We took the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Karuizawa for a few days of R&R last week. Since we usually take the Tokaido Shinkansen, we decided to splurge for Gran Class this time around. The seats were very comfortable, and the cabin resembled that of an airplane – definitely a step up from our usual Green Car experience. It’s a shame that the journey to Karuizawa only lasted an hour.