JR West and Central said that EX-IC Service which is provided within Tokaido Shinkansen will be extended its service coverage to Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata on August 29, 2009. This means that EX-IC Service will be available along whole line of Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen and more people will be able to travel with this convenient and saving service.

The service will start at 05:30 on August 29. It is the start accepting time for booking and it will not be acceptable before even if the travel date is behind the day of service expansion.

A new article about EX-IC early booking discount (EX-IC早特) released on August 29 will be published here soon.

[FYI] Advantages of EX-IC Service

• ticket-less boarding with only touching your EX-IC Card on the ticket gate
• easy transfer to local trains with touching your EX-IC Card and urban railroad IC pass in ICOCA area
• cheaper fare applied for EX-IC Service

JR Central said that the shinkansen's railcar shop in Hamamatsu will be opened to the public as Discovering and Aha Days for Shinkansen (新幹線なるほど発見デー) on July 25 and 26, 2009.

This event has be taken annually since 1995 and attracted people of 45,000 in 2008. It appeals to families with setting of like conductor experience for elementary school pupils.

Participants talk about necessity of prepare for the hotness on their blog.

• Date and Hour: July 25 and 26, 2009, 10:00 to 15:00 (last admission at 14:30)
• Location: Hamamatsu Railcar Shop (浜松工場) of JR Central (Minami-Ibacho 1-1, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu [map])
• Access: about 15 Min. from Hamamatsu Station by Complimentary Shuttle Service
• Admission Fee: Free
• Registration: No Need except visiting cockpit and conductor experience
• Events:
  • Flying N700 Vehicle by a Crane
  • Display of Various Shinkansen Cars like Inspection Trains (Doctor Yellow) and Series 0 Cars
  • Visiting Cockpit of Series 700 and 300 Cars (advanced application required)
  • Conductor Experience for Elementary School Pupils (advance application required)

In this April, new Ekibens were released at Shin-Osaka and Nagoya stations.

• Osaka Meibutsu Kuidaore Bento (大阪名物くいだおれ弁当 meaning Kuidaore Box as Osaka Institution, @1,000JPY at Shin-Osaka station) came from the desire of Kuidaore Taro to have Osaka Institution Boxes. Parcel paper of the box printed with red and white stripes is the trademark of him. Beef croquette, salty-sweet boiled chicken, hamburg, and freeze-dried tofu are contained as local dishes of Osaka.
• Showa Yoshoku Bento (昭和洋食弁当 meaning Western Dishes Box for Showa Ages, @850JPY at Shin-Osaka station) also came from the desire of Kuidaore Taro. The basic concept for this box is to be a kids lunch set for adults. Hamburg, fried prawns, orange red colored sausage, and spinach omelet are contained as the good old dishes in Showa.
• Mago to Issho ni Koraku Bento (まごと一緒に行楽弁当 meaning Picnic Box Going with Grand Children in a High School, @900JPY at Nagoya station) is for commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Kisei line complete opening and will have been sold until September 30, 2009. This box was co-developed by JR Central Passengers and Ouka High School which is famous for its excellent job in High School Cooking Contest and located along the line. Rice with hijiki seaweed, sliced rolled egg, and boiled beef, burdocks and other vegetables are contained in the box.