Yamagata Shinkansen

The Yamagata Shinkansen (山形新幹線) is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line.

Yamagata Shinkansen
E3-1000 series train set L54 on the Yamagata Shinkansen between Kita-yamagata and Yamagata in March 2015
Overview
Native name	山形新幹線
Status	Operational
Owner	JR East
Locale	Fukushima and Yamagata Prefectures
Termini	Fukushima Shinjō
Stations	11
Color on map	Orange (#f36221)
Service
Type	Mini-shinkansen
Operator(s)	JR East
Depot(s)	Yamagata
Rolling stock	E3 series E8 series
History
Opened	July 1, 1992; 32 years ago (1992-07-01) (Tokyo–Yamagata) December 4, 1999; 25 years ago (1999-12-04) (Yamagata–Shinjō)
Technical
Line length	148.6 km (92.3 mi)
Number of tracks	Double-track (Single-track in some sections)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line: 20 kV 50 Hz AC (Fukushima–Shinjō)
Operating speed	130 km/h (80 mph)
Maximum incline	3.75%
Route Map (from Fukushima in blue)

The term Yamagata Shinkansen refers to the segment that connects Fukushima and Shinjō. Because the shinkansen trains share tracks with local trains running on conventional lines (在来線, zairaisen), it is often referred to as a "mini-shinkansen".

Operations

An aerial view showing the Yamagata Shinkansen diverging to the left from the Tohoku Shinkansen north of Fukushima Station

Trains consist of 7-car E3 and E8 series trainsets operating as Tsubasa services. Between Tokyo and Fukushima, some trains run coupled to Yamabiko trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen. Between Fukushima and Shinjō, the trains run on their own at a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph) and share the line with regular Ōu Main Line trains.^[1]

As of July 2012, about 62 million passengers had ridden the line since it opened in July 1992.^[2] The fastest trains connect Tokyo and Yamagata stations in two hours and 29 minutes.^[2]

Construction of a new approach line at Fukushima Station

In April 2021, JR East started construction of a new approach line at Fukushima station. Currently, the Yamagata Shinkansen can only enter and exit the Tohoku Shinkansen through platform 14 at Fukushima Station. This current layout requires the Yamagata Shinkansen to cross the north bound tracks to reach the Tokyo bound tracks. This new approach line will pass under the Tohoku Shinkansen, which will allow Yamagata Shinkansen to enter the Tohoku Shinkansen on platform 11 removing the crossing and reducing the gravitude of transport disruption. Construction is expected to finish by the end of fiscal year 2026.^[3]

Proposed Ou base tunnel

Construction of a base tunnel on the Yamagata Shinkansen is proposed, with JR East having undertaken a survey of a planned route from Niwasaka to Sekine, just south of Yonezawa station.^[4] 23.1 km (14.4 mi) of the proposed 24.9 km (15.5 mi) line would be in tunnel, mostly to the north of the existing 88 km (55 mi) Fukushima – Yamagata section. To be built on an improved alignment, the tunnel would lower journey times between Fukushima and Yamagata by ~10 min due to a proposed line speed of up to 200 km/h (124 mph).^[5]

The tunnel would avoid the Itaya Toge pass through the Ou mountains west of Fukushima. Gradients range from 3.0% to 3.8% and the line reaches an altitude of 548 m (1,798 ft). The curvature and steep grades limit train speeds to 55 km/h (34 mph) or less, and the line is vulnerable to heavy rain and snowfall as well as high winds.^[4] Between 2011 and 2017 a total of 410 Yamagata mini-Shinkansen services were either suspended or delayed, and 40% of these incidents occurred on the line over the Itaya Toge pass.^[4]

If the ¥150 billion base tunnel is authorised, detailed design would take five years and construction another 15 years.^[6] The cost could increase by ¥12 billion if the tunnel were to be built with a cross-section large enough to permit the line to be upgraded to the full Shinkansen Loading gauge.^[4]

