"Local" that was faster than "Rapid"

Train companies in Japan provide various types of service, ranging from cheap slow trains to expensive but fast trains. Generally speaking, Futsu (普通, meaning "standard" "normal" or "ordinary", often referred to as "Local" in English) is the slowest one amongst all, calling at all stations. Kaisoku, (快速, often referred to as "Rapid" in English), is usually a semi-fast service that does not charge extra fares. However, there were a few Local trains that called at fewer stations than Rapid trains.

Chuo Main Line

Chuo Main Line in Tokyo is one of the busiest commuter railways in the country. Orange commuter trains run mainly between Tokyo and Takao, operating as rapid or special rapid. In addition, yellow commuter trains run between Ochanomizu and Mitaka, which are labelled Kakueki Teisha (各駅停車, meaning "stopping at all stations", also often referred to as "Local" in English). The line from Takao to the west is mostly served by shorter suburban trains, and services there are called Futsu (already confusing).

Until the last day of November 1993, there were a few Futsu services to and from Shinjuku, provided by blue and white suburban trains. Despite being called Futsu (Local), they stopped at fewer stations than rapid services or even special rapid services. Service patterns of orange commuter trains were the same as those of today, but the Futsu trains stopped only at Mitaka, Tachikawa, Hachioji and Takao. The trains did not even stop at Mitaka before 1986.

The table below shows Chuo Line service patterns in 1993 (weekdays). Rapid services called at all stations on the list.

	Special Rapid	Futsu
Shinjuku	✓	✓
Koenji
Asagaya
Ogikubo
Nishi-Ogikubo
Kichijoji
Mitaka	✓	✓
Musashi-Sakai
Higashi-Koganei
Musashi-Koganei
Kokubunji	✓
Nishi-Kokubunji
Kunitachi
Tachikawa	✓	✓
Hino	✓
Toyoda	✓
Hachioji	✓	✓
Nishi-Hachioji	✓
Takao	✓	✓

Due to an increased demand for commuter trains and congestion, the Futsu trains between Shinjuku and Takao were replaced with more frequent Chuo Tokkai special rapid services on 1 December 1993.

Joban Line

In addition to Kakueki Teisha (Local, all-stations) services between Ayase and Toride, Futsu services that were faster than rapid services had also existed on Joban Line until March 2004. The rapid services call at Nippori, Mikawashima, Minami-Senju, Kita-Senju, Matsudo, Kashiwa, Abiko, Tennodai and Toride. Meanwhile, Futsu services did not stop at Mikawashima and Minami-Senju during rush hours. The Futsu services called at even fewer stations before 1988, and some of them overtook rapid trains. They were extremely confusing especially for those who were not familiar with the line.

Since March 2004, all Futsu services stop at Mikawashima and Minami-Senju stations. As both the Futsu and rapid have become effectively the same, JR East incorporated the Futsu to rapid services in October 2004.

Why were there such confusing Local trains?

In both cases, Futsu trains were faster than rapid trains. To understand these tricky cases, it is essential to understand subtle and confusing differences between Japanese terms.

Traditionally, Futsu in the Greater Tokyo Aera was classified into ressha (列車), while rapid and Kakueki Teisha were classified into densha (電車). Generally speaking, both ressha (列車) and densha (電車) mean "train", but to be specific, densha means "electric train" for short-distance services with many stops. In other words, densha is just one form of ressha. Other types of ressha include, for example, diesel trains, limited express trains and freight trains. Thus, Futsu has been classified into a different category to rapid or Kakueki Teisha.

Historically, ressha usually meant coach trains hauled by locomotives. Most such trains were hauled by steam locomotives before the Second World War, which were heavy with poor acceleration and braking, and thus unsuited for services in urban areas which require frequent acceleration and deacceleration. Electric multiple units (densha), which were lighter and had far better acceleration and swift braking, became common in Tokyo by the 1930s, but they were costly and not reliable enough for long-distance services. Hence, electric trains were mostly used for short-distance services (i.e. commuter railways) with many stops, while loco-hauled trains were used for middle to long-distance services with fewer stops.

Japanese National Railways introduced electric multiple units to long-distance services in the early-1950s and gradually replaced locomotives and coaches, but the distinction of ressha and densha remained unchanged. It is also worth noting that long-distance Futsu services remained until the 1980s. For example, there were a few local (Futsu) services running between Ueno and Sendai via Mito until 1982.

Even after the privatisation of JNR, the remnant of the old days existed for nearly 20 years. This is why there were Futsu local services with fewer stops than rapid or even special rapid services on Chuo and Joban Lines. This is a good example of how historical legacies affected Japanese railways, though they have mostly disappeared today.

Trains with no air-conditioning

Japan is a humid country. Most part of country belongs to subtropical climate, and the highest temperature is usually observed in July or August. It is getting hotter than ever due to the global warming, and it is now not uncommon to see the mercury hitting more than 35 degrees Celsius. Hokkaido, the northern island known for a significant amount of snow fall, is no exception.

