Welcome
to the second segment of my special mid-summer birthday vacation to
Japan in June 2015. This segment of the blog report will cover a total
of two focus topics. They will mainly be spending my first day
of the vacation visiting Kansai International Airport for the purpose of regional afternoon shopping, together with my first sightseeing day journey to
Kanazawa located in the Hokuriku region via the newly opened Hokuriku Shinkansen line.
Part 1 ~ Spending My First Day Of Visiting Kansai International Airport
The
next morning, which was Monday (1 June), I woke up at around 8.30 a.m.
after having a well-earned good night's rest. Getting up from bed, I
went to have a nice, hot shower and changed into my attire before
preparing my necessary belongings for the day. According to my annual
Japanese railway itineraries, I had made a plan to make an mid-afternoon
visit to Kansai International Airport on this first day, since my
family had decided to stay around the downtown Osaka area to do some
shopping.
As
it was still rather early to do anything else, I decided to do some
personal things on my laptop quietly first, and then leave the hotel at
around 9.15 a.m. for Osaka Station located just across it. Given that I
had yet to make my Green Car (first class) seat reservations in
preparation for the trip, I decided to do so once I reached the nearest
JR Ticket Office at Osaka Station. In order not to awaken my family
members, I ensured very quietly to check that my electronics were
charged for the trip to Kansai International Airport.
Osaka
Station (大阪駅) is a major railway station located in the heart of the
Umeda business district located in the hustle and bustle of downtown
Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. It serves as the central railway terminal in the
northern section of downtown Osaka, and is the fourth-busiest railway
terminal in the world, together with being the largest and busiest
railway terminal in the Keihanshin metropolitan area located in the
Kansai region of the country. More than two million people transit
through the station on a daily basis, especially during busy peak hours.
Operated
by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), Osaka Station currently serves
as the western terminus for the JR Kyoto Line, and the eastern terminus
for the JR Kobe Line, though most trains offer through service on the
Tokaido Main Line to Kobe and Himeji. It also serves as a major
interchange station with the Osaka Loop Line and Takarazuka Line
(Fukuchiyama Line), and is directly connected with Umeda Station,
Higashi-umeda Station, Nishi-umeda Station and Kita-shinchi Station.
The
station serves as a mandatory stopping point for limited express trains
heading to the San'in region, and as a starting point for limited
express trains bound for the Hokuriku and Shin'etsu regions. Osaka
Station underwent a major renovation process between 2007 and 2011,
though Track No. 11 was re opened for regular passenger service on 20
December 2009. The renovations were completed on 4 May 2011, with the
opening of a large shopping mall, Osaka Station City (大阪ステーションシティ),
directly above the station complex.
After
spending approximately 10 minutes of anticipated waiting on Tracks No. 7
and 8, a 12-car 223 series EMU, operating as the 10.15 a.m. Special Rapid Service
bound for Tsuruga via the Kosei Line, finally arrived at Osaka Station
at 10.13 a.m. on Track No. 8. Once the train doors were opened, I
immediately boarded the train through Car No. 1, which was part of the
train bound for Tsuruga, and settled in for the short morning rush
journey duration of just 28 minutes to the lively hustle and bustle of
downtown Kyoto.
Once the clock struck precisely 10.15 a.m. sharp, all of the train doors were closed, and the Special Rapid Service
train finally pulled out of Osaka Station for the remaining segment of
its relatively long morning rush travel duration of 3 hours 03 minutes
from Himeji to Tsuruga through the Kosei Line, with the last eight cars
scheduled to terminate at Omi-imazu Station. I was then on my way for a
very short and quick morning rush trip duration of 28 minutes to the
historical capital city of Japan located slightly north of the
Keihanshin metropolitan area.
After
a short and quick morning rush travel duration of 28 minutes from the
lively hustle and bustle of downtown Osaka, I finally arrived at Kyoto
Station at 10.43 a.m. on Track No. 2. Checking to see that I did not
leave any of my belongings behind, I alighted from the train and took
the escalators up to the JR Line interchange concourse. Once I was in
the JR Line interchange concourse, I immediately went to check the
departure information board to see which platform number the Kansai
Airport Limited Express Haruka No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport would depart from.
According to the train departure information board in the JR Line interchange concourse, the Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka
No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport would be scheduled to
depart at 11.15 a.m. from Track No. 30. Without wasting time, I
immediately took the escalator to the passageway leading to the San'in
Main Line platforms, arriving at Tracks No. 30 to 34 at 10.50 a.m.. I
then proceeded to Track No. 30 in preparation to catch the Kansai
Airport Limited Express Haruka No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport.
