## Bullet Train Stops Due to Snake Incident in Japan
On Wednesday, a bullet train in Japan made an unexpected halt when a meter-long snake climbed an electric pole, disrupting the power supply.
According to The Guardian, this unusual event took place between the Maibara and Gifu-Hashima stations at approximately 5:25 am. The power outage affected the Tลkaidล Shinkansen route that connects Tokyo and Osaka. By 7 pm, electricity had not been fully restored, resulting in train delays exceeding one hour. Passengers found themselves stuck on the train, although reports indicated that the lights and air conditioning remained operational during the outage.
The Tลkaidล Shinkansen line is one of the busiest in Japan, linking three major cities: Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. More than 370 trains operate daily, transporting around 430,000 passengers. These trains can reach speeds of up to 285 kilometers per hour, allowing travel from Tokyo to Osaka in less than 2.5 hours.
This incident occurred during Japan’s Golden Week, a period filled with national holidays when many people travel to enjoy their time off. A passenger shared with Codo News that they frequently use the Shinkansen but had never experienced a suspension due to a power outage before.
As Japan’s first high-speed train line, the Tลkaidล Shinkansen has served around 7 billion passengers since its inception shortly before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The Central Japan Railway Company, known as JR Tokai, maintains an impressive safety record, reporting no accidents or injuries, with trains arriving at their scheduled times within 1.6 minutes.
Although such occurrences are rare, reptiles have occasionally caused delays on the Shinkansen. In April of the previous year, a 40-centimeter snake was discovered inside a train on the Nagoya-Tokyo route, leading to a 17-minute delay as the vehicle was replaced after staff failed to locate the creature.
Another incident was recorded in 2009 when a snake triggered an electrical outage, halting trains between Tokyo and Fukushima.
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