Station list

Route map
Legend
Tohoku Main Line 0.0 Fukushima Soneda Tohoku Shinkansen 25 kV / 20 kV Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka Line Tōhoku Main Line, Abukuma Express Line 3.8 Sasakino 6.9 Niwasaka No. 2 Yoshigasawa Tunnel Matsukawa Tunnel Higashi-Akaiwa (temp., 1st) Higashi-Akaiwa (temp., 2nd) Akaiwa Until 1990 14.6 Akaiwa Since 1990 大日向 Tunnel 環金 Tunnel Itaya Until 1990 21.2 Itaya Since 1990 Itayatoge Tunnel 2nd Itayatoge Tunnel 24.5 Toge Since 1990 Toge Until 1990 28.8 Ōsawa Since 1990 Ōsawa Until 1990 34.8 Sekine Yonesaka Line 40.1 Yonezawa 45.6 Oitama 49.9 Takahata Yamako Takahata Line 56.1 Akayu Yamagata Railway Flower Nagai Line 61.6 Kita-Akayu (Signal Box) 64.4 Nakagawa 68.3 Uzen-Nakayama 75.0 Kaminoyama-Onsen 77.8 Mokichi Memorial Museum 81.8 Zaō Yamagata Locomotive Depot 87.1 Yamagata 89.0 Kita-Yamagata Aterazawa Line 91.9 Uzen-Chitose Senzan Line 93.6 Minami-Dewa 94.9 Urushiyama 97.0 Takatama 98.3 Tendō-Minami 100.4 Tendō 103.4 Midaregawa Yachikidō 106.3 Jimmachi 108.1 Sakuranbo Higashine 109.0 Kanisawa Until 1999 110.6 Higashine 113.5 Murayama 117.9 金谷 (Signal Box) Until 1999 121.5 Sodesaki Yamako Obanazawa Line 126.9 Ōishida 130.8 Kita-Ōishida 133.7 Ashisawa 140.3 Funagata Rikuu East Line Minami-Shinjō 144.1 Torigoe (Signal Box) Until 1999 148.6 Shinjõ Yamako Obanazawa Line Rikuu West Line Ōu Main Line

• All stations listed below are located on the Ōu Main Line.
• Beyond Fukushima, trains bound for Tokyo run with Tohoku Shinkansen trains.

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		From Tokyo	From Fukushima
Fukushima	福島	272.8	0.0	Tōhoku Shinkansen (for Morioka)   Tōhoku Main Line   Iizaka Line   Abukuma Express Line	Fukushima	Fukushima
Yonezawa	米沢	312.9	40.1	Yonesaka Line	Yonezawa	Yamagata
Takahata	高畠	322.7	49.9		Takahata, Higashiokitama District
Akayu	赤湯	328.9	56.1	Flower Nagai Line	Nanyō
Kaminoyama-Onsen	かみのやま温泉	347.8	75.0		Kaminoyama
Yamagata	山形	359.9	87.1		Yamagata
Tendō	天童	373.2	100.4		Tendō
Sakurambo-Higashine	さくらんぼ東根	380.9	108.1		Higashine
Murayama	村山	386.3	113.5		Murayama
Ōishida	大石田	399.7	126.9		Ōishida, Kitamurayama District
Shinjō	新庄	421.4	148.6	Ōu Main Line   Rikuu East Line   Rikuu West Line	Shinjō

Rolling stock

As of March 2024, the following types are used on Yamagata Shinkansen services.

E3-2000 series (left) and E3-1000 series (right) at Shinjō

• E3-2000 series 7 car sets, since 20 December 2008 (to be replaced by E8 series after 2024)
• E8 series 7-car sets, since 16 March 2024^[7]

Former rolling stock

A 400 series set on a Tsubasa service, March 2005

• 400 series 7-car sets (originally 6-car sets) withdrawn by 18 April 2010
• E3-1000 series 7-car sets (from 4 December 1999 until 18 March 2024)^[8]

Non-revenue-earning-types

E926 East i train at Omiya Station, May 2001

• East i (E926)

History

• 1 July 1992: Tsubasa services start from Tokyo to Yamagata with six-car 400 Series Shinkansen attached to a 200 Series Shinkansen on Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks between Tokyo and Fukushima.
• 1 December 1995: Trains are extended to seven cars.
• 4 December 1999: Line is extended to Shinjō.
• 21 September 2001: Double-decker E4 Series Shinkansen replace the 200 series trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen.
• 18 March 2007: All cars are made non-smoking.
• 20 December 2008: E3-2000 series trains enter service
• 18 April 2010: 400 series trains cease operations.
• 11 March 2011: All services are suspended due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
• 31 March 2011: Partial services resume between Fukushima and Shinjō.
• 12 April 2011: Through-service resumed between Tokyo and Shinjō but at half of previous capacity.^[9]
• 13 February 2021: Services suspended north of Nasushiobara Station due to the 2021 Fukushima earthquake.^[10]
• 9 June 2022: The line celebrates 30 years of operation. An E3 series trainset will be wrapped in a commemorative livery and will stay in service until November 2022.^[11]
• 16 March 2024: Start of service by the E8 Series^[7]
• 6 March 2025: Due to a Hayabusa-Komachi 21 service uncoupling near Nishi-Nippori station, coupled formations with Yamabiko trains on Yamagata Shinkansen are suspended until further notice. Passengers travelling from Tokyo to Yamagata/Shinjo and vise versa should transfer at Fukushima station.^[12]