The Haruka
(はるか) is the name of a dedicated limited express train service operated
by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Kansai International
Airport, Kyoto and Maibara in Japan. Dubbed the "Kansai Airport Limited
Express" (関空特急) by JR West, the Haruka is the fastest train
service linking Kansai International Airport with downtown Osaka and
Kyoto, with a journey duration from Kansai International Airport to
Kyoto taking 1 hour 15 minutes. The service is capable of reaching a top
speed of 130 km/h (80 mph).
The
service commenced operations on 4 September 1994, in collaboration with
the opening of Kansai International Airport, using a dedicated fleet of
3-car and 6-car 281 series EMUs at a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph).
Services are usually formed consisting of six cars, but the 3-car sets
serve as additional add-ons for certain services requiring more than six
cars. The service travels over the Tokaido Main Line (Kyoto Line),
Osaka Loop Line, Hanwa Line and Kansai Airport Line, but uses the Umeda
Freight Line between Shin-osaka Station and the Osaka Loop Line, leaving
no services going to Osaka Station.
As
of 14 March 2015, there are 24 daily return workings running in each
direction, with most services stopping only at Tennoji and Shin-osaka
Stations en route. Some services make additional stops at Hineno and
Izumi-fuchu Stations during the early morning and evening rush hours or
continue up to Maibara instead of terminating at Kyoto. Each service
provides Green Car (first class) accommodation in Car No. 1 at the Kyoto
& Maibara end. There are no extra charges required for the Haruka service for foreign tourists travelling with a Japan Rail Pass.
After
spending almost 10 minutes worth of anticipated waiting on Tracks No.
30 and 31, a 9-car 281 series EMU finally arrived at Kyoto Station at
11.01 a.m. on Track No. 30. The train had arrived from Kansai
International Airport as the Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka No. 12 bound for Kyoto, and was to undergo extensive cleaning before it eventually became the Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport. It took approximately 10 minutes to clean the entire interior of the train.
Once
the entire cleaning process was completed, the in-car cleaning signs
were removed at 11.11 a.m., allowing the passengers to board the train
to Kansai International Airport. At that moment, I quickly boarded the
train through Car No. 1, which was the Green Car (first class) coach,
and settled into my assigned Seat No. 7A for the short early afternoon
travel duration of 1 hour 19 minutes to Kansai International Airport
located on the man-made artificial island surrounded by the waters of
Osaka Bay.
281系 関空特急はるか21号 関西国際空港行き 京都駅に入線シーン
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| The
9-car 281 series EMU, now operating as the Kansai Airport Limited
Express "Haruka" No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport,
undergoing an extensive cleaning process on Track No. 30 at Kyoto
Station |
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| The
logo of the 9-car 281 series EMU, operating as the Kansai Airport
Limited Express "Haruka" No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport,
on Track No. 30 at Kyoto Station |
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| Getting
ready to board the 9-car 281 series EMU, operating as the Kansai
Airport Limited Express "Haruka" No. 21 bound for Kansai International
Airport, on Track No. 30 at Kyoto Station |
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| The
9-car 281 series EMU, operating as the Kansai Airport Limited Express
"Haruka" No. 21 bound for Kansai International Airport, on Track No. 30
at Kyoto Station |
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| The
front view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 9-car 281
series EMU, operating as the Kansai Airport Limited Express "Haruka" No.
21 bound for Kansai International Airport, during the boarding process
on Track No. 30 at Kyoto Station |
 |
| The
rear view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 9-car 281
series EMU, operating as the Kansai Airport Limited Express "Haruka" No.
21 bound for Kansai International Airport, during the boarding process
on Track No. 30 at Kyoto Station |
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| A view of my seat, 7A, during the boarding process on Track No. 30 at Kyoto Station |
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| The
view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 9-car 281 series
EMU, operating as the Kansai Airport Limited Express "Haruka" No. 21
bound for Kansai International Airport, from my seat, during the
boarding process on Track No. 30 at Kyoto Station |
 |
| Awaiting departure from Kyoto Station |
281系 関空特急はるか21号 関西国際空港行き 京都 (発車) ~ 高槻 (通過)
281系 関空特急はるか21号 関西国際空港行き 新大阪駅から天王寺駅間
281系 関空特急はるか21号 関西国際空港行き 北信太 (通過) ~ 関西空港 (到着)
Part 2 ~ Exploring The Sights Of Kanazawa Via The Hokuriku Shinkansen
The
next morning, which was Tuesday (2 June), I woke up at precisely four
o' clock after my mobile phone alarm blasted off early. Getting up from
bed, I quietly went to have a shower and changed into my attire before
preparing the remainder of my necessary belongings for the day.
