Iconic Shinkansen turning 60

Built for speed: The N700A and N700S series trains parked at the JR Central’s Shinkansen depot in the Shinagawa district of Tokyo. — AFP

Her white-gloved, waistcoated uniform impeccable, 22-year-old Hazuki Okuno boards a bullet train replica to rehearse the strict protocols behind the smooth operation of a Japanese institution turning 60 on Tuesday.

High-speed Shinkansen trains began running between Tokyo and Osaka on Oct 1, 1964, heralding a new era for rail travel as Japan grew into an economic superpower after its World War II defeat.