Japan’s newest Shinkansen hit the tracks this spring with a stunning new cabin, faster travel times and a vastly improved passenger experience. And the Runway Girl Network joined right from the start. The E8 series trains operated by JR East run from Tokyo to Yamagata, a rural mountainous region in the north-central region, and have higher top speeds than the E3 series that replaces them, reducing travel time. Ru.
E8 operates the Yama Shinkansen, the first “mini-Shinkansen” extension to the main Tohoku Shinkansen line north of Tokyo. By retrofitting older, non-high-speed, narrow-gauge conventional lines to accommodate Shinkansen trains, Mini Shinkansen brings the benefits of 320 km (200 mph) high-speed routes to cities and communities not served by major Shinkansen lines. Also expand. Please run all the way to Tokyo. Such a simple modification would cost significantly less and have less impact than building a completely new Shinkansen.
In the case of the Yamagata Shinkansen, this means passengers can board the E8 series Shinkansen at any of 10 mini-Shinkansen stops in the isolated and rural Yamagata prefecture and ride the same train all the way to Tokyo. I will. Transfer from a conventional line at Fukushima.
In addition to improving line speeds in some places due to light touch, the timetable has also been reconfigured to optimize direct service to Tokyo, significantly shortening the overall travel time.
Locally, excitement is growing over the new, faster Shinkansen and its new design. Image: John Walton
One of the side effects of converting to a mini-Shinkansen, as opposed to a completely new Shinkansen, is that the load gauge (essentially the height and width of the cabin) is smaller. This is mainly due to the conversion of the original conventional line into a mini-Shinkansen without expanding the diameter of the existing tunnel that runs through mountainous Japan.
As a result, mini-Shinkansen trains such as the E8 have smaller cabins, and the standard class seating layout is 2-2 instead of 2-3 on mainline Shinkansen trains.
Although the cabin is smaller, the interior is improved compared to the previous generation. Image: John Walton
The seats in green cars (business class) are narrower than those on the main line Shinkansen.
Overall, aside from a bit of elegance, the Green Mini Shinkansen is not an experience that requires an upgrade. Image: John Walton
Inside, the new standard class, both designed in conjunction with Ken Okuyama Design, is so comfortable that my 6-foot-3-inch (190cm) author didn’t upgrade to the green car’s passenger experience.
The seats in this green car are actually green, inspired by the local river. Image: John Walton
The plushly padded Standard Class seats have a beautiful bright gradient from seatpan red to a cheerful yellow, and are generally very generously pitched. The smooth reno-style floors are also dark red, giving it a luxurious feel. JR East is quite an anomaly for a company whose vehicles have traditionally leant towards beige, but here they really value the design-driven experience.
Standard class seats are bright, functional, stylish and offer plenty of space. Image: John Walton
All seats have a large tray table that folds from the front, with the mechanism attached to the bottom pivot point of the seat rather than the backrest. AC power is located under the armrest of each seat. The seats automatically rotate to face the direction of travel in the turnaround terminal, but can also be rotated manually if a group of four prefers to face each other.
Vehicle facilities such as a larger PRM toilet, wheelchair space, and a multipurpose room are specified inside the train. Image: John Walton
Fully equipped for disabled travelers and passengers with reduced mobility (PRM), there are wheelchair spaces in both regular and green cars, as well as a large, world-class PRM restroom with ostomy facilities. It is equipped.
There are three wheelchair seats in standard class. Image: John Walton
“Multipurpose room” is a separate wheelchair-accessible compartment with a seat that forms a flat bed surface for use by wheelchair users, passengers with disabilities, breastfeeding passengers, or passengers who become ill on the train. Advance reservation or as required.
The multipurpose room is equipped with thoughtful attention to detail. Image: John Walton
Overall, the improvements are impressive, and it’s especially nice to see JR East adding more color to the interiors of its Shinkansen cars.
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Featured image credit to John Walton