According to my Japanese train itineraries, I was to embark on a long
Shinkansen train journey to Kanazawa via the newly-opened Hokuriku
Shinkansen line, with a stopover in Tokyo.
For the in-bound trip to Kanazawa, I would be scheduled to catch the Shinkansen NOZOMI
Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, which would be scheduled to
depart Shin-osaka Station at six o' clock, and arrive at the Tokyo
terminal station at 8.23 a.m.. After arrival at Tokyo, I would have a long layover of approximately close to one hour before interchanging to the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI
Superexpress No. 507 bound for Kanazawa, which would be scheduled to
depart Tokyo Station at 9.32 a.m., and arrive at the Kanazawa terminal
station at 12.06 p.m..
I
was getting more excited as this would be my first time ever to visit
Kanazawa, and riding on the newly-opened Hokuriku Shinkansen line for
the very first time. Since the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line
from Nagano to Kanazawa on 14 March 2015, I had always wanted to hitch a
ride on this new line on my future trips to Japan.
After
a short early morning hotel cab ride of just 10 minutes from the
InterContinental Hotel Osaka, I finally arrived at the Shinkansen
entrance to Shin-osaka Station at 4.50 a.m.. While I checked to see that
nothing had been left behind after paying my cab fare, the driver also
helped to unload my baggage. Thanking the hotel cab driver for his
services, I headed into the deserted Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen
ticketing concourse, and then noticed that all the ticketing gates would
only commence operations from 5.30 a.m. onwards.
While
waiting for the Shinkansen ticketing gates to be opened, I decided to
have a rest and sort out my belongings in the ticketing concourse first.
Slightly more passengers gradually began to show up from five o' clock
onwards. Soon enough, the Shinkansen ticketing gates were finally opened
at 5.30 a.m.. Showing my Japan Rail Pass at the staffed ticketing gate
to the ticketing officer, I went to check the departure information
board to see which platform the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo would depart from.
According to the departure information board, the Shinkansen NOZOMI
Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, which serves as the first
eastbound train service from Shin-osaka to Tokyo, would be scheduled to
depart at six o' clock from Track No. 26. Without wasting time, I
immediately took the escalators to Tracks No. 25 and 26, where a 16-car
JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), which would soon be
operating as the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress No. 200 bound
for Tokyo, was waiting on Track No. 26. Boarding was to commence at 5.43
a.m., 17 minutes ahead of departure.
NOZOMI
(のぞみ) is the fastest Shinkansen train service operating on the Tokaido
& Sanyo Shinkansen lines in Japan. The service stops only at
Shinagawa, Shin-yokohama, Nagoya and Kyoto Stations on the Tokaido
Shinkansen line from Tokyo to Shin-osaka, and at some stretch stations
on the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Shin-osaka to Hakata (Fukuoka). The
service is capable of reaching a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), with
the fastest service taking 2 hours 22 minutes between Tokyo and
Shin-osaka, and 4 hours 47 minutes between Tokyo and Hakata (Fukuoka).
The
service commenced operations on 14 March 1992, initially using 300
series sets at a top speed of 270 km/h (170 mph), until they were
finally phased out from revenue services on 16 March 2012. From 22 March
1997, 500 series sets were introduced on these services at a maximum
top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), allowing the fastest journey duration
from Shin-osaka and Hakata (Fukuoka) to take only 2 hours 17 minutes and
4 hours 49 minutes from Tokyo to Hakata (Fukuoka). However, the last
500 series NOZOMI run took place on 28 February 2010, marking the withdrawal of 500 series sets from these services.
From
13 March 1999, 700 series sets were introduced on these services at a
top speed of 285 km/h (177 mph), displacing the earlier 16-car 300
series sets used on through Tokyo-to-Hakata (Fukuoka) services. From 1
July 2007, N700 series sets were introduced on these services at a
maximum top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), just like the earlier 500
series sets. All through regular NOZOMI services between Tokyo
and Okayama, Hiroshima and Hakata (Fukuoka) were operated by 16-car N700
series sets from the start of the revised timetable on 13 March 2010.
From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, all regularly scheduled NOZOMI
services, including runs truncated to the Tokaido Shinkansen line
between Tokyo and Shin-osaka, were operated by N700 series sets. All
services operated by N700 series sets are entirely non-smoking, with
smoking permitted only in segregated smoking areas located in Cars No.