Therefore, air-conditioning has been vital for the most people here in Japan. Railway companies have invested in air-conditioned trains from the 1960s, and most "non-air-conditioned" trains in urban areas were withdrawn by the mid-1990s. However, there are a few exceptions as listed below.

(*Note that the list does not include preserved trains, old trams, tourist attractions and some funiculars.)

JR Hokkaido

Old diesel trains in Hokkaido are mostly without the air-conditioning. Since maximum temperatures in summer were used to be lower than 30 degrees Celsius, Japanese National Railways concluded that no such costly equipment was necessary. However, the mercury often hits 35 degrees or even higher these days, so AC is now essential even in this northern island. Nevertheless, there are a few diesel trains without one, namely KiHa 40 series, KiHa 54 series and some KiHa 150 series. They are used for regional services in Tomakomai, Asahikawa and Kushiro areas. Those who definitely wish to avoid such trains should purchase an extra ticket and get on a limited express service.

Yamaman

Yamaman is a real estate developer that has developed a town of Yukarigaoka in Sakura city (Chiba Prefecture) since 1971. Though located far from Tokyo, the town has developed successfully and continues to attract younger generations.

The company owns a small automated guideway transit system called Yukarigaoka Line in the town. Yamaman 1000 series, the only rolling stock of the line, has no air-conditioning. The company provides disposable wet towels and paper fans on the train, but they are clearly not enough during the blistering heat and high humidity. While Yukarigaoka is not a place for sightseeing, those visiting the town should acknowledge this fact or simply avoid trains and use bus instead.

Hakone Tozan Railway

Hakone Tozan Railway has always been busy, as the railway itself is now a tourist attraction. There are four types of trains, and one of them has no air-conditioning. MoHa 1 and 2, the oldest rolling stock, was introduced in 1950, and three carriages (which are effectively treated as one three-car unit) are still operational today. Hakone had had lower temperatures than Odawara or Yokohama until around ten years ago, but heatwaves have finally reached this mountain. Probably that is why the company has designated the 75-year-old train as a spare unit, and thus it usually stays at a depot instead of carrying passengers in summer.

Sangi Railway

Nagoya area has always been very hot, but surprisingly, there are a few trains without AC. Sangi Railway Hokusei Line is a rural railway in Mie Prefecture with very narrow gauge. Trains are 35-71 years old, and due to their size, engineers gave up installing air-conditioners on some of them.

Just two out of seven units are fully air-conditioned, and three units are partially air-conditioned (the first carriage has no cooler). The other two units are completely without AC. The company therefore posts timetables of "non-air-conditioned" services on X, and advises vulnerable people to avoid them. Given that Kuwana city, where the line starts, have recorded the highest temperature of 40.4 degrees on the first day of August, the timetables are essential for local residents.

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As the recent heatwave is expected to continue for weeks, it is essential to have water and avoid sunshine as much as possible. Those who plan to travel the abovementioned areas should also check their itinerary and consider avoiding such trains.

Farewell, Enkobashicho Tram Stop

On Saturday 2nd August, the Main Line of Hiroshima Electric Railway between Hiroshima Station and Matobacho tram stop will be permanently closed. Instead, a new, shorter route connecting them will open on the following day. As a result, Enkobashicho, the only intermediate tram stop on the current route, will be permanently closed as well.

Enkobashicho is the tram stop adjacent to Hiroshima Station, the de facto central station of the city. It opened in 1912, and it was named after a nearby bridge called Enkobashi. The tram stop has very narrow platforms with no step-free access. There were no platforms until 1974, and they do not look safe even with them today.

Who uses Enkobashicho tram stop, which is less than 200 yards from the central station? Some passengers heading towards the central station alight at Enkobashicho, because services often come to a standstill due to traffic congestion. In that case, it is better to walk two minutes than to wait on a tram for 3-5 minutes. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, nearly 2,000 people on average used the tram stop daily.

There is not much to see around the tram stop, but three rusted hand pumps on the pavement are striking. According to a small handmade sign, these pumps date back to the early 1940s or even before that, and they supplied water to those burnt by the atomic bomb on the Day 80 years ago. Whilst they are not officially designated as "atomic bomb heritage" by the authorities, Nippon Television concluded that they are genuine historical remains.

The rerouting of the Main Line constitutes the essential part of a redevelopment plan initiated by the city. As the new route is less likely to be affected by traffic jams, and the new Hiroshima Station platforms are larger than the current ones, passengers will be able to access the central station faster. Enkobashicho tram stop will have fulfilled its purpose, and will be demolished later this year for road widening.

Related: The Tram, another stark reminder from the past

The unprecedented disruption on Yamagata Shinkansen

Yamagata Shinkansen has been operating with significantly reduced services for nearly a month due to train faults. The line has been severely disrupted in summer, and it may have a huge negative impact on local economy.

