The Shinkansen (Japanese: 新幹線, lit. 'new main line'), colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. It is operated by five Japan Railways Group companies. The popular English name bullet train is a literal translation of the Japanese term dangan ressha (弾丸列車), a nickname given to the project while it was initially discussed in the 1930s. The name stuck because of the original 0 Series Shinkansen's resemblance to a bullet and its high speed. (from Wikipedia)