3, 7, 10 and 15. The NOZOMI service is not valid for foreign
tourists travelling with a Japan Rail Pass. To use the service, both the
basic fare and Shinkansen express charge must be paid, together with
the Green Car (first class) surcharge when using a Green Car (first
class) seat.
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| The cab drop-off area located outside the Shinkansen entrance to Shin-osaka Station as dawn breaks over the station |
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| The Shinkansen ticketing concourse at Shin-osaka Station during the wee hours of the early morning |
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| The
Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen ticketing gates in the Shinkansen
ticketing concourse at Shin-osaka Station during the wee hours of the
early morning |
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| The
Shinkansen train departure information board in the Shinkansen
ticketing concourse at Shin-osaka Station during the wee hours of the
early morning |
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| The
Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen ticketing gates in the Shinkansen
ticketing concourse at Shin-osaka Station being opened for passengers to
board the first trains of the day |
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| The
Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen concourse leading to the platforms at
Shin-osaka Station during the wee hours of the early morning |
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| Finally arriving at Tracks No. 25 and 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
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| The
departure information board for eastbound Tokaido Shinkansen trains
bound for Nagoya and Tokyo departing from Tracks No. 25 and 26 at
Shin-osaka Station |
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| The
departure information board for eastbound Tokaido Shinkansen trains
bound for Nagoya and Tokyo departing from Track No. 26, indicating that
the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo would be
the first eastbound train daily |
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| The
logo of the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42),
operating as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for
Tokyo, on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
 |
| The
LED destination panel of the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen
Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No.
200 bound for Tokyo, on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
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| Getting
ready to board the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42
(X42), operating as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound
for Tokyo, on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
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| The
LED destination panel of the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen
Set No. Z11 (X11), operating as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No.
202 bound for Tokyo, on Track No. 25 at Shin-osaka Station |
 |
| The
logo of the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z11 (X11),
operating as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 202 bound for
Tokyo, on Track No. 25 at Shin-osaka Station |
 |
| Tracks No. 25 and 26 at Shin-osaka Station shortly before boarding for the first eastbound trains bound for Tokyo commenced |
After
spending approximately 10 minutes of anticipated waiting on both Tracks
No. 25 and 26, the doors of the 16-car JR Central N700 Series
Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), which would operate as the Shinkansen NOZOMI
Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, were finally opened at 5.43 a.m..
Without wasting anymore time, I boarded the train through Car No. 9,
which was one of the Green Car (first class) coaches, and went into my
assigned Seat No. 5A for the very early morning journey duration of 2
hours 23 minutes to the lively hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo.
The
seat next to me, 5B, would remain vacant for the entire early morning
journey duration of 2 hours 23 minutes from Shin-osaka to Tokyo. Once
the clock struck exactly six o' clock sharp, all the train doors were
closed, and the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress No. 200 finally
pulled out of Shin-osaka Station for its early morning journey of 2
hours 23 minutes to the lively hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo
located in the centre of the Kanto region of the country. I was then on
my way for an early morning travel duration of 2 hours 23 minutes to the
lively hustle and bustle of the national capital city of Japan.
 |
| The
front view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 16-car JR
Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the
Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, during the
boarding process on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
 |
| The
rear view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 16-car JR
Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the
Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, during the
boarding process on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
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| A view of my seat, 5A, during the boarding process on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
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| The
view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 16-car JR
Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the
Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, from my seat
during the boarding process on Track No. 26 at Shin-osaka Station |
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| Reading
through the most hilarious quote in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets" on iBooks in my laptop, where Harry's Uncle Vernon throws a
temper tantrum after Harry tells Dudley to say 'please' to get more
breakfast ｰ "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered his uncle, spraying spit
over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?!" |
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| Awaiting departure from Shin-osaka Station |
N700系新幹線 Z42編成 のぞみ200号 東京行き 新大阪駅から京都駅間
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| Making a brief stop at Kyoto Station |
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| My Green Car (first class) Shinkansen ticket for the in-bound segment between Shin-osaka and Tokyo |
