The Kyushu Shinkansen turned five on Mar. 12, and events were held at the JR stations along the route. At Hakata Station, an event was held in the plaza out front featuring a giant shinkansen-shaped balloon and a mini shinkansen ride, which was a big hit with the kids. In fiscal 2015, the Kyushu Shinkansen carried more than 13 million passengers for the first time ever, a record high and the fourth straight year in which the train broke its own ridership record. The Kyushu Shinkansen originally opened partially in 2004 between Shin-Yatsushiro (Kumamoto) and Kagoshima-Chuo and was extended fully in March 2011, allowing connections between Hakata and Kagoshima in as little as 1 hour and 17 minutes. Source: Mainichi Shimbun, 3/12
