Asama (train)
Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train service
title: "Asama (train)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["railway-services-introduced-in-1961", "east-japan-railway-company", "named-shinkansen-trains", "hokuriku-shinkansen"] description: "Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train service" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asama_(train)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train service ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox rail service"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Asama |
| image | SeriesE7-F19.jpg |
| caption | E7 series set operating an Asama service near Sakudaira Station, August 2020 |
| type | Shinkansen (Local) |
| status | Operational |
| locale | Japan |
| first | {{Indented plainlist |
| operator | |
| formeroperator | Japanese National Railways |
| start | |
| end | |
| frequency | 16 round trips daily |
| line_used | Hokuriku Shinkansen |
| class | Ordinary, Green, GranClass |
| access | Yes, cars 7 and 11 |
| seating | {{Plainlist |
| stock | E7 and W7 series |
| el | {{Unbulleted list |
| speed | 275 km/h |
| gauge | |
| catering | Trolley service |
| :: |
| name = Asama | image = SeriesE7-F19.jpg | caption = E7 series set operating an Asama service near Sakudaira Station, August 2020 | type = Shinkansen (Local) | status = Operational | locale = Japan | predecessor = | first = {{Indented plainlist|
- Limited express: 1 March 1961
- Shinkansen: 1 October 1997 | last = | successor = | operator = | formeroperator = Japanese National Railways | ridership = | start = | stops = | end = | distance = | journeytime = | frequency = 16 round trips daily | trainnumber = | line_used = Hokuriku Shinkansen | class = Ordinary, Green, GranClass | access = Yes, cars 7 and 11 | seating = {{Plainlist|
- 2+3 (Ordinarycar)
- 2+2 (Greencar)
- 1+2 (GranClass)
| stock = E7 and W7 series
| el = {{Unbulleted list
| Overhead line:
|
|
| speed = 275 km/h | gauge = | catering = Trolley service | owners = | routenumber = | map = | map_state =
The Asama is a local high-speed Shinkansen service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It operates between and in Japan. The Shinkansen service was introduced in October 1997, although the name Asama was first used for a limited express service operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1961. The service is named after Mount Asama), an active volcano near Karuizawa, on the boundary between Gunma and Nagano prefectures.
Operations
All 16 Asama services stop at , , , , , , , and . 11 of them make an additional stop at , , and .
Train formations
Asama services are operated using 12-car E7 series or W7 series trainsets formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. Car 11 is a "Green" car, and car 12 is a "Gran Class" car with 2+1 seating. Unlike Kagayaki services, however, a dedicated attendant service is not provided in Gran Class cars on Asama services. All cars are no-smoking.
::data[format=table]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Class | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Green | Gran Class | ||
| Toilets | Toilets, phone | Toilets | Wheelchair space, accessible toilet, phone | Toilets | Wheelchair space, accessible toilet | Toilets | |||||||
| :: |
File:E7Gran Class.JPG|Interior of an E7 series Gran Class car 12 File:E7 Green class car 20140412.jpg|Interior of an E7 series Green car 11 File:E7Standard-sized car.JPG|Interior of an E7 series ordinary-class car 10
Rolling stock
Services were initially operated using a dedicated fleet of fourteen 8-car E2 series "N" sets based at Nagano Shinkansen Depot. Trains are designed to maintain speeds of 260 km/h on the 30 km continuous gradient of 30‰ between and Karuizawa.
New E7 series 12-car sets, also based at Nagano Depot, were introduced on Asama services from the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2014. These trains included "Gran Class" seating arranged 2+1 abreast. E7 series trainsets were initially used on seven return services daily, with a further four return workings added from 19 April 2014. JR West W7 series 12-car sets, based at Hakusan Depot, were introduced from the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2015.