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| Bypassing some housing areas in downtown Yamashina-ku, Kyoto |
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| A
box of Jagariko potato sticks (じゃがりこ) and a small bottle of Coca-cola
purchased from the on-board trolley refreshment service for myself |
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| Bypassing a large rice paddy farming field in the suburban city of Kusatsu |
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| Bypassing a large open meadow in the suburban city of Omihachiman |
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| Bypassing some clustered housing settlements in the sparse, rural city of Hikone |
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| Passing through Maibara Station |
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| Bypassing a large rice paddy farming field in the suburban city of Maibara |
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| A view of my seat, 5A, between Maibara and Gifu-hashima Stations |
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| The
front view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 16-car JR
Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the
Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, between
Maibara and Gifu-hashima Stations |
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| The
rear view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 16-car JR
Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the
Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, between
Maibara and Gifu-hashima Stations |
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| The
view of the Green Car (first class) cabin on board the 16-car JR
Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42), operating as the
Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No. 200 bound for Tokyo, from my seat
between Maibara and Gifu-hashima Stations |
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| Bypassing some housing areas in the suburban city of Ogaki |
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| Passing through Gifu-hashima Station |
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| Bypassing some houses and a farming field in the suburban city of Hashima |
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| Bypassing some housing apartments in downtown Nagoya as the train approaches Nagoya Station |
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| Making a brief stop at Nagoya Station |
N700系新幹線 Z42編成 のぞみ200号 東京行き 名古屋 (発車) ~ 豊橋 (通過)
N700系新幹線 Z42編成 のぞみ200号 東京行き 浜松 (通過) ~ 静岡 (通過)
N700系新幹線 Z42編成 のぞみ200号 東京行き 三島 (通過) ~ 熱海 (通過)
N700系新幹線 Z42編成 のぞみ200号 東京行き 新横浜駅から終点東京駅間
After
an early morning journey duration of 2 hours 23 minutes from the very
lively hustle and bustle of downtown Osaka in western Japan, I finally
arrived at the Tokyo terminal station at 8.23 a.m. on Track No. 14.
Checking to see that I had left none of my belongings behind on board, I
alighted the train and took the escalators down to the Tokaido &
Sanyo Shinkansen concourse, proceeding to the Tohoku, Joetsu &
Hokuriku Shinkansen interchange ticketing gates at the same time to show
my Japan Rail Pass at the staffed ticketing gate.
Entering
the Tohoku, Joetsu & Hokuriku Shinkansen concourse at 8.30 a.m., I
quickly went to check the departure information board to see which
platform the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI Superexpress No. 507 bound for Kanazawa would depart from. According to the departure information board, the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI
Superexpress No. 507 bound for Kanazawa would be scheduled to depart at
9.32 a.m. from Track No. 21. Though it was still early prior to my
connecting Shinkansen train to Kanazawa, I took the escalators up to
Tracks No. 21 and 22 at 8.35 a.m. to do some Shinkansen train-spotting.
KAGAYAKI
(かがやき) is the name of a high-speed Shinkansen train service operated
jointly by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway
Company (JR West) via the Hokuriku Shinkansen line between Tokyo and
Kanazawa in Japan. It is currently the fastest train service operating
on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, with the fastest travel timing linking
between Tokyo and Kanazawa taking 2 hours 28 minutes. The service is
capable of reaching a top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph).
The
service commenced operations on 14 March 2015, in collaboration with
the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line between Nagano and Kanazawa,
using a dedicated fleet of 12-car E7 series and W7 series sets, each
operating at a top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). These trains feature
Gran Class accommodation in Car No. 12, located at the Kanazawa end,
seating 18 passengers in a 2-1 configuration, making the E7 series and
W7 series sets the second and third Shinkansen trains in Japan to
feature such luxurious accommodations after the E5 series sets on the
Tohoku Shinkansen line.
As
of 14 March 2015, there are a total of 10 daily return workings
operated in each direction, with most services making stops only at
Omiya, Nagano and Toyama Stations en route. All seats are reserved and
non-smoking, due to the popularity and high consumer demand for the fast
train service between the Greater Tokyo Area and the Hokuriku region.
While there are no extra charges for the KAGAYAKI for foreign
tourists travelling with a Japan Rail Pass, the use of luxury Gran Class
accommodation requires the Shinkansen express charge and Gran Class
surcharge.
The
Hokuriku Shinkansen (北陸新幹線) is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen railway
line linking the Greater Tokyo Area in the Kanto region with Kanazawa
located in the Hokuriku region of Honshu, Japan. As the name implies,
the line passes through the more sparsely populated areas located in the
Hokuriku region, and runs parallel to the coastline of the Sea of Japan
between Joetsu-myoko and Itoigawa Stations in Niigata Prefecture. The
line has a maximum top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph).
The
line was opened on 1 October 1997 initially between Tokyo and Nagano,
with the line being known as the Nagano Shinkansen (長野新幹線), with ASAMA
services commencing using 8-car E2 series sets at a top speed of 260
km/h (160 mph). These trains sport pearl white for the upper body and
navy blue for the lower body, separated by a bright red stripe and a
pink and blue wing-shaped logo. From the start of the revised timetable
on 15 March 2014, new 12-car E7 series sets commenced service at top
speeds of 260 km/h (160 mph).
