Voice of the Shinkansen
Since 2003
For over two decades, Australian singer and voice actor Donna Burke has been the calm, reassuring voice welcoming millions aboard Japan’s iconic Shinkansen bullet trains. Since 2003, her English announcements—heard on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines—have guided domestic and international passengers with her signature warmth and clarity.
Whether it’s “This is the Nozomi super express bound for Hakata” or “The next stop is Shin-Osaka,” Donna’s voice has become part of the cultural soundscape of Japan’s high-speed rail network. Operated by JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu, these lines represent Japan’s engineering brilliance—and Donna’s voice has become their familiar, comforting guide.
In 2019, she recorded platform announcements in English to help in bound travellers feel more at ease, especially as Japan’s tourism boom left many non-Japanese speakers overwhelmed by rapid Japanese-only announcements.
Tokyo Station 2005
In 2019, Donna shared a deeply personal moment — her mother hearing her Shinkansen voice for the first time.
The tweet struck a chord globally and went viral with over 4 million views.
Then, a silly post Donna made in 2020 with her best friend and fellow train platform announcer, Chris Wells, was retweeted by a Japanese school girl- garnering 37 million views.
Many Japanese commented that they heard Donna and Chris's voices more frequently than their own family!
Going Viral
Shinkansen to Video Game
In a 2011 episode of The Kojima Report, Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima suddenly realized the calm, reassuring voice he’d heard countless times on the Shinkansen belonged to the person sitting right across from him — Donna Burke.
He turned to her and asked,
“Are you allowed to do the Shinkansen voice for other things?”
Donna replied,
“Of course — it’s my voice.”
That simple exchange sparked a lightbulb moment. Kojima wanted that same calm, motherly presence to guide players in his next game. Donna had already performed the theme song for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, but now she would also become the voice of the iDroid system in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, serving as the player’s trusted AI guide.
As a nod to her Shinkansen fame, Kojima even had her record fake train announcements as hidden Easter eggs in the Japanese version of the game — a tribute fans still talk about.
Launch of Phantom Pain 2015
@ Konami Roppongi Tokyo
