Akita Shinkansen

High-speed railway line in Japan

Akita Shinkansen

An E6 series trainset on an Akita Shinkansen Komachi service in October 2016.

Overview
Native name| 秋田新幹線
Owner|  JR East
Locale| Iwate and Akita prefectures
Termini|

* Morioka
* Akita

Stations| 6
Service
Type| Mini-shinkansen
Services| Komachi
Operator(s)| JR East
Rolling stock| E6 series
History
Opened| 22 March 1997; 28 years ago (1997-03-22)
Technical
Line length| 127.3 km (79.1 mi)
Number of tracks| Double-track and Single-track
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification| 20 kV 50 Hz AC (overhead catenary)
Operating speed| 130 km/h (80 mph)

Route Map (from Morioka in blue)

The Akita Shinkansen (秋田新幹線) is a Mini-shinkansen rail line in Japan. Serving the Kantō and Tōhoku Regions of the country, it links Tokyo and Akita in Akita prefecture. From Tokyo to Morioka in Iwate prefecture, it operates on the Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks. From Morioka to Ōmagari, it uses the Tazawako Line tracks. The section from Ōmagari to Akita uses the Ōu Main Line tracks.

## Operations

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Services consist of Komachi trains which are 7-car E6 series mini-shinkansen sets coupled with E5 series Hayabusa trains for the portion of the journey between Tokyo and Morioka.

The Komachi services run at a maximum speed of 320 km/h (200 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen, and between Morioka and Akita, run as 7-car independent trains with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph).[1] However, 110 km/h (70 mph) is more typical for the line through the hills east of Akita, with trains frequently slowing to 90 km/h (55 mph) for curves such as those south of Ugo. The line from Morioka to Akita is prone to deep snow.

The fastest timetabled journey between Akita and Tokyo currently takes 3 hours and 37 minutes calling at four or five stops in between.

## Stations

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Between Tokyo and Morioka, the stations are the same as those on the Tohoku Shinkansen. From there on, the stations are as shown below.

Station  | Japanese  | Distance (km)  | Transfers  | Location

|
|
|
|

From Tokyo | From Morioka
Morioka | 盛岡 | 535.3  | 0.0  |  Tōhoku Shinkansen (for Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto)
Tōhoku Main Line
Yamada Line
Tazawako Line
Iwate Galaxy Railway Line | Morioka | Iwate Prefecture
Shizukuishi | 雫石 | 552.9  | 16.0  | Tazawako Line | Shizukuishi
Tazawako | 田沢湖 | 579.4  | 40.1  | Tazawako Line | Senboku | Akita Prefecture
Kakunodate | 角館 | 600.0  | 58.8  | Tazawako Line, Akita Nairiku Jūkan Railway Akita Nairiku Line
Ōmagari | 大曲 | 618.5  | 75.6  | Ōu Main Line, Tazawako Line | Daisen
Akita | 秋田 | 670.2  | 127.3  | Ōu Main Line, Uetsu Main Line, Oga Line | Akita

## History

[edit]

* March 22, 1997: The segment from Morioka to Akita began operating with 5-car E3 series trains.
* 1998: Trains were extended to 6 cars.
* September 16, 2001: line celebrates 10 millionth passenger.
* March 11, 2006: line celebrates 20 millionth passenger.
* March 18, 2007: All cars are made no smoking.
* March 11, 2011: All services suspended due to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
* March 18, 2011: Partial service resumes between Morioka and Akita. No through service to Tōhoku Shinkansen.
* April 29, 2011: In conjunction with the reopening of the full length of the Tohoku Shinkansen, through service to Tokyo is restored.
* March 16, 2013: New E6 series trains were introduced on Super Komachi services, operating at 300 km/h (185 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen.[2]
* March 15, 2014: All Komachi services operated by E6 series trains, operating at 320 km/h (200 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen.[3]
* July 22, 2017: All services between Ōmagari and Akita suspended due to flooding after heavy rain falls.
* July 29, 2017: Service resumes.
* February 13, 2021: Services suspended north of Nasushiobara Station due to the 2021 Fukushima earthquake.[4]
* 6 March 2025: Due to a Hayabusa-Komachi 21 service uncoupling near Nishi-Nippori station, coupled formations with Hayabusa trains are suspended until further notice. Passengers travelling between Tokyo and Akita were advised to transfer at Morioka station.[5]

## Rolling stock

[edit]

As of March 2020, the following types are used on Akita Shinkansen services.

An E6 series trainset on an Akita Shinkansen Komachi service in October 2016.

* E6 series 7-car sets, since 16 March 2013

### Former rolling stock

[edit]

An E3 Series coupled with an E2 Series at Oyama Station

* E3 series 6-car sets (originally 5-car sets) withdrawn by 15 March 2014

### Non-revenue-earning-types

[edit]

E926 East i train at Omiya Station, May 2001

* East i (E926)

## In media

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The Akita Shinkansen is featured in the film Bullet Train Explosion.

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Akita Shinkansen.