From
the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2015, the extension
between Nagano and Kanazawa was finally opened, with the line's official
name changed to the Hokuriku Shinkansen line. New 12-car E7 series and
W7 series sets also commenced operations on the newly-introduced KAGAYAKI, HAKUTAKA and TSURUGI
services at top speeds of up to 260 km/h (160 mph). Besides being
operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), the line is also
jointly operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) beyond
Joetsu-myoko Station.
As of 14 March 2015, the 8-car E2 series sets, 12-car E7 series sets and W7 series sets operate on the various KAGAYAKI, HAKUTAKA, ASAMA and TSURUGI services at top speeds of up to 260 km/h (160 mph), with the TSURUGI service functioning as a shuttle service between Toyama and Kanazawa, and the ASAMA
service still operating as far as Nagano. With the 12-car E7 series and
W7 series sets being capable of going as far as Kanazawa, the existing
8-car E2 series sets still retained on some ASAMA services as far as Nagano.
Tokyo
Station (東京駅) is a large major railway terminal complex located in the
centre of the Marunouchi business district in the lively hustle and
bustle of downtown Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It is the central intercity
rail terminal serving the lively hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo,
and one of the busiest rail terminals in the Greater Tokyo Area, with
more than 4,000 trains departing and arriving at the station on a daily
basis. Serving as the starting point for Japan's national flagship
high-speed Shinkansen trains, it underwent a renovation process from
mid-2007 to late 2012, with the renovations finally completed in October
2012 after the old Marunouchi station building was re-opened. The
station houses a Daimaru Department Store directly above its complex.
Other
than serving as a start point for most Shinkansen trains, the station
also serves as a major terminal station for the Chuo Main Line, Tokaido
Main Line, Ueno-Tokyo Line (Tohoku • Takasaki • Joban Line), Yokosuka
Line, Sobu Main Line and Keiyo Line. Tokyo also serves as an interchange
station for the Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tohoku Negishi Line, and the
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line. From 14 March 2015, the Ueno-Tokyo Line was
opened, allowing through services to the Joban Line, Tohoku Main Line
(Utsunomiya Line) and Takasaki Line to commence and reducing the travel
duration to Omiya Station by 11 minutes.
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| Looking
back at the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42),
which previously operated as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No.
200 bound for Tokyo, on Track No. 14 at Tokyo Station |
 |
| Tracks
No. 14 and 15 serving some of the Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen trains
bound for Nagoya, Shin-osaka and Hakata (Fukuoka) at Tokyo Station
during the early morning rush hour |
 |
| The
logo of the 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z42 (X42),
which previously operated as the Shinkansen "NOZOMI" Superexpress No.
200 bound for Tokyo, on Track No. 14 at Tokyo Station |
 |
| The Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen concourse leading to the platforms at Tokyo Station during the early morning rush hour |
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| The Tohoku, Joetsu & Hokuriku Shinkansen concourse at Tokyo Station during the early morning rush hour |
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| A
10-car E5 Series Shinkansen Set No. U13, operating as the Shinkansen
"YAMABIKO" Superexpress No. 43 bound for Morioka, on Track No. 20 at
Tokyo Station |
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| A
10-car E5 Series Shinkansen Set No. U13, coupled with a 7-car E6 Series
Shinkansen Set No. Z23 and operating as the Shinkansen "YAMABIKO"
Superexpress No. 43 bound for Morioka, on Track No. 20 at Tokyo Station |
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| A
7-car E6 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z23, operating as the Shinkansen
"YAMABIKO" Superexpress No. 43 bound for Morioka, on Track No. 20 at
Tokyo Station |
 |
| The
logo of an out-of-service 12-car W7 Series Shinkansen Set No. W10,
which previously operated as the Shinkansen "KAGAYAKI" Superexpress No.
500 bound for Tokyo from Kanazawa, on Track No. 21 at Tokyo Station |
 |
| An
out-of-service 12-car W7 Series Shinkansen Set No. W10, which
previously operated as the Shinkansen "KAGAYAKI" Superexpress No. 500
bound for Tokyo from Kanazawa, on Track No. 21 at Tokyo Station |
 |
| A
10-car E2 Series Shinkansen Set No. J51, which would soon operate as
the Shinkansen "YAMABIKO" Superexpress No. 129 bound for Sendai,
arriving at Tokyo Station on Track No. 22 |
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| A
7-car E3 Series Shinkansen Set No. L67, which would operate as the
Shinkansen "TSUBASA" Superexpress No. 129 bound for Yamagata, arriving
at Tokyo Station on Track No. 22 |
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| An
8-car E2 Series Shinkansen Set No. N7, now operating as the Shinkansen
"ASAMA" Superexpress No. 605 bound for Nagano, on Track No. 20 at Tokyo
Station. I clearly remember riding on this particular train twice in June 2014 and December 2014 |
 |
| The
logo of the 8-car E2 Series Shinkansen Set No. N7, now operating as the
Shinkansen "ASAMA" Superexpress No. 605 bound for Nagano, on Track No.