On 17th June, Tohoku Shinkansen was closed for 5.5 hours due to broken down trains. Initially, it was reported that the newest unit of E8 series came to a halt because of fatal technical failure whilst testing, but according to Nikkei, three more units suffered from similar failure on the same day. According to JR East, a power system on each units that converts power for other devices broke down so that a cooling system stopped, and thus the trains could not reactivate. It was later found that the power system was severely damaged or even partly melted. The cause of the troubles remains unknown.

The E8 series entered into service in March 2024, and eleven seven-carriage units have been introduced as of today. Five of them have been taken out of service and are under investigation. JR East timidly reinstated other units to passenger services, but the company has decided to use the units always with 10-car E5 series trains. They are used only for a handful Yamabiko services between Tokyo and Sendai. In other words, the company has not used the E8 series units independently since then.

As a result, there has been a severe shortage of trains. JR East has been using E3 series trains alongside the E8 series, but the E8 series trains have been unable to engage in passenger services between Fukushima and Shinjo, so all Yamagata Shinkansen services are provided by old E3 series trains. However, the number of the E3 series is not sufficient, as the old trains have been gradually replaced with the E8 series. Hence, Nikkei estimated that the daily capacity would decrease by up to 40%.

JR East had no choice but to cancel almost of all direct services between Tokyo and Yamagata or Shinjo. According to the temporary timetables, E3 series trains run between Fukushima and Shinjo, and all passengers to and from Tokyo or Omiya are required to change trains at Fukushima station. As trains have to wait for the transfer, there have been minor delays on some services.

JR East and manufacturers are struggling to figure out the cause. Hence, JR East announced on Wednesday that the service reduction will continue until at least the end of July. Amidst concerns over local economy, Asahi Shimbun reported that the Governor of Yamagata Prefecture urged JR East to carry out all the necessary investigations and resume the services as soon as possible. In response to her request, JR East decided to provide three direct trains to and from Tokyo from Saturday 19th July using the E3 series, but there will be even fewer services between Fukushima and Shinjo due to lack of available trains. At present, it is highly uncertain if all E8 series will be reinstated before Obon holidays in mid-August, one of the busiest seasons in Japan.

Mojiko, Another Important Cultural Property

Mojiko is a station where Kagoshima Main Line begins. It was once vital for the entire island of Kyushu, but trains running between Kyushu and the Main Island (Honshu) have completely been rerouted. Nevertheless, Mojiko still remains as a symbol of the area, and its historic building is highly popular among tourists.

Mojiko is one of two active stations that are designated by the government as an Important Cultural Property (the other one is Tokyo station). Opened in 1891 as Kyushu Railway's Moji station, it had been the most important railway terminal in Kyushu until 1942, when Kanmon Tunnel connecting Shimonoseki and Moji opened. At the same time, Moji station was renamed Mojiko.

The current building was built in 1914, seven years after the nationalisation of Kyushu Railway. There are many things to see, not only the architecture itself but also interior features such as the ticket hall, ticket office and waiting room. The main building is magnificent especially at night when it is illuminated. While most tourists visit the area during the daytime and leave by sunset, it is worth waiting until it gets dark.

According to the statistics, the annual entry and exit in 2023 was approximately 3.5 million, less than 4% of that of Hakata (the busiest station on JR Kyushu network). Mojiko station is mostly empty except during rush hours, so these platforms look disproportionately long. They remind us of the days when millions of passengers and tonnes of goods a year relied on trains and ferries to cross the Kanmon Straits.

Mojiko is a place where old western-style buildings are preserved. It is a small but lovely tourist spot, and it takes only 15 minutes from Kokura by train. Shimonoseki, another city known for such buildings and fugu (blowfish) dishes, is just five minutes away by boat.

Tokyo station, where two prime ministers were assassinated

Tokyo station is arguably the most famous railway hub in Japan, and is effectively the central station of the capital. The iconic red brick building on the west side, known as Marunouchi Side, was built in 1914. While largely destroyed during the Bombing of Tokyo in 1945, the building was reconstructed two years later, and it was restored to the original style in 2012. Today, it is one of just two active railway stations registered as the Important Cultural Property by the Government.

Tokyo station is generally seen as a symbol of the country's positive aspects, such as westernisation, modernisation and prosperity as well as resilience after the Second World War, but it also represents negative historical memories that are often overlooked. This is the place where two incumbent prime ministers were killed.

On 4th November 1921, Takashi Hara was stabbed to death by an 18-year-old pointsman of the Railway Ministry. There is a small plate on the wall, just next to a ticket machine at "Marunouchi South Entrance/Exit", with a tiny hexagon mark next to a small square pattern on the floor, showing the precise position of the incident.

Takashi Hara was the first commoner to become prime minister in Japanese history. He took office in 1918, and it was the first time in history that a member of the House of Representatives became the prime minister. This is why his premiership is sometimes called the dawn of democracy in Japan. It is also worth noting that he was the only Christian prime minister before the Second World War.

During his premiership, he engaged in improving higher education, including establishment or reorganisation of many private universities (e.g. Waseda, Keio and Doshisha) as well as new "higher schools" (different to high schools of today). However, inflation after the First World War remained stubbornly high, and the cost of living crisis led to criticisms of prioritising business leaders rather than citizens, which are said to have triggered the assassination.