File:Series-E7-F19.jpg|An E7 series set on an Asama service in February 2021
Former rolling stock
- E2 series 8-car J sets (from 1 October 1997 until 2002)
- E2 series 8-car N sets (from 1 October 1997 until 31 March 2017)
- 200 series 12-car F80 set (February 1998 only)
- E4 series 8-car P50/P80 sets, as Max Asama (22 July 2001 - 15 September 2003)
File:E2 J6 Asama Karuizawa 19980218.jpg|An 8-car Nagano Shinkansen E2 series set J6 arriving at Karuizawa Station on a Tokyo-bound Asama service in February 1998 File:N11 Asama 514 Tokyo 20020601.jpg|A JR East E2 series set N11 arriving at Tokyo Station on an Asama service in June 2002 File:Shinkansen E4series (4467135007).jpg|An E4 series set File:200 F80 Asama Ueda 19980218.jpg|Modified set F80 on a Nagano Shinkansen Asama service in February 1998
Pre-shinkansen
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/JRE-EC189-Asama.jpg" caption="189 series ''Asama'' service at Ōmiya Station in 1991"] ::
- 181 series EMU sets (October 1966–)
- 189 series EMU 9/11/12-car sets (October 1975–September 1997)
- 489 series EMU sets
History
Semi-express ''Asama''
The name Asama was first introduced on 1 March 1961 for semi-express services operating between Nagano and Niigata. This service operated until 30 November 1962, after which the train was renamed Akakura. From 1 December 1962, the name was used for the semi-express services operating between Ueno in Tokyo and Nagano on the Shinetsu Line. This service continued until 30 September 1963, after which the train was renamed Maruike.
Limited express ''Asama''
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/489_asama.JPG" caption="489 series in ''Asama'' livery on the Shinetsu Main Line, August 1997"] ::
After a gap of three years, the name Asama was re-introduced from 1 October 1966 on the Limited express services operating between Ueno and Nagano or Naoetsu. By the late 1990s, there were 29 workings daily in each direction, formed of 9- or 11-car 189 series EMU formations. During the busy summer periods, a second Green car was sometimes added to increase formations to 12 cars.
The typical 11-car 189 series formation in 1995 was as shown below, with car 1 at the Ueno end.
::data[format=table]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Numbering | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KuHa 189 | MoHa 188 | MoHa 189 | MoHa 188 | MoHa 189 | SaRo 189 | MoHa 188 | MoHa 189 | MoHa 188 | MoHa 189 | KuHa 189 | |||
| [[File:No Smoking.svg | 15px]] Reserved | [[File:No Smoking.svg | 15px]] Reserved | [[File:Smoking pictogram (black).svg | 15px]] Reserved | [[File:Smoking pictogram (black).svg | 15px]] Reserved | [[File:Smoking pictogram (black).svg | 15px]] Reserved | [[File:No Smoking.svg | 15px]] Green | [[File:Smoking pictogram (black).svg | 15px]] Reserved |
| :: |
Shinkansen ''Asama''
From 1 October 1997, the name Asama was used for the services on the newly opened Nagano Shinkansen (absorbed into the Hokuriku Shinkansen from 2015), operating between and .
During the 1998 Winter Olympics in February 1998, additional services were provided using one specially modified 200 series train (set F80), limited to a maximum speed of 210 km/h. Four E4 series double-decker "Max" trains (sets P51/52 and P81/82) were also specially built for seasonal use on the Nagano Shinkansen as Max Asama services, but only two (sets P81 and P82) are capable of travelling as far as Nagano because the line west of Karuizawa runs on a 60 Hz power supply, unlike the rest of the line that runs on a 50 Hz power supply.
From the start of the revised timetable on 10 December 2005, Asama services were made entirely no-smoking.
The services operated using E2 series eight-car sets (until 31 March 2017) were formed as follows. Car 7 was a "Green" (first class) car. All cars were no-smoking.
::data[format=table]
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Class | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Non-reserved | Reserved | Reserved | Green | Reserved | |||
| Toilet | Toilet | Phone | Toilet | Toilet, wheelchair space | Wheelchair space, phone | |||||
| :: |
File:JRE E2 N1 E215 inside.jpg|Interior of an E2 series Green car File:JRE E2 E226-301 inside.jpg|Interior of an E2 series ordinary-class car
From the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2014, new E7 series 12-car trainsets were introduced on Asama services. Initially used on seven return services daily, this number was increased to eleven return services daily from 19 April 2014.
Following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension beyond Nagano to Kanazawa in 2015, the Asama name continued to be used for those services operating between Tokyo and Nagano, with some services still operated by 8-car E2 series trains.
The last services operated using eight-car E2 series trainsets ran on 31 March 2017, from which date all Asama services were formed of E7 and W7 series trainsets.
References
References
- Kōtsū Shimbun. (2008)
- Railway Journal. (August 1995)
- Kotsu Shimbunsha. (May 2012)
- {{cite magazine. Kōtsū Shimbun. (May 2014)
- {{cite magazine. Koyusha Co., Ltd.. (April 1998)
- (March 2014). "JR Timetable". Kotsu Shimbunsha.
- link. (10 October 2013). News release. JR East & JR West
- link. (27 August 2014). News release. JR East & JR West
- link. (1 April 2017). Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Koyusha Co., Ltd.
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