20 at Tokyo Station |
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| A
12-car E7 Series Shinkansen Set No. F1, operating as the Shinkansen
"KAGAYAKI" Superexpress No. 523 bound for Kanazawa, on Track No. 20 at
Tokyo Station |
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| The
LED destination panel of the 12-car E7 Series Shinkansen Set No. F1,
operating as the Shinkansen "KAGAYAKI" Superexpress No. 523 bound for
Kanazawa, on Track No. 20 at Tokyo Station |
 |
| The
logo of the 12-car E7 Series Shinkansen Set No. F1, operating as the
Shinkansen "KAGAYAKI" Superexpress No. 523 bound for Kanazawa, on Track
No. 20 at Tokyo Station |
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| The departure information board for Tohoku, Joetsu & Hokuriku Shinkansen trains departing from Track No. 21 at Tokyo Station |
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| Track
No. 21 at Tokyo Station shortly before the Shinkansen "KAGAYAKI"
Superexpress No. 507 bound for Kanazawa arrived at the station |
After
spending close to 45 minutes of anticipated waiting on Tracks No. 20
and 21, a 12-car W7 Series Shinkansen Set No. W5 finally arrived at
Tokyo Station at 9.20 a.m. on Track No. 21. The train had arrived from
Kanazawa as the Shinkansen HAKUTAKA Superexpress No. 552 bound for Tokyo, and was to undergo an extensive cleaning process before becoming the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI Superexpress No. 507 bound for Kanazawa. It took less than 10 minutes to clean the inside of the train.
Once
the whole inside of the train was cleaned up completely, the train
doors were opened again at 9.27 a.m., allowing the passengers to board
the train for their morning journeys on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line.
Without wasting anymore time, I quickly boarded the train via Car No.
11, which was the Green Car (first class) coach, and settled into my
assigned Seat No. 8A for the morning travel duration of 2 hours 34
minutes to the mid-sized urban port city of Kanazawa located in the
Hokuriku region of the country.
At
this point, I could not wait for my first ride on the newly-opened
Hokuriku Shinkansen line to begin, with the seat next to me, 8B,
remaining empty for the entire morning journey from Tokyo to Kanazawa.
Once the clock struck exactly 9.32 a.m. sharp, all the train doors were
closed, and the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI
Superexpress No. 507 finally pulled out of Tokyo Station for its early
morning journey of 2 hour 34 minutes to Kanazawa. I was then on my way
for an early morning journey of 2 hours 34 minutes to the mid-sized
urban port city of Kanazawa in the Hokuriku region.
After
a morning journey duration of 2 hours 34 minutes from the very lively
hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo in the Kanto region, I finally
arrived at the Kanazawa terminal station at 12.07 p.m. on Track No. 13,
approximately a minute behind schedule, due to some faulting incident on
a train ahead at Toyama Station. Checking to see that I had not left
anything on board, I alighted from the train and headed down the
escalator to the Shinkansen concourse before heading over to the
Shinkansen ticketing gates.
Kanazawa
Station (金沢駅) is a major railway station located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa,
Japan. It is the main railway station serving the city of Kanazawa, and
also the largest and busiest railway terminal in Ishikawa Prefecture
and the Hokuriku region. The station is known for its Tsuzumi
drum-shaped gate located at its east entrance, and serves as a major
interchange station for the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, Hokuriku Main
Line, Nanao Line (although the line officially starts at Nanao) and IR
Ishikawa Railway Line.
The
station was opened for passenger service on 1 April 1898, initially
serving the Hokuriku Main Line and Nanao Line, with the station built to
its current state by the late 1990s. From 14 March 2015, the station
became the northwestern terminus for the Hokuriku Shinkansen line,
allowing travel durations to Tokyo to take 2 hours 30 minutes. From the
same date, the Hokuriku Main Line beyond Kanazawa was transferred to
three different third-sector railway companies, resulting in Kanazawa
becoming the terminus for the Hokuriku Main Line.
Kenroku-en (兼六園) is an old private nature garden located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.