The inscription reads:

On 4th November 1921 at 7:20 pm, Prime Minister Takashi Hara was walking towards a ticket gate at Marunouchi South Entrance to visit Kyoto, where a party conference of Seiyukai's Kyoto branch would be held. Then, a young man ran out and grazed a shoulder of Yoshikazu Takahashi (the first stationmaster) and suddenly stabbed Hara in his right chest with a six-inch dagger. Hara collapsed on the spot and received first aid treatment at the stationmaster's office, but he was already dead. The assailant stated that he committed the murder because he was dissatisfied with Hara and his cabinet's high-handed policies, but the true background of the incident remained unclear.

It was the very first assassination of a sitting prime minister in Japan. The assailant was sentenced to life imprisonment but pardoned in 1934. Since his imprisonment was disproportionately short, there have been rumours or even conspiracy theories about possible connection between him and other ultra right-wing activists, but it has not been verified. He died in 1980 at the age of 77.

Another prime minister was killed in less than ten years. On 14th November 1930, Osachi Hamaguchi was shot by a 21-year-old right-wing activist at the station, and died in the following year. There is another plate on the wall and a tile on the floor near a lift to platforms 9 and 10 at the central concourse, though the square symbol does not represent the actual position of the incident (he was actually shot at the platform above).

Osachi Hamaguchi became prime minister in 1929 and known for being dovish and an internationalist both diplomatically and economically. He also pursued austerity and reduction of armament that infuriated many Japanese. The public rage at him peaked when he ratified the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament (also known as the London Naval Treaty), which Hamaguchi believed helpful for both budget cut and maintaining good relationship with the United Kingdom and the United States. He was accused by opposition parties and the military of violating Article 11 of the constitution, which prescribed that "The Emperor has the supreme command of the Army and Navy", while he and ministers believed that approval of the Diet and the Privy Council would suffice.

The inscription reads:

On 14th November 1930 at 8:58 am, Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi was walking down the platform to the first-class coach of the Limited Express "Tsubame" that would depart at 9 am, en route to Okayama Prefecture to observe a special army manoeuvre. Then, a gunshot rang out, and Hamaguchi collapsed, clutching his abdomen. He received first aid by doctors, and underwent surgery at the Tokyo Imperial University Hospital. His condition initially seemed to improve, but died on 26th August in the following year. It is said that the assailant committed the attack as he opposed Hamaguchi's government, led by Constitutional Democratic Party, which resisted pressure from the military during the ratification of the London Treaty.

After the assassination of Hara, the authorities decided to temporarily close part of a station when a prime minister was about to board or alight from a train, but Hamaguchi asked the security personnel to lift the restriction as he did not want to inconvenience other citizens. It ended up with the tragedy.

This incident had a significant impact on the Japanese politics. This case and the assassination of Tsuyoshi Inukai, another sitting prime minister killed in 1932, were decisive for the premature democracy in the country, consequently replaced with militarism.

These memorials are very subtle and not noticeable, presumably because they are not something the Japanese people or JR East are proud of. Even so, these marks silently remind us of significant moments in history. As the world is deeply divided with disinformation and agitation, they also remind us that the true value of these monuments should never be underestimated.

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Jun-2025 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan is now up to date! No new article this time, but many existing articles have got the latest figures. Important changes include:

• Rolled back the status of JR East 255 series from EXTINCT to CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, as the company decided to retain one for a while despite its farewell tour being conducted last year
• Changed the status of Isumi Railway 300 and 350 series as the line itself has been "temporarily" closed for years

I stumbled across a master's dissertation from Spain that cited my website. While I am honoured to be seen as such a credible source, I feel a little bit awkward about it. The site was never intended to be academic, so why their supervisor approved the use of an anonymous hobby website?

— Hiroshi Deng Luma (He/him) (@networker-365.bsky.social) June 7, 2025 at 2:33 PM

I also recently discovered that my website has been used for academic purposes. While I am truly grateful for it, I would like to emphasise that this website is just a personal, unofficial one. I always endeavour to provide accurate and up-to-date information as much as possible, but you should always consider very carefully before you cite anything on my website and this blog.

The Tram, another stark reminder from the past

Hiroshima is known for having the most extensive tram network in Japan. Most tourists to here visit the the Peace Memorial Museum and Genbaku Dome (also known as the Atomic Bomb Dome) just like G7 leaders did in 2023. Many people believe that the Dome is the only survivor of the very first nuclear attack in history, but as BBC reported back in 2015, it is not true. This is No. 651 of Hiroshima's tram, one of few vehicles that survived the day.

This is Hiroshima Electric Railway 650 series, a tram type developed in 1942. Five trams were introduced, and all of them were damaged at quarter past eight on 6th August 1945, some of them destroyed. Yet, the company repaired all of them and thus they were all eventually reinstated. All 650 series trams were supposed to be withdrawn by 2006, but the company decided to preserve some of them. Today, three trams are still registered for mainline use, and they are often used as charter trains including school trips for teenagers. In addition, nos. 651 and 652 sometimes run during morning rush hours on weekdays.