* JR Timetable, June 2009 issue

1. ^ 300km/hのトップランナー [300 km/h Top Runners]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 52, no. 612\. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. April 2012. p. 14.
2. ^ 秋田新幹線の新しい列車名は"スーパーこまち"に [New trains on Akita Shinkansen to be named "Super Komachi"]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
3. ^ Yomiuri Shimbun: "JR東日本の新幹線 13年3月メドに「E6系」導入" (18 June 2009). Retrieved on 19 June 2009. (in Japanese)
4. ^ "Tohoku Shinkansen line breaks from the base of utility poles" (in Japanese). TBS News. 14 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
5. ^ "東北新幹線が走行中分離、「こまち」側に連結解除の痕跡…原因判明まで新幹線の連結運転取りやめ（読売新聞オンライン）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-03-08.

* v
* t
* e

Shinkansen

Lines|

| SCMaglev lines (505 km/h)|

* Chuo (2034)

|

Main lines (300–320 km/h)|

*  Sanyō
*  Tōhoku

Main lines (260–285 km/h)|

*  Tōkaidō
*  Jōetsu
*  Hokuriku
*  Kyushu
*  Nishi Kyushu
*  Hokkaido

Mini-shinkansen (130 km/h)|

*  Yamagata
*  Akita

Conventional lines|

*  Hakataminami
*  Gala-Yuzawa

Lines under construction|

* Chūō (2034)
* Hokkaido Sapporo Extension (2031)

Planned lines|

* Chūō Osaka Extension (2037)
* Nishi Kyushu Extension (date unknown)
* Hokuriku Osaka Extension (date unknown)

Cancelled lines|

* Narita

Narrow-gauge line (200+ km/h)|

* Super Tokkyū

Service names|

| Fast|

* Nozomi
* Hayabusa
* Mizuho
* Kagayaki

|

Limited-stop|

* Hikari
* Hikari Rail Star
* Sakura
* Hakutaka
* Toki
* Yamabiko

Stopping|

* Kodama
* Hayate
* Nasuno
* Tsubame
* Tanigawa
* Asama
* Tsurugi
* Kamome

Mini-shinkansen|

* Tsubasa
* Komachi

Discontinued|

* Aoba
* Asahi
* Genbi Shinkansen
* Toreiyu

Train types|

| In service|

* 500
* 700
* N700/N700A
* N700S
* 800
* E2
* E3
* E5/H5
* E6
* E7/W7
* E8

|

On order|

* E10
* L0

Retired|

* 0
* 100
* 200
* 300
* 400
* E1
* E4

Export|

* THSR
* 700T
* N700S
* CRH
* CRH2A
* Texas Central
* N700S
* NHSRCL
* E5

Non-revenue|

* Class 1000
* Class 951
* Class 961
* Class 962
* Doctor Yellow
* Class E926 "East i"
* WIN350
* STAR21
* 300X
* Fastech 360
* Gauge Change Train
* MLX-01
* ALFA-X

Operators|

| Current|

* JR Hokkaido
* JR East
* JR Central
* JR West
* JR Kyushu

|

Former|

* Japanese National Railways (1964–87)

Builders and owners|

| Current|

* Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT)
* JR East
* JR Central
* JR West

|

Former|

* Japanese National Railways
* Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation (JRCC)

People|

* Hideo Shima
* Shinji Sogō

* Japan transit: Tokyo
* Keihanshin
* Chūkyō
* Fukuoka–Kitakyushu
* Hakone–Fuji–Izu
* Hokkaido
* Aomori
* Sendai
* Akita
* Niigata
* Toyama
* Nagano
* Okayama
* Hiroshima
* Shikoku
* Metro systems
* Shinkansen
* trams (list)
* aerial lifts (list)

* v
* t
* e

JR East lines

Shinkansen|

* Hokuriku
* Jōetsu
* Tōhoku
* Akita
* Yamagata

Main|

* Chūō
* Ōu
* Shin'etsu
* Sōbu
* Tōhoku
* Tōkaidō
* Uetsu

Local|

* Agatsuma
* Aterazawa
* Ban'etsu East
* Ban'etsu West
* Echigo
* Gonō
* Hachikō
* Hachinohe
* Hakushin
* Hanawa
* Iiyama
* Ishinomaki
* Itō
* Itsukaichi
* Jōban
* Jōetsu
* Kamaishi
* Karasuyama
* Kashima
* Kawagoe
* Keiyō
* Kesennuma
* Kitakami
* Koumi
* Kururi
* Mito
* Musashino
* Nambu
* Narita
* Negishi
* Nikkō
* Ōfunato
* Oga
* Ōito
* Ōme
* Ōminato
* Rikuu East
* Rikuu West (suspended)
* Ryōmō
* Sagami
* Senseki
* Senzan
* Shinonoi
* Sotobō
* Suigun
* Tadami
* Takasaki
* Tazawako
* Tōgane
* Tsugaru
* Tsurumi
* Uchibō
* Utsunomiya
* Yahiko
* Yamada
* Yamanote
* Yokohama
* Yokosuka
* Yonesaka

Others|

* Chūō Rapid
* Chūō-Sōbu
* Gala-Yuzawa
* Keihin-Tōhoku
* Saikyō (incl. Akabane)
* Senseki-Tōhoku
* Shōnan-Shinjuku
* Sōbu Rapid
* Ueno-Tōkyō

Past|

* Aizu
* Ashio
* Iwaizumi
* Kihara
* Marumori
* Mōka
* Nagai
* Shin'etsu Main (Shinano / Echigo Tokimeki)
* Tōhoku Main (Aoimori / Iwate Galaxy)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Japan

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