Japan's Shinkansen reservation rates during Obon holiday

On July 23 2026 JR East announced that the Akita Shinkansen Komachi had a 57 % reservation rate for the Obon holiday period (August 7‑16). The service offered about 80 000 seats, with bookings at 98 % of the previous year's level.

JR Central reported the reservation situation for the Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi services. Demand peaked on August 8 for south‑bound trains and on August 16 for north‑bound trains, but overall reservation numbers were comparable to the previous year. Seats remain available, although the south‑bound departure from Nagoya on the morning of August 8 was already experiencing crowding, prompting an early‑booking appeal.