The Sakura (さくら, Cherry Blossom) is a high-speed shinkansen service operated between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chūō in Japan since 12 March 2011.

Sakura trains stop at Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe, Himeji*, Okayama, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Tokuyama*, Shin-Yamaguchi*, Shin-Shimonoseki*, Kokura, Hakata, Shin-Tosu, Kurume, Chikugo-Funagoya*, Shin-Omuta*, Shin-Tamana*, Kumamoto, Shin-Yatsushiro*, Shin-Minamata*, Izumi*, Sendai, and Kagoshima-Chuo station.

(*) Not served by all trains Services are formed as shown below with car 1 at the Kagoshima-Chuo end.

The Sakura was first introduced on 1 April 1951 as a daytime Limited express service between Tokyo and Osaka.

[3] From 4 December 1999, the Sakura ran coupled with the Hayabusa service between Tokyo and Tosu.