No. 651 was about to depart Fukuromachi tram stop towards Senda depot, presumably after being used for a charter train on Saturday afternoon. The grey building on the left is the former Hiroshima Branch of the Bank of Japan, another building that withstood the bomb. Together with modern buildings nearby, they highlight how much the city has developed since then, and how important it is to preserve such heritage to remember that day.

It should be noted that the heritage sites in Hiroshima have been preserved not to emphasise the "atrocities committed by the United States", but rather to serve as a memorial, reminding us that regardless of views on nuclear weapons, they should never be used again under any circumstances. As the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War (commonly known outside Japan as the VJ Day) is approaching, and given that the substantial risk of another nuclear attack amidst conflicts including those in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia, the 650 series trams are not just cute and retro vehicles, but they present us a stark warning.

Shinkansen, the confusing fare schemes

In Japan, bullet train passengers generally have to purchase two tickets, a standard fare ticket and a limited express fare ticket (Shinkansen fare ticket). However, the standard fare ticket is not necessarily based on an actual route, and most passengers are paying more than they are supposed to be. This article focuses on the hidden rules that not many people know.

Passengers going from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka by Shinkansen always have two tickets mentioned above that cover Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. Generally speaking, fares for those tickets are calculated based on distance between two stations. However, they are not in case of Shinkansen tickets, and passengers often pay more than they should, in addition to the expensive Shinkansen fare ticket.

To put it simply, standard fares for Shinkansen are based on those of a "conventional line" (non-high-speed railway) parallel to each other. For example, even when they use Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, the standard fare is based on the distance between these two stations via Tokaido Main Line. Shinkansen tracks are generally shorter than conventional lines, but JR companies have been charging passengers based on longer distances. For example, a table below shows the technical and actual distance between major stations.

	Actual	Calculated as
Tokyo - Shin-Osaka	515.4 km	562.6 km
Shin-Osaka - Hakata	553.7 km	622.3 km
Tokyo - Sendai	325.4 km	351.8 km
Tokyo - Niigata	300.8 km	333.9 km

Another table below shows how fares have gone up based on the figures mentioned above.

	Fair fare	Actual fare
Tokyo - Shin-Osaka	8,360 yen	8,910 yen
Shin-Osaka - Hakata	8,910 yen	9,790 yen
Tokyo - Sendai	5,510 yen	5,730 yen
Tokyo - Niigata	5,180 yen	5,510 yen

As the tables show, the differences are not small, enough to buy a bottle of water or even a small bento for lunch.

This rule dates back to 1964, when Tokaido Shinkansen opened but Japanese National Railways did not add any change to the standard fare scheme. JNR insisted that Tokaido Shinkansen was constructed as second Tokaido Main Line, so the same fares should be applied. In 1975, a passenger, who found that the actual distance between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka via Tokaido Shinkansen was shorter than that via Tokaido Main Line, demanded a partial refund from JNR and sued it (though it was dismissed unanimously by the Supreme Court in 1986).

This rule, which is now written in Article 16-2 Paragraph 1 of the Rules for Passenger Services, is not always disadvantageous for passengers. For example, the ticket above is from Tsuyama to Yokohama via San-yo and Tokaido Main Line (conventional lines), but there are Shinkansen stamps. In this case, I could choose whether to take a Shinkansen from Okayama to Shin-Yokohama, or to take an ordinary train from Okayama to Yokohama. I could also freely switch from Shinkansen to conventional lines and vice versa at stations in between.

According to the rules, a person with a ticket from Tokyo or Nagoya to Osaka can either take Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka directly or alight the train at Kyoto for sightseeing and continue on to Osaka after that.

JNR applied the same rules to San-yo, Joetsu and Tohoku Shinkansen when they opened in 1972 (extended to Hakata in 1975) and 1982, respectively. Hence, San-yo Shinkansen was treated as the same as San-yo Main Line (and Kagoshima Main Line in Fukuoka Prefecture), Tohoku Shinkansen was effectively the same as Tohoku Main Line and Joetsu Shinkansen was treated as Joetsu Line.

The privatization of JNR made the rules questionable, especially when it comes to Tokaido and San-yo Shinkansen. Unlike others, conventional lines parallel to those two Shinkansen are operated by different JR companies as shown below. Osaka and Shimonoseki also correspond to Shin-Osaka and Shin-Shimonoseki, respectively.

	Shinkansen	Conventional
Tokyo - Atami	JR Central	JR East
Atami - Maibara		JR Central
Maibara - (Osaka)		JR West
(Osaka) - (Shimonoseki)	JR West
(Shimonoseki) - (Hakata)		JR Kyushu

When the high-speed rail and conventional lines nearby are owned and managed by different companies, how could those railways be regarded as the same?

