Resort Shirakami

The Resort Shirakami (リゾートしらかみ, Rizōto Shirakami) is a limited-stop "Rapid" service operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) as a sightseeing train along the scenic coastal Gono Line in the north of Japan since March 1997.

Resort Shirakami

HB-E300 series Aoike set in August 2011
Overview
Service type	Rapid
Status	Operational
Locale	Japan
Predecessor	Nostalgic View Train
First service	March 1997
Current operator(s)	JR East
Route
Start	Akita
End	Aomori
Average journey time	approx. 5 hours
Service frequency	3 return workings daily
Line(s) used	Ou Main Line, Gono Line
On-board services
Class(es)	Standard only
Seating arrangements	2+2 unidirectional + compartments
Technical
Rolling stock	KiHa 48, HB-E300 series DMUs
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Operations

The train service operates between Akita and Aomori via the Ou Main Line and Gono Line, with the journey taking approximately 5 hours.[1] Three return services run daily, with one service operating between Akita and Hirosaki only, and the other two reversing at Hirosaki.[1]

Rolling stock

Services are operated by three dedicated four-car diesel multiple unit sets based at Akita Depot, named Aoike (青池), Buna (橅), and Kumagera (くまげら), converted from former KiHa 48 DMU cars. The original KiHa 48 Aoike trainset was replaced by a new HB-E300 series hybrid DMU set, which entered service on 4 December 2010.[2] An additional four-car HB-E300 series hybrid DMU set was built for use on Buna services from July 2016, replacing the KiHa 48 DMU set previously used. The exterior livery and interior design was overseen by Ken Okuyama Design.[3]

• Aoike KiHa 48 4-car DMU (March 1997 – 2010)
• Buna KiHa 48 4-car DMU (since April 2003)
• Kumagera KiHa 48 4-car DMU (since March 2006)
• Aoike HB-E300 series 4-car hybrid DMU (since December 2010)
• Buna HB-E300 series 4-car hybrid DMU (from 16 July 2016)

All cars are no-smoking, and all seats require advance seat reservations.[1]

KiHa 48 Aoike

The original KiHa 48 Aoike 4-car set in September 2005

The KiHa 48 Aoike set reduced to 3 cars, in August 2010

This was the first Resort Shirakami trainset introduced, converted from former KiHa DMU cars at JR East's Tsuchizaki Works, and entering service in March 1997.[4] It was initially formed as a four-car set, as shown below.[5] The end cars were built with new cab ends, while the two inner cars retained their original driving cabs.[4] The name Aoike was added in March 2003 to distinguish it from the second Resort Shirakami ("Buna").[6]

Car No.	1	2	3	4
Number	KiHa 48 533	KiHa 48 1521	KiHa 48 1543	KiHa 48 540
Seating capacity	40	32	32	40

From March 2006, the set was reduced to three cars, as shown below, with car KiHa 48 1521 repainted and inserted into the newly created Kumagera trainset.[6]

Car No.	1	2	3
Number	KiHa 48 533	KiHa 48 1543	KiHa 48 540
Seating capacity	40	32	40

The end cars had large panorama windows and featured conventional unidirectional seating, with a small lounge space behind the driving cabs.[4] The two inner cars each had eight four-person semi-open compartments.[4]

This set was replaced in 2010 by a new 4-car HB-E300 series hybrid DMU set, and was reformed as a two-car trainset for use on other lines from February 2011, branded as Cruising Train (クルージングトレイン).[7]

KiHa 48 Buna

The KiHa 48 Buna 3-car set in October 2010

Following the popularity of the original Resort Shirakami (Aoike) trainset, a second set was built in March 2003, from former KiHa 40 DMU cars at JR East's Tsuchizaki Works, and named Buna (橅, "Japanese beech").[6] This train entered service on 1 April 2003, and was initially formed as a 3-car set as shown below.[5]

Car No.	1	2	3
Number	KiHa 48 701	KiHa 48 1701	KiHa 48 702
Seating capacity	39	32	40

In December 2010, it was lengthened to four cars with the addition of KiHa 1543, formerly part of the original Aoike set, and formed as shown below.[6]

Car No.	1	2	3	4
Number	KiHa 48 701	KiHa 48 1701	KiHa 1543	KiHa 48 702
Seating capacity	39	32	32	40

The former identities of the rebuilt cars are as follows.[6]

Current number	Former number
KiHa 48 701	KiHa 40 506
KiHa 48 1701	KiHa 40 507
KiHa 48 1543	KiHa 48 1543 (unchanged)
KiHa 48 702	KiHa 40 510

As with the earlier Aoike set, the end cars have large panorama windows and feature conventional 2+2 abreast unidirectional seating, with a small lounge space behind the driving cabs.[4] The inner car has semi-open compartments with seats that can pulled out to create a flat seating space. It also included a smoking compartment.[4]

