When I visited Mt. Hakkoda in Aomori Prefecture last month, I took a shuttle bus from Shin-Aomori station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. It took about one hour to Sanroku station of Hakkoda Ropeway. The coloring design of the shuttle bus operated by JR East Tohoku Bus Company was unique, since it's the same as that of the EMU E5 series of the Tohoku Shinkansen train. It means that tourists can easily find the shuttle bus connecting with Tohoku Shinkansen.
As you know, the EMU E5 series was launched in 2011 for speeding up the Tohoku Shinkansen trains. Its current maximum speed is 320 kilometers per hour (198.8 miles per hour), which is the fastest in Japan. 45 sets (450 cars) were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hitachi. JR Hokkaido's H5 series is a sister train of the E5 series. By tilting the train's body using advanced technology, the E5 series can keep a high speed on tight curves. Using the E5 series, a Super Express train "Hayabusa (Falcon)" has cut the travel time. Currently, it takes only 2 hours 59 minutes between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations.
Incidentally, the E5 series has a gorgeous "Gran Class (First Class)" car. The seats are similar to those of first and business classes in an aircraft. Meals, drinks and several amenities such as scuffs, blankets, an eye mask and magazines are provided. I would like to use this attractive "Gran Class" someday, but of course the fare is also handsome.
As you know, the EMU E5 series was launched in 2011 for speeding up the Tohoku Shinkansen trains. Its current maximum speed is 320 kilometers per hour (198.8 miles per hour), which is the fastest in Japan. 45 sets (450 cars) were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hitachi. JR Hokkaido's H5 series is a sister train of the E5 series. By tilting the train's body using advanced technology, the E5 series can keep a high speed on tight curves. Using the E5 series, a Super Express train "Hayabusa (Falcon)" has cut the travel time. Currently, it takes only 2 hours 59 minutes between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations.
Incidentally, the E5 series has a gorgeous "Gran Class (First Class)" car. The seats are similar to those of first and business classes in an aircraft. Meals, drinks and several amenities such as scuffs, blankets, an eye mask and magazines are provided. I would like to use this attractive "Gran Class" someday, but of course the fare is also handsome.
