Super Komachi, Akita Shinkansen

The Komachi (こまち?) is a high-speed shinkansen service between Tokyo and Akita in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) since March 1997. It is the only shinkansen service that runs on the Akita Shinkansen, and uses E6 series trains. Between Tokyo Station and Morioka, it couples with Tohoku Shinkansen E5 series Hayabusa trainsets. After Morioka, the Komachi service continues along standard gauge tracks that were converted from narrow gauge. Because it then runs on tracks that have grade crossings, its maximum speed from Morioka to Akita is 130 km/h (80 mph), compared to 320 km/h (200 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen.

 

The Komachi service was named after a famous poet from the area, Ono no Komachi, whose name (小町) is also synonymous with "belle" or "beauty" in Japanese.

 

Watch the movie of my trip to Japan:

vimeo.com/108276760

youtu.be/I5_Z8NGcriw

 

www.facebook.com/stoppaz

 

Don't forget to check out my YouTube channel, and JOIN THE MUSIC OF JAPAN!

www.youtube.com/user/bpaschsion

10,632 views
74 faves
5 comments
Uploaded on December 4, 2014
Taken on August 4, 2014