The Tokaido Shinkansen has been in operation for 60 years. We visited the site where the Shinkansen carriages are made with the skills of a master craftsman. The "hammered sheet metal" technique involves bending aluminum plates while rhythmically hammering them. (Yamashita Kogyosho, Fujii Hiroyuki) "We had a sense of accomplishment in making something that could run at 200 km/h." The first Tokaido Shinkansen, the "0 Series," was created with the skills of a master craftsman. Fujii Hiroyuki (79) was one of the people who designed the "face" of the front carriage. This "dream super express" was the first in the world to break the 200 km/h barrier. To achieve this high speed, reducing air resistance was an important issue. The "round nose" "face" was selected from nine designs. ■60 years of "craftsmanship" Yamashita Kogyosho, located in Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was founded to create this "face." The company, which began with Fujii and two others, has progressed alongside the Shinkansen. (Yamashita Kogyosho Honorary Advisor Fujii Hiroyuki) "The shape of the Shinkansen has changed a lot. I think we've done most of them." Yamashita Kogyosho has used the "hammered sheet metal" technique to create the "face" of the train, from the "0 series" to the "E7 series" of the Hokuriku Shinkansen. (Yamashita Kogyosho Honorary Advisor Fujii Hiroyuki) "(Q: Did you have any pride or self-esteem?) Of course I did. I couldn't have done it without it. I think I did a good job. I'm impressed." For 60 long years, the technique has been passed down to the younger generation, and the trains we still manufacture today still have countless hammer marks shining brightly. ■The evolved "face" of the latest trains Nippon Sharyo's Toyokawa Works is located in Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture. Founded in 1964 when the Tokaido Shinkansen opened, it is the number one Shinkansen manufacturer in Japan. The latest vehicle currently in service is the "N700S," with the "S" standing for "Supreme." Its most distinctive feature is the front car, or "face." It has a sharp, three-dimensional shape called the Dual Supreme Wing. It is said to reduce air resistance and noise, and provide a comfortable ride. How is this latest vehicle made? (Nippon Sharyo's Doi Kohei) "We use machine processing technology for the parts that can be relied upon by machines, but since it is a very large structure with a complex shape, the final fine adjustments are made by craftsmen's skills." ■The pursuit of an "ideal" smooth body This body, which has an even more complex shape than the 0 series, is produced by machining using 3D data. However, finishing such as welding is still done by "hands." Because welding of the front car requires particularly delicate techniques, only five of the 180 welding workers at Toyokawa Factory are in charge of it. (Tachikawa Yasushi, Nippon Sharyo) "(The front car) is the face of the train, so I'm proud of it. We have a goal of making a beautiful front car, but the result is always slightly different. Because it's done by hand." The aluminum alloy body is painted white and blue. What emerges is a blue line, a beautiful straight line. But it's not finished yet. A final inspection awaits. ■ Thorough! Not even a millimeter of dirt is overlooked (Sakurai Toshiki, Nippon Sharyo) "We check to see if there are any defects in appearance or peeling paint." We shine a light on it and visually check for any defects, and blue tape is applied to any points that need to be corrected. Not even a millimeter of dirt is overlooked. (Sakurai Toshiki, Nippon Sharyo) "(Q: How much tape is applied to one train?) It varies, but it's usually around 2,000 pieces." It takes eight months for a Shinkansen to be completed under strict quality control. Nippon Sharyo Toyokawa Works, which has manufactured 4,500 cars to date, will continue to support the Tokaido Shinkansen, which opened 60 years ago. ■The "Shinkansen" that runs overseas as well Reliable and safe operation The Tokaido Shinkansen is the culmination of Japanese technology. In fact, it also runs overseas. Taiwan High Speed ​​Rail, which opened in 2007, is the first railway overseas to use Tokaido Shinkansen technology. In September, Taiwanese engineers came to JR Central's Hamamatsu Factory. They came to learn about the technology as part of a technical support consulting agreement that JR Central concluded this year. Overseas strategies are also underway in the United States, and we can expect the day when trains with the genes of the Tokaido Shinkansen will be in operation all over the world.