Heavy Rain Shuts Sanyo Shinkansen, Ripple Disrupts Kyushu and Tokaido Lines

Torrential rain sweeping western Japan forced West Japan Railway Co. to suspend all Sanyo Shinkansen services between Hiroshima and Hakata from about 1:30 p.m. on 10 August, stranding thousands of Obon holiday travellers. The company said rain gauges near Shin-Yamaguchi and Shin-Shimonoseki exceeded safety limits, prompting an immediate shutdown that lasted for the rest of the day. JR West reported that 137 trains were cancelled or partially cancelled and another 60 were delayed, disrupting journeys for more than 67,000 passengers. The stoppage had knock-on effects on through services with the Tokaido and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. Central Japan Railway’s Tokaido Shinkansen also halted operations for several hours between Atami and Shin-Fuji after rainfall reached regulatory thresholds, delaying 179 trains and affecting roughly 86,000 riders, according to figures cited by Nikkei. In Kyushu, JR Kyushu suspended the entire Kyushu Shinkansen from the first trains on 11 August as the downpour spread southward. The Sanyo Shinkansen resumed normal timetables from the first departures on 11 August, though residual delays persisted while track inspections continued. JR Kyushu restarted limited services between Hakata and Kumamoto shortly after dawn and brought the full Hakata–Kagoshima-Chuo route back online around 6:15 a.m. The Japan Meteorological Agency warns that heavy rain may continue in some areas, and rail operators advise passengers to check schedules before travelling.