JR Kyushu suggested a possible solution. In 1996, JR Kyushu withdrew from the scheme and has set its own fares between Shimonoseki and Hakata. Hence, a passenger with a standard fare ticket that covers Shimonoseki (or Shin-Shimonoseki), Kokura or Hakata has to decide which route to take. Since then, conventional lines there are more expensive than San-yo Shinkansen when it comes to a standard fare ticket. For example, a standard fare ticket between Kokura and Hakata is 1,170 yen for San-yo Shinkansen, but 1,510 yen for Kagoshima Main Line. Even with a limited express ticket, the total cost is 2,160 yen for Shinkansen (taking 17 minutes), while it is 2,110 yen for Limited Express on the conventional line (taking 49 minutes), so JR Kyushu has been struggling to attract passengers between the two cities (most people would prefer Shinkansen, as it is more frequent and far faster than JR Kyushu with just an extra of 50 yen).

JR East is soon to follow JR Kyushu as part of its plan to dramatically raise fares, as described in the previous article. The change will solve the confusing fare schemes and make it easy to understand for Shinkansen travellers, though it is not clear whether it will be beneficial for passengers.

JR fare schemes change in 2026

JR East has published three documents last year regarding fare increase and changes in fare schemes. On 2 December, six JR companies including JR East announced that they will discontinue the sale of return (round-trip) tickets in March 2026, which will be a huge blow to long-distance travellers. Four days later, JR East announced a fare increase of 7.1% on average in March 2026 with a lengthy 49-page document. On 10 December, JR East also announced the major upgrade of Suica services called "Suica Renaissance" which this blog article does NOT refer to.

The demise of return tickets

A return ticket is, as the name suggests, a pair of two tickets between two stations. The price is generally twice the single fare, and the entire trip is valid for twice the duration of a single ticket. JR East and other JRs across the country insist that Suica and relevant cards have been widely used and many passengers prefer booking online so that they have decided to terminate the sale of return tickets, claims that are highly dubious.

Most people might think that purchasing a return ticket and buying two single tickets are the same, but there are a few differences. First, if a journey is longer than 601 km, there is a 10% discount ("往復割引", often abbreviated as "復割") for a return ticket. For example, the single fare for a 601 km journey is 9,790 yen, so purchasing two single tickets costs 19,580 yen. However, when the return discount is applied, the price is down to 17,620 yen. The discount is even greater for longer journeys, which travellers have long benefitted from. When the return ticket is discontinued, the discount will also be abolished.

Secondly, a return ticket can be refunded easily in case of major disruptions caused by natural disasters, while it could be difficult for single tickets. What if, for example, one plans to travel from Tokyo to Osaka and go back on the next day, and a train is cancelled on the first day due to a typhoon? In case of a return ticket, they can ask for a full refund even if the train services resume on the second day. However, when it comes to two single tickets, they can only get a full refund for the first ticket, while the second ticket is not eligible for it. Buying tickets separately (purchasing each ticket just before getting on a train) would work well, but given that JR companies urge people to purchase tickets in advance, and ticket offices are always extremely crowded, it is not a sensible idea.

Thirdly, it will be difficult to apply other discounts, such as student discount (20% discount on standard fare tickets, often abbreviated as "学割") or Zipangu Club discount (20-30% discount on both standard fare tickets and limited express tickets, eligible for elderly people). These discounts require a special application form, but it is not unlimited. For example, universities usually issue up to 10-20 forms per year. Students submit one for a return ticket, but after March 2026, they will have to use two forms for a trip.

Scheme changes behind the fare increase

There are a few changes of fare schemes that are not necessarily well-known. First, two fare schemes in Tokyo, namely "電車特定区間 (lit. specific train zone)" and "東京山手線内(lit. Yamanote Line zone)", will be abolished. They were introduced by Japanese National Railways in 1984, cheaper than fares of other "main lines (幹線)" as there has been competition with private railways. After March 2026, commuter lines in Greater Tokyo, Chiba, Ibaraki, Kanagawa and Saitama Prefectures will be classified as "main lines", resulting in a significant fare increase of up to 16.4%.

Furthermore, most of special fares for specific sections, which have been applied for highly competitive routes, will also be abolished. Some commuters might consider shifting from JR East to its rivals. For example, the table below shows the comparison between JR and Tokyo Metro.

	JR East   before Mar 2026	JR East   (after Mar 2026)	Tokyo Metro
Tokyo - Shinjuku	210 yen (15 mins)	260 yen (15 mins)	210 yen (18 mins)
Shibuya - Ueno	210 yen (32 mins)	260 yen (32 mins)	210 yen (27 mins)

The changes might not look huge, but the difference will be greater when it comes to season tickets. If Tokyo Metro keeps the fares at the present level, Marunouchi Line is likely to be affected the most and get more crowded than today, as it is parallel to Chuo and Yamanote Lines.

Another noticeable change comes to any standard fare tickets that include Tokaido Main Line between Tokyo and Atami. Tokaido Main Line and Tokaido Shinkansen are technically treated as the same line, and thus passengers are free to choose either one.

