JR West said that the Kid's Space, usually set up during the busy season, will once again be available free of charge in Shin-Osaka and Hiroshima Station. And other stations will offer some hospitable welcome.

Overview of Kid's Space

• Implementation period: 10:00 - 18:00 of August 7, 2010 through August 15
• Located at:
  • Shin-Osaka Station: conventional train's concourse
  • Hiroshima Station: Shinkansen concourse
• Intended for: children of elementary-age or younger
• Fee: free of charge

Overview of Other Hospitable Welcomes

• Mihara Station: Between 10am and 3pm of August 14, 2010 and 15, magnetic fishing game will be available in front of Shinkansen's gate. A shooting location where passengers can take pictures with the local objects like octopus and daruma will be also available.
• Hiroshima Station: Between 10am and 5pm of August 14, 2010 and 15, small hopping in which children can play a lottery will be available. A shooting location for families will be also available.
• Tokuyama Station: From August 14, 2010 to 16, the station will serve passengers cold barley tea.
• Shin-Yamaguchi Station: Ice pillars will be displayed in the concourse. Young passengers may get little presents of a paper fan and candies.

Shizuoka Hobby Fair was opened on July 24, 2010 and a full-scale model of Gundam is now standing in Shizuoka city. The site is located on the north side of Tokaido Lines's Higashi-Shizuoka Station, between the station's north exit and NTT DoCoMo Shizuoka Building [map]. The 18-meter-tall Gundam model can be seen from Shinkansen trains and many tweets are on Twitter.

On the westbound trains, passengers can see the Gundam on their rite side windows [YouTube]. Because the Shinkansen tracks are generally running on elevated bridges, the trains don't go under an overpass often. Before arriving Shizuoka Station, Shinkansen runs over Route 1 by a truss bridge and passes under five bridges of Tomei Expressway, local streets and Shizuoka Railway tracks. Then the passengers on trains will find NTT DoCoMo Shizuoka Building and the Gundam soon. If they on the trains which pass Shizuoka Station like Nozomi, they will find the statue about 7 minutes after passing Shin-Fuji Station (about 6 minutes and 30 seconds by N700 series). When the trains like Hikari and Kodama are going to stop at Shizuoka Station, the English announcement's phrase of "Passengers going to the Tokaido Line" may mean "The Gundam is standing on your right windows."

On eastbound trains, the Gundam is on their left. Shizuoka and Higashi-Shizuoka Station serve as landmarks. 35 seconds after Shizuoka Station by the trains passing Shizuoka like Nozomi or one minute and 50 seconds after departing Shizuoka by the trains stopping there, passengers can see him for a moment.

To promote traveling by Kodama for family travelers, JR West installed kid's cockpits in eight cars 500 series Kodama trains. Moreover, they are providing additional service of trying on a staff's cap for picture and borrow illustrated books in car 8 of 500 series Kodama between this summer.

The car 8 of those Kodama trains are free seating. Passengers, wanting to travel by quiet cabin, will be recommended taking their seats out of car 8. In those trains, all cars except car 6 are free seating.

Overview of trying on a staff's cap and bollow picture books

• Travel dates: Sat. Sun. and holidays between July 17, 2010 through August 29, and everyday from August 11 through 18
• Trains and sectors:
  • Kodama 737, from Shin-Osaka (07:29) to Hiroshima (10:32)
    
  • Kodama 744, from Hiroshima (13:29) to SHin-Osaka (16:05)
  • Kodama 757, from Shin-Osaka (16:38) to Okayama (18:01)
• Remarks:This service is subject to suspend due to the traffic conditions like vehicle change and being heavily inconvenienced.

JR West announced that Mine Line and Kure Line's services are suspended due to the heavy rain.

Mine Line's service is fully suspended between Asa and Nagatoshi because a bridge was washed out and roadbeds are collapsed. JR West said that recovery work requires an appreciable period.

Kure Line's service is suspended between Mihara and Hiro because of mudslides beside the tracks. It is planed to start the shuttle service between Mihara and Takehara, and Yasuura and Hiroshima. The rest section, between Takehara and Yasuura, will be kept suspended and bus transportation instead will be provided. Similarly, JR West said that recovery work requires long periods of time.

Visit the JR West's web site for up-to-the-minute information on traffic conditions.

