Hokuriku Shinkansen

The Hokuriku Shinkansen () is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo with Tsuruga in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West).

The first section, between and in Nagano Prefecture, opened on 1 October 1997 in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics, and was originally called the . The extension to in Toyama Prefecture and Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture opened on 14 March 2015. Construction of a further section onward to and in Fukui Prefecture, covering and six stations, commenced in 2012 and opened on 16 March 2024. The route of the final section to Shin-Osaka was initially decided on 20 December 2016 as the Osaka–Kyoto route, with construction expected to begin in the late 2020s and take about 25 years, after impact assessment procedures for areas along the line are completed. However as of 16 December 2025, these plans are withheld at the request of Kyoto Prefecture and . Trains operate over the Joetsu and Tohoku Shinkansen tracks between Tokyo and Takasaki.

Kagayaki: Tokyo–Tsuruga, limited-stop service, since 14 March 2015
Hakutaka: Tokyo–Tsuruga, mostly all-stations service, since 14 March 2015
Tsurugi: Toyama–Tsuruga, mostly all-stations shuttle service, since 14 March 2015
Asama: Tokyo–Nagano, mostly all-stations service, corresponding to existing Nagano Shinkansen service introduced in 1997

The original Nagano Shinkansen Asama services, introduced in 1997, replaced the conventional Shin'etsu Main Line limited express services, also named Asama, which previously took 2 hours 50 minutes from Tokyo (Ueno Station) to Nagano. Following the opening of the Shinkansen, part of the conventional line was abandoned between Yokokawa and Karuizawa. This section included the steeply-graded Usui Pass which required the use of bank engines on all trains. Travel time between Tokyo and Tsuruga is 3 hours 8 minutes, 50 minutes shorter than using a conventional train between Kanazawa and Tsuruga.

Stations

Service column legend:

{| class="wikitable"

! ●

| All trains stop

! ▲

| Some trains stop

!<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| All trains pass

{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header-multi"

! rowspan="2" class=unsortable|Line

! rowspan="2" class=unsortable|Station

| rowspan="2" class=unsortable|Japanese name

! colspan="2" class=unsortable|Distance in km (mi) from

! colspan="4" class=unsortable|Service

! rowspan="2" class=unsortable|Transfers

! rowspan="2" colspan="2" class=unsortable|Location

! class=unsortable |

| rowspan="2"|Tōhoku

| 東京

| align="center" |

| align="center" |●

| rowspan="15" |

|Chiyoda

| rowspan="2" |Tokyo

| 上野

| align="center" |

| align="center" |▲

| align="center" |●

|Taitō

| rowspan="3"|Jōetsu

|大宮

| align="center" |

| align="center" |●

|Ōmiya-ku

| rowspan="3" |Saitama

|熊谷

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

| Kumagaya

|本庄早稲田

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

|Honjō

| rowspan="19" |Hokuriku

|高崎

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

|Nagano

|飯山

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |▲

| rowspan="13" |

|Iiyama

|上越妙高

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

|Jōetsu

| rowspan="2" |Niigata

|糸魚川

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

| Itoigawa

|黒部宇奈月温泉

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

|Kurobe

| rowspan="3" |Toyama

|富山

| align="center" |

| align="center" |●

|Toyama

|新高岡

| align="center" |

| align="center" |<nowiki>|</nowiki>

| align="center" |●

|Takaoka

|金沢

| align="center" |

| align="center" |●

|Kanazawa

| rowspan="3" |Ishikawa

| 小松

| align="center" |

| align="center" |▲

| align="center" |●

| align="center" |▲

| rowspan="2" |

|Komatsu

|加賀温泉

| align="center" |

| align="center" |▲

| align="center" |●

| align="center" |▲

|Kaga

|芦原温泉

| align="center" |

| align="center" |▲

| align="center" |●

| align="center" |▲

|Awara

| rowspan="4" |Fukui

|福井

| align="center" |

| align="center" |●

|Fukui

|越前たけふ

| align="center" |

| align="center" |▲

| align="center" |●

| align="center" |▲

|Echizen

|敦賀

| align="center" |

| align="center" |●

|Tsuruga

| colspan="11" style="text-align:center;" | Environmental impact assessment is underway.

| rowspan="4"|Hokuriku

| 東小浜

| align="center" |

|Obama

|Fukui

|京都

| align="center" |

|Shimogyō-ku

| rowspan="2" |Kyoto

|' between Omiya and Takasaki, and between Takasaki and Tsuruga.

Rolling stock

thumb|right|E7 series set F19 on an Asama service in February 2021

E7 series 12-car "F" sets" (since 15 March 2014)
W7 series 12-car "W" sets" (since 14 March 2015)

With the start of Nagano Shinkansen services, trains were operated by a new fleet of JR East E2 series 8-car sets. A fleet of 17 new E7 series 12-car trainsets were phased in from March 2014, and these were augmented by a fleet of 10 JR West W7 series 12-car sets introduced from March 2015. The fleet of W7 series was purchased at a cost of ¥32.8 billion.

