4. Shinkansen Train, Japan The Shinkansen is a high-speed rail that was pioneered in Japan. It has made a tremendous contribution to the development of Japan by connecting people, products, work and life. Japan's famed bullet train, the Shinkansen, is nicknamed "The Duck-Billed Platypus" because of the duck-like shape of its nose. It has over 1,400 miles of track, where the bullet trains top out at about 275 mph.