After March 2026, the basic fare for any ticket including Tokyo, Shinagawa, Yokohama (or Shin-Yokohama), Odawara or Atami stations have to choose which route to go. While long-distance travellers are not likely to be affected, those going to or from eastern Shizuoka Prefecture or western Kanagawa Prefecture should be careful.

Furthermore, a person who misses Limited Express Sunrise Seto or Sunrise Izumo at Tokyo station and wishes to take Shinkansen and catch the night train at Shizuoka station, will have to purchase another standard fare ticket. A stark reminder of the importance of giving oneself extra time (though this is applicable to very few people).

Standard Compartment

Compartment seating was once commonly used for train travels. In the early days of railway history, compartment coaches were used even for short-distance trains on London Underground. Compartment coaches are rare in the United Kingdom these days except a few special trains, but they are widely used in the Continent even today.

Many long-distance trains in Japan including bullet trains once had compartments as well, but they have mostly disappeared. In Japan, compartments are mainly used only by one group or family of three to six, but the demand for them declined after the 1960s as large-group trips became out of date. Today, more than 99% of regular trains are open-coach, and just a handful of limited express services have compartments.

Special fares are applied in most cases, but there are a few exceptions. This article focuses on two train types on JR network that have standard-class compartments.

700 series bullet train has four compartments in coach 8. Compartments on bullet trains were mostly Green Car (first class) until 2004, but the ones on the 700 series are standard class. Each compartment is for three or four passengers, so an individual or a group of two cannot make a reservation. Furthermore, the compartments are available on just a few services listed below, making it difficult to enjoy a trip.

• Westbound
• Kodama 847, Shin-Osaka (10:37) ⇒ Hakata (14:51)
• Kodama 865, Shin-Osaka (18:37) ⇒ Hakata (22:51)
• Eastbound
• Hikari 590, Shin-Shimonoseki (6:11) ⇒ Okayama (8:23)
• Kodama 840, Hakata (6:21) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (10:25)
• Kodama 856, Hakata (13:51) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (18:25)
• Kodama 860, Hakata (15:54) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (20:25)
• Kodama 866, Hakata (17:55) ⇒ Shin-Osaka (22:12)

However, when the 700 series runs Hakata-Minami Line, compartments are generally left open, which might sound an alternative option, though it is not always valuable for outsiders as Hakata-Minami station is not a place for tourists.

Another option is 373 series. It is not well known that this short and old limited express train actually has compartments. They are available on Limited Express Fujikawa (Shizuoka – Kofu) and Inaji (Toyohashi – Iida), Homeliner services that run either between Numazu and Shizuoka or Shizuoka and Hamamatsu, and a few stopping services on Iida and Tokaido Main Lines. Those on limited express and Homeliner services require seat reservation. Note that the compartments are not for sale on internet, so you have to go to a ticket office and tell staff that you would like to book a compartment.

Compartment seating is generally more expensive than ordinary seating on a limited express service but these two are reasonable as they do not charge extra fares. Those who wish to make a trip with more than three people are recommended to consider booking one…even though none of them are necessarily useful for tourists.

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Apr-2025 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with four new articles, namely:

• JR Hokkaido 737 series
• JR Hokkaido H100 series
• JR Kyushu KiHa 72 series
• JR Kyushu 2R series

Other articles are up to date as usual. You may find quite a few changes as annual timetable revision took place last month. Furthermore, I also added a few new photos to some articles. I hope they are useful!

The unsuccessful "new" trains on Nambu Line

Nambu Line is one of the most overcrowded railways in the Greater Tokyo Area, but its branch lines are not well known. So-called Hama-Kawasaki branch line is a commuter rail line between Shitte and Hama-Kawasaki, which is just 4.1 km (2.5 miles) long with five stations in total. The line is in an industrial area so that there are many passengers during rush hours but very few at off-peak times.

The branch line has been served by two-carriage trains, which look like a rural railway. In 2023, JR East introduced "new trains" called E127 series, which were in fact reallocated from Niigata Prefecture. However, they were mostly inactive in 2024 due to "unreliablity" that the company refuses to explain in detail, and thus 35-year-old 205 series trains were reinstated.

At the end of 2024, a trade union referred to the reason why the E127 series trains were temporarily removed from service. The document suggests that train drivers filed a complaint about insufficient air-conditioning especially in a cab. It might have been less of an issue when the E127 series trains were running in Niigata Prefecture where people have to care more about heavy snow than scorching temperature, but it seems to have become a nightmare in Kawasaki and Yokohama cities.

The 205 series trains have remained longer than planned as stopgaps, though two out of three units were sent for scrap in mid-December 2024. This means that there is no choice but to use the E127 series in summer no matter how hot the trains are.

According to the trade union, there is currently no plan of introducing E131 series or any other newer trains to the line. Thus, the only possible solution is installing more powerful air-conditioner or fans on the E127 series trains. Otherwise, the immense heatwave will make drivers ill and thus it would end up with service reduction caused by a shortage of train crew.

