Kodama (Shinkansen)
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Kodama shinkansen are the "slowest" of the train services running on the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen. The actual train vehicles themselves are not slow, rather, the service is. Meaning the train-service stops at every station along the route which it covers.
Generally, you would not ride the Kodama if you wanted to go between major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka simply because it would take too long. Instead, passengers should take the Nozomi or the Hikari instead. The Kodama trains are used primarily for stop-offs between major cities and small cities such as Tokyo to Atami [although other shinkansen services may also access these cities].
The trains following Kodama routes are historically the slower and older ones, including the original 0 Series trains. Today 300 Series and 700 Series trains also operate as Kodama.
The word kodama, written in Japanese as こだま by Japan Railways [JR] on station platform information signs, means "echo".ja:こだま (列車)