KiHa 48 Kumagera

The KiHa 48 Kumagera 3-car set in October 2010

This was the third Resort Shirakami trainset to be built, entering service on 18 March 2006.[8] The name Kumagera is the Japanese name for the black woodpecker, which lives in the Shirakami-Sanchi area, a World Heritage Site.[8] This train was initially formed as a 3-car set as shown below.[6] Car KiHa 48 1521 was originally included in the Aoike trainset.[4]

Car No.	1	2	3
Number	KiHa 48 703	KiHa 48 1521	KiHa 48 704
Seating capacity	39	32	40

In December 2010, it was lengthened to four cars, formed as shown below .[6]

Car No.	1	2	3	4
Number	KiHa 48 703	KiHa 48 1521	KiHa 1503	KiHa 48 704
Seating capacity	39	32	40	40

The former identities of the rebuilt cars are as follows.[6]

Current number	Former number
KiHa 48 702	KiHa 40 506
KiHa 48 1521	KiHa 48 1521 (unchanged)
KiHa 48 1503	KiHa 48 1503 (unchanged)
KiHa 48 704	KiHa 40 510

As with the earlier trainsets, the end cars have large panorama windows, ten rows of conventional 2+2 abreast unidirectional seating, and a small lounge space behind the driving cabs.[4] The inner car has eight semi-open compartments with seats that can pulled out to create a flat seating space.[4]

• 
  Interior of Kumagera set looking forward, August 2010
• 
  Interior of Kumagera set car 3, August 2010

HB-E300 series Aoike

The HB-E300 series Aoike set in June 2011

This is a four-car hybrid DMU set, which replaced the original KiHa 48 Aoike set and entered service from 4 December 2010.[2]

The trainset is formed as shown below.[9]

Car	1	2	3	4
Number	HB-E301-1	HB-E300-101	HB-E300-1	HB-E302-1
Seating capacity	34	36	40	44

The end cars have conventional 2+2 abreast unidirectional seating, and a small lounge space behind the driving cabs.[9] The inner cars have semi-open compartments.[9]

HB-E300 series Buna

The HB-E300 series Buna set in July 2016

This is a four-car hybrid DMU set introduced on 16 July 2016, replacing the original KiHa 48 Buna set.[10]

The trainset is formed as shown below.[10]

Car	1	2	3	4
Numbering	HB-E301-5	HB-E300-105	HB-E300-5	HB-E302-5

Cars 1, 2, and 4 have conventional 2+2 abreast unidirectional seating, while car 3 has semi-open compartments.[10]

History

The Nostalgic View Train circa 1992

The Resort Shirakami service was introduced in March 1997, coinciding with the opening of the Akita Shinkansen.[11]　It replaced the locomotive-hauled Nostalgic View Train (ノスタルジックビュートレイン), formed of three converted 50 series coaches, which previously operated as a sightseeing train on the Gono Line.[4]

A new HB-E300 series 4-car hybrid DMU trainset entered service as the Resort Shirakami - Aoike from 4 December 2010, replacing the original KiHa 48 DMU set, and coinciding with the opening of the Tohoku Shinkansen extension to Shin-Aomori.[2]

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan
• Excursion train
• Joyful Train, the generic name for tourist trains in Japan

References

1. JR Timetable (in Japanese), Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha, pp. 674–675, EAN 4910053111034
2. ＪＲがリゾート新型車両を公開　青森、秋田走るしらかみ [JR unveils new resort train "Shirakami" linking Aomori and Akita]. 47 News (in Japanese). Japan: Press Net Japan Co., Ltd. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
3. リゾートしらかみにHB-E300系を追加投入 [Additional HB-E300 series to be introduced on Resort Shirakami]. Tetsudo.com (in Japanese). Japan: Asahi Interactive, Inc. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
4. JR全車輌ハンドブック2009 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2009]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 2009. p. 410. ISBN 978-4-7770-0836-0.
5. 　JR気動車客車編成表 '04年版 [JR DMU & Coaching Stock Formations - 2004]. Japan: JRR. 1 July 2004. p. 36. ISBN 4-88283-125-2.
6. JR気動車客車編成表 2013 [JR DMU & Coaching Stock Formations - 2013]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 30 June 2013. pp. 42–43. ISBN 978-4-330-37813-8.
7. 「リゾートしらかみ／青池」先頭車が「クルージングトレイン」に ["Resort Shirakami - Aoike" end cars become "Cruising Train"]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
8. Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: ＪＲ全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 203. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.
9. Nakagami, Masato (September 2010). "HB-E300系" [HB-E300 Series]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 50 no. 593. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 61–66.
10. リゾートしらかみ橅 [Resort Shirakami - Buna]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 56 no. 664. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. August 2016. pp. 50–52.
11. 五能線用リゾート列車「リゾートしらかみ」 ["Resort Shirakami" resort train for the Gono Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 37 no. 432. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. April 1997. p. 49.

External links

• JR East Resort Shirakami