Hikari (train)

Hikari (ひかり, "Light") is the name of a high-speed train service running on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen "bullet train" lines in Japan. Slower than the premier Nozomi but faster than the all-stations Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen that is covered in the Japan Rail Pass.

Service variations

West Hikari

0 series 12-car set SK5 on a West Hikari service, March 1997

These services first appeared in 1988 on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Hakata using 6-car 0 series trains. 0 series 12-car S_K units were employed on these services from 1989. From 11 March 2000, they were mostly replaced by the new 700 series Hikari Rail Star services, and were finally withdrawn on 21 April 2000.

Grand Hikari

These were the premier services operated between Tokyo and Hakata from 11 March 1989 using JR West 16-car 100 series V sets with four double-deck centre cars including a restaurant car.^[2] These operated at a maximum speed of 230 km/h on the Sanyo Shinkansen (compared to 220 km/h for other Hikari services).^[3] From 11 March 2000, restaurant car services were discontinued on all trains, and from May 2002 onwards, the few remaining Grand Hikari services were limited to the Sanyo Shinkansen only. The last Grand Hikari ran in November 2002.

Children's play area on a Family Hikari service, December 2003

Family Hikari

First appearing in the summer of 1995, these seasonal services operated between Shin-Osaka and Hakata during holiday periods using special 6-car 0 series sets (R2 and R24) which included a children's play area in car 3. All seats were reserved on these services.

Hikari Rail Star

JR West began operating the Hikari Rail Star service from the start of the new timetable on 11 March 2000. This service is limited to the Sanyo Shinkansen, and uses special 8-car 700 series trains with a distinctive livery and a maximum speed of 285 km/h. JR West introduced the service to provide better competition against airlines on the Osaka-Fukuoka route. These services do not have Green car accommodation, but the reserved seating cars feature 2+2 seating and also some 4-seat compartments instead of the standard 3+2 arrangement in non-reserved seating cars. The front row of seats in these cars feature power outlets for laptop users. With the discontinuation of the Hikari Rail Star from 2011, the 700 Series Shinkansen trains used on the service have been running on Kodama services.

Rolling stock

• 700 series 16-car B/C sets
• 700 series 8-car E sets
• N700 series 16-car Z/N sets
• N700 series 8-car S/R sets

• 

  JR Central 700 series, April 2009

• 

  JR West N700 series, April 2009

Former rolling stock

• 0 series
• 100 series
• 300 series
• 500 series

• 

  0 series, 1987

• 

  100 Series, 1987

• 

  JR West 300 series, 8 October 2008

• 

  JR West 500 series, May 2012

Train formations

N700 series (16 cars)

16-car N700 series services are formed as follows with car 1 at the Hakata end and car 16 at the Tokyo end. All cars are no smoking except for smoking compartments located in Cars 3, 7, 10, and 15.^[4]

700 series (16 cars)

16-car 700 series services are formed as follows with car 1 at the Hakata end and car 16 at the Tokyo end.^[4]

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Accommodation	Non-reserved	Non-reserved	Non-reserved	Non-reserved	Non-reserved	Reserved	Reserved	Green	Green	Green	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved

N700 series (8 cars)

8-car N700 series services are formed as follows with car 1 at the Hakata end and car 8 at the Shin-Osaka end. All cars are no smoking except for smoking compartments located in Cars 3 and 7.^[4]

700 series Hikari Rail Star

8-car 700 series Hikari Rail Star services are formed as follows with car 1 at the Hakata end and car 8 at the Shin-Osaka end. All cars are no smoking.^[4]

History

Before and during World War II, Hikari was the name of an express train operated by Japan from Busan in Korea to Changchun in Manchuria.

The name Hikari was first introduced in Japan on 25 April 1958 for express services operating between Hakata and Beppu in Kyushu. This service operated until 30 September 1964, the day before the Tokaido Shinkansen opened.^[3]

When the Tokaido Shinkansen opened on 1 October 1964, the Hikari was the fastest train on the line, initially travelling from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station with only two stops (Nagoya and Kyoto). Hikari service was extended to the Sanyo Shinkansen later, although the Hikari trains were only slightly faster than the Kodama trains, earning them the derisive nickname "Hidama."

In March 2008, the new N700 Series Shinkansen was put into service on a morning Hikari service between Shin-Yokohama and Hiroshima stations, and a late night run between Tokyo and Nagoya. A third N700 Hikari run between Nagoya and Tokyo was added in October 2008,^[5] and a few other N700 Hikari runs have since been added.

From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, Hikari Rail Star services using 700 series 8-car E sets became entirely no-smoking.^[6]

As of 2012, JR Central Hikari services operating throughout the Tokaido/Sanyo corridor primarily use 16-car N700 series and 700 series trains. Most Hikari trains pull over at intermediate stations such as Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Toyohashi, Maibara or Himeji to allow faster services, mainly Nozomi trains, to pass at top speed.

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hikari (Shinkansen).

• Kawasaki Heavy Industries: Hikari Rail Star description

Shinkansen Lines in service Main lines Tokaido Sanyo Tohoku Joetsu Hokuriku Kyushu Mini-shinkansen Yamagata Akita Future lines Hokkaido (March 2016) Chuo (2027) Cancelled lines Narita Service names In service Asama Hakutaka Hayabusa Hayate Hikari Hikari Rail Star Kagayaki Kodama Komachi Mizuho Nasuno Nozomi Sakura Tanigawa Toki Tsubame Tsubasa Tsurugi Yamabiko Discontinued Aoba Asahi Trainsets In service 500 series 700 series N700 series 800 series E2 series E3 series E4 series E5 series E6 series E7 series W7 series On order H5 series L0 Series Retired 0 series 100 series 200 series 300 series 400 series E1 series Export trainsets 700T CRH2A & CRH2B Non-revenue earning trainsets Class 1000 Class 951 Class 961 Class 962 Doctor Yellow WIN350 STAR21 300X Fastech 360 Gauge Change Train MLX-01 Operators Current operators JR East JR Central JR West JR Kyushu Former operators JNR (1964–87) Future operators JR Hokkaido (from 2016) People Hideo Shima Shinji Sogō Japan transit: Tokyo Osaka Nagoya Fukuoka Hakone Fuji Izu Hokkaido Toyama Okayama Shikoku Sendai Hiroden Metro systems Shinkansen trams (list) aerial lifts (list)

Named trains of Central Japan Railway Company Shinkansen Hikari Kodama Nozomi Limited express (daytime) Fujikawa Inaji Shinano Hida Nanki Limited express (overnight) Sunrise Izumo Sunrise Seto Discontinued Asagiri Tōkai

Named trains of West Japan Railway Company Shinkansen Hakutaka Hikari Kagayaki Kodama Mizuho Nozomi Sakura Tsurugi Limited express (daytime) Biwako Express Dinostar Hamakaze Haruka Hashidate Kinosaki Kounotori Kuroshio Maizuru Noto Kagaribi Ohayō Express Oyasumi Express Shirasagi Super Hakuto Super Inaba Super Matsukaze Super Oki Thunderbird Yakumo Limited express (overnight) Sunrise Izumo Sunrise Seto Rapid Marine Liner Other Twilight Express Twilight Express Mizukaze Discontinued Akatsuki Asakaze Ginga Izumo Kitaguni Kitakinki Monju Ocean Arrow Raichō Seto Tamba Tango Discovery Tango Explorer