Snake causes power outage on Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train, stranding hundreds during golden week

Japan’s renowned Shinkansen bullet train network came to an unexpected halt on Wednesday (Apr 30) evening after a snake slithered onto an overhead power line, triggering a power outage that stranded hundreds of passengers during the peak of Golden Week travel.

What happened?

As per a Guardian report, the incident occurred around 5:25 pm between Maibara and Gifu-Hashima stations on the Tokaido Shinkansen, the country’s busiest high-speed rail line connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.

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The metre-long snake reportedly climbed an electricity pole before wrapping itself around the live line, causing a short circuit and dying in the process.

Power was not restored until after 7 pm, forcing a temporary suspension of services and leading to delays that rippled across the line. Although train interiors remained lit and air-conditioned, many passengers were stuck on stationary trains for over an hour.

A busy week spoilt 

The timing of the disruption could hardly have been worse. Golden Week—a string of national holidays in China—had just begun, with millions of Japanese citizens travelling to visit family or take vacations.

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Additionally, the ongoing Osaka Expo 2025, which opened earlier this month and runs through October, has been drawing record crowds to the Kansai region.

“I use the shinkansen several times a month, but this is the first time I have experienced suspensions due to a power outage,” Satoshi Tagawa, 46, told Kyodo News while waiting to return to Tokyo.

A rare interruption

The Tokaido Shinkansen, operated by Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai), boasts one of the world’s most impressive safety and punctuality records. Since its debut just before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the line has transported more than 7 billion passengers without any fatal accidents. Trains run at speeds of up to 285 km/h and typically arrive within an average of 1.6 minutes of their scheduled times.