For the evening return trip to back to Osaka, I would catch the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI
Superexpress No. 512 bound for Tokyo, which would be scheduled to
depart Kanazawa Station at 5.52 p.m., and arrive at the Tokyo terminal
station at 8.24 p.m.. After arrival at Tokyo, I would have a 35-minute
layover before connecting to the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress
No. 265 bound for Shin-osaka, which would be scheduled to depart Tokyo
Station at 9.23 p.m., and arrive back at the Shin-osaka terminal station
at 11.45 p.m..
After
spending 1 hour 50 minutes of train-spotting and anticipated waiting on
both Tracks No. 11 and 12, a 12-car E7 Series Shinkansen Set No. F16,
which would operate as the Shinkansen KAGAYAKI Superexpress No.
512 bound for Tokyo, finally entered Kanazawa Station at 5.43 p.m. on
Track No. 12. Once the train doors were opened, I quickly boarded the
train via Car No. 11, which was the Green Car (first class) coach, and
settled into my assigned Seat No. 13D for the upcoming early evening
return trip duration of 2 hours 32 minutes to the lively hustle and
bustle of downtown Tokyo.
The
seat next to me, 13C, would remain vacant for the entire early evening
return journey of 2 hours 32 minutes between Kanazawa and Tokyo. At
exactly 5.52 p.m. sharp, all the train doors were closed, and the
Shinkansen KAGAYAKI Superexpress No. 512 finally pulled out of
Kanazawa Station for its early evening journey duration of 2 hours 32
minutes to the very lively hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo in the
Kanto region. I was then on my way for an early evening return travel
duration of 2 hours 32 minutes back to the very lively hustle and bustle
of the national capital city of Japan.
After
a quick early evening journey duration of 2 hours 32 minutes from the
mid-sized urban port city of Kanazawa in the Hokuriku region, I finally
arrived at the Tokyo terminal station at 8.24 p.m. on Track No. 20.
Checking that I had not left anything behind, I alighted from the train
and took the escalator down to the Tohoku, Joetsu & Hokuriku
Shinkansen concourse before heading to the Tokaido & Sanyo
Shinkansen interchange ticket gates. Showing my Japan Rail Pass at the
staffed ticketing gate, I quickly went to check to see which platform
the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress No. 265 bound for Shin-osaka would depart from.
According to the departure information board, the Shinkansen NOZOMI
Superexpress No. 265 bound for Shin-osaka, which serves as the last
westbound Shinkansen train service from Tokyo to Shin-osaka, would be
scheduled to depart at 9.23 p.m. from Track No. 14. Without wasting
anymore time, I took the escalator up to Tracks No. 14 and 15 at 8.40
p.m. in preparation for the late evening return trip back to Osaka. I
then did some of my normal Shinkansen train-spotting activities while
waiting for the last westbound Shinkansen train service to Shin-osaka.
After
spending approximately 20 minutes of anticipated waiting on Tracks No.
14 and 15, a 16-car JR Central N700 Series Shinkansen Set No. Z28 (X28),
which would soon operate as the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress
No. 265 bound for Shin-osaka, finally arrived at Tokyo Station at nine
o' clock on Track No. 14. Once the train doors were opened, I boarded
the train via Car No. 9, which was one of the Green Car (first class)
coaches, and headed to my assigned Seat No. 11D for the evening return
journey duration of 2 hours 22 minutes to the lively hustle and bustle
of downtown Osaka in western Japan.
The
seat next to me, 11C, would remain vacant for the entire late evening
return journey of 2 hours 22 minutes between Tokyo and Shin-osaka. Once
the clock struck exactly 9.23 p.m. sharp, all the train doors were
closed, and the Shinkansen NOZOMI Superexpress No. 265 finally
pulled out of Tokyo Station for its late evening return journey of 2
hours 22 minutes to the lively hustle and bustle of downtown Osaka in
western Japan. I was then on my way for a quick late evening return trip
of 2 hours 22 minutes back to the lively hustle and bustle of downtown
Osaka located in the centre of the Keihanshin metropolitan area.
Overall, my first day trip to Kanazawa and my first ride on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line via the KAGAYAKI service have both proven to be very pleasant experiences. Just as with the NOZOMI service on the Tokaido & Sanyo Shinkansen lines and the HAYABUSA service on the Tohoku Shinkansen line, the KAGAYAKI service deserves five stars, and was better than the Korea Train Express (KTX)
in South Korea. I shall not hesitate to go for another rail trip on the
Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Kanazawa again when I get the chance to do
so.