JR Central said that "Kyoto Full Moon Concert" (京都 観月の夕べコンサート) will be taken on October 9 and 11, 2010 and it is the 20th anniversary. The guest players of this year are Zagreb Soloists and Ana Vidovic (guiter) from Zagreb, Croatia, which has the sister-city relationship with Kyoto. Audience members are required to apply for one of these events. 420 pairs (840 persons) for the performance at Kamigamo-Jinja shrine and 800 pairs (1,000 persons) for Kyoto Concert Hall selected in a drawing will be invited to the concert.

The concert at Kamigamo-Jinja shrine will be taken on the following day of the new moon and silvery full moon is not available at the concert site. Moreover, it is the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth and his Piano Concert will be played by a Japanese young pianist Kiyozuka, Shinya at Kyoto Concert Hall. This Full Moon Concert is famous as an outdoor one under the shining moon but the performance at Kyoto Concert Hall of this year may more interesting.

Applications can be submitted by a postcard or through JR Central's web site. The preferred concert place must be specified at the entry step.

Overview of Kyoto's Full Moon Concert Performed at Kamigamo-Jinja Shrine

• Date： October 9, 2010
• Place： Kamigamo-Jinja shrine's Hosodono
• Program:
  • Canon, by Johann Pachelbel
  • Divertimento in B flat major K.137, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • Ancient Dances and Airs for Lute Suite No.3, by Ottorino Respighi
  • Guitar Concerto in D major RV.93, by Antonio Vivaldi
    etc.
• Players:
  • Zagreb Soloists
  • Ana Vidovic (guitar)
• Invited: 420 pairs (840 persons)

Overview of Kyoto's Full Moon Concert Performed at Kyoto Concert Hall

• Date: October 11, 2010
• Place: Kyoto Concert Hall's Main Hall
• Program:
  • Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major Op.11 chamber version, by Chopin
  • Memories of the Alhambra, by Francisco Tarrega
  • Mandolin Concerto in C major RV.425, by Antonio Vivaldi
  • Serenade for Strings in E minor Op.20, by Edward Elgar
    etc.
• Players:
  • Zagreb Soloists
  • Ana Vidovic (guitar)
  • Kiyotzuka, Shinya (piano)
• Invited: 800 pairs (1,600 persons)

JR West said that "Chugoku Go-ken Norihodai Kippu" (中国5県乗り放題きっぷ meaning Unlimited Travel Ticket over the Chugoku Five Prefectures) will be released.

This ticket allows unlimited ride of JR's local trains in Chugoku area for two days. The price is JPY 5,000 for a adult and JPY 2,000 for a child. Traveling by Shinkansen between Okayama and Shin-Shimonoseki will be available with additionally paying the express fare. If the passengers will travel between Okayama and Hiroshima, the single fare costs over JPY 2,500, buying this ticket is better than paying regular fare.

Overview of Chugoku Go-ken Norihodai Kippu

• Name of the ticket: Chugoku Go-ken Norihodai Kippu (中国5県乗り放題きっぷ meaning Unlimited Travel Ticket over the Chugoku Five Prefectures)
• Travel dates: two consecutive days of Fri. Sat. Sun. and a holiday between July 16, 2010 through December 19
  # regardless of the day between August 20 through 31
• Period of selling: July 14, 2010 through December 17
  # must be purchased by the day before departure
• Effects of the ticket: This ticket allows unlimited ride of JR's local trains within the Chugoku area and JR's Miyajima Ferry service.
  # To travel by Shinkansen, other express services and Green-car, required paying the additinal express fares, etc.
• Available sectors: JR lines within Okayama, Hiroshima, Tottori, Shimane and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and JR's Miyajima Ferry service
• Prices: JPY 5,000 for a adult and JPY 2,000 for a child
• Terms of use: This ticket is for at least two persons traveling along.
• Purchasable at: major stations and travel vendors within the five prefectures
• Remarks: This ticket is NOT valid on other railway company's lines like Chizu Express (智頭急行), Ibara Railway (井原鉄道), etc.

Media reports said 100 series will retire by the spring of 2012 and JR West said nothing officially. 100 series painted in white and blue debuted in 1985 and has been operated as 16 cars trains. But they were shortened to four or six-car after 2000 and are running as Kodama trains with kelly green-colored belt on a gray background now. JR West released that three of six-car 100 series trains will be back in white and blue. The cars are now being repainted and the first one will come back at the end of this July.