In 2019, ten trains, eight from JR East with a book value of ¥11.8 billion and two from JR West, were damaged when a train yard in Nagano was flooded as the Chikuma River overflowed during typhoon Hagibis.

Non-revenue-earning types

East i (E926)

Former rolling stock

E2 series 8-car "N" sets on Tokyo - Nagano Asama services only
E2 series 8-car "J" sets
E4 series 8-car "P50/P80" sets as Max Asama
200 series 12-car set F80 during February 1998 only

The original E2 series 8-car "J" sets, primarily used on Tohoku Shinkansen services were also used on some Asama services until they were subsequently lengthened to 10 cars. One specially-modified 200 series set, numbered F80, was used on additional Asama services in February 1998 during the 1998 Winter Olympics held in Nagano. The train was modified to operate on both 25 kV AC 50 Hz and 60 Hz overhead power supplies, incorporated weight-saving measures to comply with the 16 tonne axle load restriction, and included additional control equipment to cope with the 30‰ gradient of the Nagano Shinkansen. Its maximum speed was limited to .

File:N11 Asama 514 Tokyo 20020601.jpg|Nagano Shinkansen E2 series "N" set (Set N11) approaching Tokyo, June 2002

File:E2 J6 Asama Karuizawa 19980218.jpg|Nagano Shinkansen E2 series "J" set (Set J6) approaching , February 1998

File:Shinkansen E4series (4467135007).jpg|An E4 series set (Set P14)

File:200 F80 Asama Ueda 19980218.jpg|Modified set F80 on a Nagano Shinkansen Asama service, February 1998

</gallery>

History

Nagano Shinkansen

The initial section between Takasaki and Nagano opened on 1 October 1997, in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

Between May 2012 and March 2014, station platforms on the Nagano Shinkansen had their platform roofs extended to handle the E7 series 12-car trains which entered service in March 2014 ahead of the March 2015 opening of the extension beyond Nagano. The Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to opened in March 2015.

From the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2014, E7 series trainsets were introduced on Asama services.

Alternatively, local governments in Hokuriku, fearing construction west of Nagano may be halted, petitioned that the name "Hokuriku" should remain in use for operational purposes.

JR East announced the following solution on 25 July 1997:

Voice announcements using "Nagano Shinkansen"
Tokyo area stations using depictions with "Nagano-bound Shinkansen".
Stations between Annaka-Haruna Station and Nagano Station depicting "Shinkansen" only.

Soon, "Nagano-bound Shinkansen" fell out of use, and timetables by various publishers use "Nagano Shinkansen" only. Construction to Kanazawa was officially decided, thereby reducing the opposition to the name.

Extension beyond Nagano

thumb|Construction of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension near [[Kanazawa Station in March 2008]]

Construction of the extension from Nagano to Kanazawa was completed on 24 May 2014. When services commenced in March 2015, the travel time from Tokyo to Toyama was reduced to about two hours, with Kanazawa an additional 30 minutes away. The extension to Tsuruga was approved for construction on 30 June 2012, and opened on 16 March 2024. Beyond Jōetsumyōkō Station, the line is operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) instead of East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

Naming issue rises again

Many people speculated about and discussed what the line's operational name should be after Nagano–Kanazawa section is completed.

Nagano economic associations argued a sudden change in name will confuse customers, propose "Nagano–Hokuriku Shinkansen" to be used. In contrast government officials and economic associations in Hokuriku region defended the legal name, including statements such as "a just result should come after 3 prefectures striving for 40 years".

The section west of Jōetsumyōkō belongs to JR West, which did not state an opinion and used "Hokuriku Shinkansen" only.

On 2 October 2013, JR East announced formal line name will be Hokuriku Shinkansen (consistent with National Shinkansen Railway Development Act) and depicted as Hokuriku Shinkansen (via Nagano) to reflect its expansion into the region, resolving the naming issue.

Test-running

Test-running on the JR East section of the line between Nagano and Kurobe-Unazukionsen commenced on 1 December 2013, initially at low speeds using the "East i" test train. From 6 December of that year, test-running commenced using 10-car E2 series trainsets, with running speeds gradually increased to the full line speed of . Test-running using W7 series trains commenced on 5 August 2014, initially at low speed, on the JR West section between and .

Tsuruga extension

In the months preceding the opening, JR West conducted various low speed runs on the new Kanazawa-Tsuruga section using "East i" test trains on 23 September 2023. Runs using regular W7 series trainsets started on 26 September. The extension cost to build.

In accordance with the opening of the extension, the limited express service Thunderbird ended its service between Tsuruga and Kanazawa on 15 March 2024.

