation as many times as you like at no charge. Train changes can be made up to 4 minutes before departure, within three months of the original boarding date. You can refund a reservation yourself only before entering the Shinkansen ticket gate and before departure, and that carries a JPY 320 fee. After the departure time, the refund is made automatically on or after the day after your boarding date, minus a "specified amount" for each boarding section.
If the Shinkansen is delayed by 2 hours or more from the scheduled arrival time, the specified amount for each section you used is refunded. Smart EX also warns that a train can be suspended or run with a train set that has no Supreme Class cabins. In that case you change the reservation yourself, up to the departure time. No stopovers are allowed, so if you get off along the way, the section you didn't ride becomes invalid.
A Second Supreme Class Product Is Scheduled
JR Central's site also describes a separate Supreme Class Seat. It puts an electronic-lock door between the aisle and a large back-shell-style seat, and two guests can face each other by rotating the seats. JR Central says it's scheduled to enter service during fiscal year 2027, which runs from April 2027 to March 2028.
What to Do Before Your Trip
If your Japan itinerary includes a Shinkansen ride anywhere between Tokyo and Hakata, register for Smart EX before you leave and note the 10:00 a.m. sales start one month before your date. Choose a Nozomi or Hikari if you want the welcome beverage and confection. For the flight there, see our guide to flying to Japan with points and our JAL award sale piece.