JR Central said special trains for passengers with children will run on Tokaido Shinkansen in this August.

The four trains will run between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka on August 5 and 19, 2010. All seats are for being reserved and the tickets are available at JR Tokai Tours counters. Because the trains are only for passengers with children, parents can feel free to let their kids frolic in the trains. Even if the passengers are traveling with bulky baggages like buggies, they will not feel cramped because one or two extra seats will be assigned by a group. Moreover, the price is lower than the usual trains, even though other benefits of drink vouchers, a drawing for toys, special presents for kids aged three or under and so on, are also available. The trains are accessible because their departure times are around 11.

Another campaign "DS with Tokaido Shinkansen" will also be held from July 17, 2010 through August 31. Passengers traveling from Tokyo, Shinagawa or Shin-Yokohama to Kyoto can join that concurrently.

Overview of "Family Shinkansen"

• Name of the wares: Family Shinkansen (ファミリー新幹線)
• Travel dates: August 5 and 19, 2010
• Period of selling:
  • from July 1, 2010 through July 26 for trains on August 5
  • from July 1, 2010 through August 9 for trains on August 19
• Effects of the wares: Special Nozomi trains for passengers with children between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka
• Available sectors: from/to Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama to/from Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka
  # Traveling between stations of Tokyo, Shinagawa and Shin-Yokohama and between stations of Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka are not permitted.
• Schedule:
  
  • [from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka]
    Tokyo 10:47 - Shinagawa 10:54 - Shin-Yokohama 11:06 → Nagoya 12:31 - Kyoto 13:08 - Shin-Osaka 13:23
  • [from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo]
    Shin-Osaka 10:43 - Kyoto 10:59 - Nagoya 11:38 → Shin-Yokohama 13:01 - Shinagawa 13:13 - Tokyo 13:20
  # Trains run along the same schedule on August 5 and 19. The train for Shin-Osaka runs like Nozomi 329 and for Tokyo like Nozomi 326.
• Prices (e.g.):
  
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Shin-Osaka
    [second class] JPY 13,200 for an adult, JPY 5,900 for a child
    [green-car] JPY 15,200 for an adult, JPY 7,900 for a child
  • from/to Tokyo and Shinagawa to/from Kyoto
    [second class] JPY 12,700 for an adult, JPY 5,700 for a child
    [green-car] JPY 14,700 for an adult, JPY 7,700 for a child
  • from/to Shin-Yokohama to/from Shin-Osaka
    [second class] JPY 12,900 for an adult, JPY 5,800 for a child
    [green-car] JPY 14,900 for an adult, JPY 7,800 for a child
  # Child fare is applied for a baby because a seat will be assigned for him/her. So the tickets may be more expensive than the regular trains if the passengers are traveling with babies.
  # One or two extra seats will be assigned by a group seating in the second class cars. For green-car passengers, the same number of seats as the people will be assigned.
• Terms of use: Passengers must be traveling with one or more children of primary schooler or younger.
• Purchasable at: Counters of JR Tokai Tours except in Shizuoka area
• Special benefits:
  • drink vouchers
  • a drawing for Plarail sets
  • free rental of Plarail cars
  • presents of Plarail stickers and babywipes for children
  • presents of barley tea and snacks for children aged three or under
• Remarks: The trains are nonsmoking.

JR Kyushu announced the Kyushu Shinkansen's depot in Sendai will be opened to the public on July 25, 2010.

And JR Kyushu planned another public open days at Kumamoto dept on August 21 and 22, 2010. Visitors were required to make reservations and 36,534 people applied for the six thousand invitation. They said winners will receive cards by post by July 20. Applicants for the Kumamoto depot tour can decide attending Sendai or not after looking at the Kumamoto drawing's result.

Overview of Sendai Depot Summer Festa 2010

• Date and Hour: July 25, 2010, 09:30 to 15:00
  ※ Last admission at 14:30.
  ※ The event is subject to be canceled due to weather.
• Location: Sendai Shinkansen's Depot in Satsuma-Sendai city
• Events:
  • Visiting a cockpit of Tsubame [lottery]
  • Display of new Tsubame car's interior
  • Taking commemorative photos in child-sized crew uniforms, etc.
• Access: by complimentary shuttle service from Sendai Station
• Admission Fee: free