Electrification

The Hokuriku Shinkansen is electrified at 25 kV AC, but uniquely amongst Shinkansen routes, it crosses Japan’s 50 Hz/60 Hz frequency boundary three times, requiring dual-frequency rolling stock. The section between Tokyo and Karuizawa operates at 50 Hz, the section between Karuizawa and Itoigawa at 60 Hz, and the line then reverts to 50 Hz around Itoigawa before switching back to 60 Hz between Kurobe-Unazukionsen and Tsuruga. To accommodate this arrangement, the E7 and W7 series trainsets are equipped with onboard converters and automatic frequency-switching equipment.

Future plans

thumb|Construction of the Hokuriku Shinkansen near [[Fukui Station (Fukui)|Fukui Station in August 2007]]

thumb|right|Map of Shinkansen service in the [[Chūbu region|Chūbu and Kantō regions]]

thumb|Proposed implementations of the Obama-Kyoto route

The route of the final section from to was finalized on 20 December 2016 as the Obama–Kyoto route. Two options include a new station underground near Kyoto Station. The third option is a newly constructed station near Katsuragawa Station, also underground. The route extension is estimated to cost up to and require up to 28 years to complete construction.

Including the Obama–Kyoto route, the following four options were under consideration before the December 2016 announcement, with a fifth unofficial option suggested by a local politician.

: This involved building a full standard shinkansen track to Maibara Station. The proposal was one third of the length of the Obama Route, and provided good access to both Kyoto and Nagoya. However, a severe drawback was that it would have resulted in longer travel time to Osaka than the other options and trains would have had to use the existing, already heavily congested Tokaido Shinkansen tracks between Maibara and Shin-Osaka.
: This involved no new track construction; instead, this proposal would have upgraded the Kosei Line to , either by regauging or dual-gauging the line to support Mini-Shinkansen, or alternatively utilizing Gauge Change Train (GCT) operations. This was the cheapest option, but meant train speeds would likely be limited to a maximum of and hence travel times would have been longer than the other options.
: First proposed in 1973, There are also requests from Kyoto City and Kyoto Prefecture, local governments along the route, to further extend the line to .

Interim plans

In an attempt to extend the benefits of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to stations west of Tsuruga before the section to Shin-Osaka is completed, JR West was working in partnership with Talgo on the development of a Gauge Change Train (GCT), which was proposed to be capable of operating under both the 25 kV AC electrification used on the Shinkansen and the 1.5 kV DC system employed on conventional lines. The six-car train was due to start trials on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Hokuriku and Kosei lines in 2017. As part of the project JR West had begun trials with a purpose-built long gauge-changer at Tsuruga. However, as a result of the abandonment of the proposed use of a GCT on the West Kyushu Shinkansen to Nagasaki by JR Kyushu, in August 2018 JR West announced that the proposed GCT between Tsuruga and Osaka had been abandoned.

2025 revision

On 16 December 2025, the LDP–Japan Innovation Party coalition under Sanae Takaichi announced that it would reconsider the Obama–Kyoto route that was selected in 2016. The revision came at the behest of Kyoto Prefecture and citing negative economic and environmental impacts. Including the withheld Obama–Kyoto alignment and the two other routes decided upon in 2016, four additional choices were proposed as alternatives. As a result, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has suspended its plans to commence construction in fiscal year 2026. Details of the five third-sector operating companies and their respective lines are as shown below. Three years later in 2022, it was determined that the section would be split among two operators. The IR Ishikawa Railway would extend their operations from Kanazawa to Daishoji, while a new company, Hapi-Line Fukui, established during the preparation phase, would take over the section between Daishoji and Tsuruga. Hapi-Line Fukui took over the section of the Hokuriku Main Line on 16 March 2024.

{| class="wikitable"

! Former line name !! Former operating company !! Date transferred

! Section !! Length (km) !! New line name !! Operating company !! Prefecture

| rowspan="3" |Shinetsu Main Line || rowspan="3" | JR East || 1 October 1997

| –|| align="right" | 65.1 || Shinano Railway Line || rowspan="2" |Shinano Railway || rowspan="2" |Nagano

| rowspan="5" |14 March 2015

| –|| align="right" | 37.3 || Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line

| –|| align="right" | 37.7 || Myōkō Haneuma Line || rowspan="2" | Echigo Tokimeki Railway || rowspan="2" |Niigata

| rowspan="5" | Hokuriku Main Line || rowspan="5" | JR West

| –|| align="right" | 59.3 || Nihonkai Hisui Line

| –|| align="right" | 100.1 || Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line || Ainokaze Toyama Railway || Toyama

| –|| align="right" | 17.8 || rowspan="2" | IR Ishikawa Railway Line || rowspan="2" | IR Ishikawa Railway || rowspan="2" |Ishikawa

| rowspan="2" |16 March 2024