JR East: platform edge doors in Tokyo

On Monday 3 March, JR East published the latest plan to install platform edge doors in Tokyo. JR East endeavors to introduce the doors to most stations of major railways in Tokyo area by around March 2032, but somehow a few major stations seem to have been omitted from the list.

The company has been installing the platform edge doors to stations of commuter railways in the Greater Tokyo Area since 2010, resulted in fewer "a person being hit by a train" cases than before. The doors cannot prevent people from committing suicide, but given that most of the cases are caused by blind people (mostly not their fault), intoxicated people (mostly their fault) or those who have concentrated too much on their phone (clearly their fault), the project have paid off.

The document published by JR East contains tables of stations where the platform edge doors will be installed by March 2029. There are two lines that most people are not familiar with, Yamanote Freight Line and Tohoku Freight Line, both of which are now commonly known as Shonan-Shinjuku Line.

It is worth noting that not just commuter railways but also suburban railways are on the list, namely Utsunomiya, Takasaki, Sobu Rapid and Yokosuka Lines as well as Shonan-Shinjuku Line. Since number of doors and their positions are different in some cases (especially when it comes to limited express services), it is not easy to install the platform edge doors to suburban railway stations, but JR East has decided to carry out the work.

Many stations of Chuo Rapid Line are also on the list, as no station on the line has platform edge doors so far. Since all commuter train units will be rearranged from 10 to 12 coaches with two Green Cars (first class coaches) by next week, there will be no obstacle to introduce the platform edge doors. Chuo Rapid Line has been notorious for having too many train disruptions caused by "a person being hit by a train" for more than 50 years, but the number of cases is expected to dramatically decline within a few years.

However, the list does not cover all busy stations in Tokyo. For example, there is no plan so far on Keiyo and Musashino Lines. Given that not even a single station thereof is on the list by 2029, it is hard to believe that the company will do so by 2032.

It might also have affected other lines, especially some Chuo Rapid Line. Kunitachi, Tachikawa, Hino, Toyoda and Hachioji stations are not on the list probably because there are up to four Musashino a day, direct services connecting Hachioji and Omiya via Chuo Rapid and Musashino Lines. Tachikawa is the third busiest station on Chuo Rapid Line so that leaving it without the platform edge doors will certainly be a setback for JR East's commitment to safety. No clarification of the issue has not been explained by the company so far.

Soya Russell

Japan is said to have subtropical climate, but northern part of the country has subarctic climate. Hokkaido has been known for the coldest and the snowiest region in Japan. Global warming has caused significantly high temperature across the country in summer, but the heavy snow is still observed in the northern part in winter. Hence, railway companies have special trains to remove snow on tracks. Soya Main Line, a rural railway connecting Asahikawa and Wakkanai, is well known for having them.

There had been several types of such trains, but most of them used today are classified as Russell trains in Japanese. This is the most common and the simplest, which have a large snow plough that clears snow between and by the tracks. The term Russell derives from Russell Car & Snow Plow Company in Pennsylvania, which exported the very first rolling stock for removing snow to Japan in 1911.

There had been many diesel locomotives for dealing with heavy snow until the 2000s, but most of them retired as the amount of snowfall declined in many areas due to the global warming, and snow blowers that are smaller, cheaper and easier to use were developed. Today, Class DE15 is the only active one on the entire JR network.

The Class DE15 was developed by Japanese National Railways. 85 locomotives in total were built in 1967-81 and allocated mostly to the northern region. The Class DE15 can also haul other trains in spring, summer and autumn so that some of them are used as a shunter or for rail tours.

However, its appearance changes in winter. When snowplough units are attached to the locomotive, the Class DE15 looks completely different to its original style. In fact, the snowplough unit consists not only of a plough itself but also a cab and spare lights. The length of the locomotive is 14.15 metres (46 ft 5 in), but it will be up to 30.86 metres (101 ft 3 in) with snowplough units, describing how large the units are.

Drivers can adjust ploughs depending on the amount of snow. The photo above shows how it looks like when there is little snow between tracks. A small side plough is deployed and it scoops up some snow, but spare headlights are not turned on, indicating that just a small amount of snow is expected.

When there is more snow, both side ploughs are deployed and all headlights are turned on. This is Otoineppu village, where annual snowfall is approximately 10 metres (33 ft) and there is often 30 cm (a foot) of snowfall every single day. This is why special locomotives like the Class DE15 is still necessary.

It is hard for railway enthusiasts to catch the Class DE15. First, it mostly runs remote areas where just a handful of train services a day are available. Second, the deep snow makes it extremely difficult to access. Third, it may not run if there is little snow but cannot run if there is too much snow.

To those of you who wish to see the DE15 should be well prepared, as the minimum temperature could go well below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) at night with high winds. Unlike snow-clearing trains on other lines, those on Soya Main Line run frequently (almost daily) at the daytime, but note that all of them are still marked as "runs as required", and thus their operation is not 100% guaranteed.