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Which side of the train: why left and right switch with direction

Last updated: 16 Oct 2026

You remember that Mount Fuji was on the right, and then on the way back it shows up in the opposite window. This can happen. Which side a landmark appears on is decided not by the landmark itself but by the direction the train is running. This page explains how it works and how to work out the side yourself.

Left and right are "as you face the direction of travel"

On Madogawa, "left" and "right" mean left and right as you sit facing the direction the train is moving. Unlike north, south, east and west on a map, left and right switch when the train's direction changes. For example, if a landmark is to the north, it is on your right on a train running west, and on your left on a train running east.

The Tokaido Shinkansen runs roughly west (south-west in places) from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. So, as a basic pattern, landmarks north of the track appear on the right toward Shin-Osaka and on the left toward Tokyo. Mount Fuji is north of the track, so it is calculated to appear on the right toward Shin-Osaka and on the left toward Tokyo.

When the track curves, the side can change in the same direction

The track is not straight. On sections with large curves, a landmark can pass in front of or behind the train and move to the opposite window. On the Tokaido Shinkansen, the track changes direction a few kilometres west of Shizuoka Station, so even toward Shin-Osaka the calculation puts Mount Fuji briefly on the left. Travel records call this scene "Hidari-Fuji" (Fuji on the left).

Mount Ibuki is similar: the track changes direction between Nagoya and Kyoto, so on the same train toward Shin-Osaka the calculation gives sections where it is on the left and sections where it is on the right. Checking each section you ride is more reliable than remembering "this landmark is on the right".

Seat direction and windows

If you turn your seat to face backwards, left and right are reversed. From an aisle seat you look through the window beyond your neighbour. Madogawa does not deal with seat numbers or letters; it only answers left or right as you sit facing the direction of travel. Seat layouts differ by train and formation, so check the railway company's official seat map.

Working out the side yourself

  1. Check on a map which side of the track (north, south, east or west) the landmark is on.
  2. Check roughly which way the train runs on your section.
  3. Facing the direction of travel, work out whether that compass direction is on your left or your right.
  4. On the return train, swap left and right.

This works well where the track is almost straight, but it can go wrong on curves or when the landmark is close to the track. Madogawa calculates the direction of the track every 100 m, so it can give the side section by section even on curves.

Turning the map so the direction of travel is up

The map in the tool on the top page starts rotated so that the direction of travel is at the top of the screen. In this view, left and right on the screen match left and right in the train. Tap a row in the timeline and the map moves to the point where the calculated line of sight to that landmark begins, with the direction of travel at the top. Switch to "North up" to check with the usual map orientation. Columns are all the same height and do not show elevation or how easy a feature is to see. Side is shown by colour and the L/R letter. The route line (MLIT National Land Numerical Information, based on 1:25,000 maps) may be off by tens of metres; tunnels are drawn on the surface.

Seeing it is a separate question

Knowing the side does not mean you will see it. Nearer hills, tunnels, noise barriers and buildings can hide it, and after sunset it gradually becomes too dark to see. Madogawa labels each landmark using both the line-of-sight calculation and travel records, and also shows how bright it is at your time of travel. Seen = 2+ independent reports from the train + line of sight by calculation / Line of sight only = line of sight by calculation, fewer than 2 reports / Needs checking = reported but no calculated line of sight, cannot be judged by calculation alone, or neither reported nor in calculated line of sight (lakes and seas labelled Seen are shown as "Seen (hidden by noise barriers in places)")

The answers assume clear weather and an open line of sight. The detailed methods and limits are in Methods and limits, and the landmarks of each line are listed on the Tokaido, Sanyo, Hokuriku and Tohoku line pages.