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35-707: The Agano River ( 阿賀野川 , Agano-gawa ) is a river system in the Hokuriku region of Honshu , Japan . It is also called the Aga River or the Ōkawa River in Fukushima . It is designated as a Class A river. The source of the river is Mount Arakai on the border of Fukushima and Tochigi prefectures. It flows to the north and meets the Nippashi River from Lake Inawashiro and the Tadami River in

70-451: A fleet of 10 JR West W7 series 12-car sets introduced from March 2015. The fleet of W7 series was purchased at a cost of ¥32.8 billion. The remaining E2 series trainsets were withdrawn from Hokuriku Shinkansen services on 31 March 2017. In 2019, ten trains, eight from JR East with a book value of ¥11.8 billion and two from JR West, were damaged when a train yard in Nagano was flooded as

105-573: A further section onward to Fukui and Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture , covering 125 kilometers and six stations, commenced in 2012 and opened on 16 March 2024. The route of the final section to Shin-Osaka was decided on 20 December 2016 as the Osaka–Kyoto route, with construction expected to begin in the late 2020s and take about 25 years, after impact assessment procedures for areas along the line are completed. Since March 2015, services on

140-529: A local politician. A government committee deliberating the proposals decided in April 2016 to narrow the proposed route to three alignments between Tsuruga and Kyōto and two alignments between Kyoto and Shin-Ōsaka (a northern route through Minoh and a southern route through the Kansai Science City ). On 6 March 2017 the government committee announced the chosen route from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka

175-543: A new station underground near Kyoto Station. The third option is a newly constructed station near Katsuragawa Station, also underground. The route extension is estimated to cost up to 5.3 trillion yen and require up to 28 years to complete construction. Including the Obama-Kyoto route, the following four options were under consideration before the December 2016 announcement, with a fifth unofficial option suggested by

210-672: A result of the abandonment of the proposed use of a GCT on the West Kyushu Shinkansen to Nagasaki by JR Kyushu, in August 2018 JR West announced that the proposed GCT between Tsuruga and Osaka had been abandoned. With the opening of the initial Nagano Shinkansen section in October 1997, the section of the conventional ( narrow gauge ) Shinetsu Main Line running along approximately the same route between Karuizawa and Shinonoi

245-708: A sudden change in name will confuse customers, propose "Nagano–Hokuriku Shinkansen" to be used. In contrast government officials and economic associations in Hokuriku region defended the legal name, including statements such as "a just result should come after 3 prefectures striving for 40 years". Section west of Jōetsumyōkō belongs to JR West, which did not state an opinion and used "Hokuriku Shinkansen" only. On October 2, 2013, JR East announced formal line name will be Hokuriku Shinkansen (consistent with National Shinkansen Railway Development Act ) and depicted as Hokuriku Shinkansen (via Nagano) to reflect its expansion into

280-455: Is 110 km/h (70 mph) between Tokyo and Ueno, 130 km/h (81 mph) between Ueno and Omiya, 275 km/h (170 mph) between Omiya and Takasaki, and 260 km/h (160 mph) between Takasaki and Tsuruga. With the start of Nagano Shinkansen services, trains were operated by a new fleet of JR East E2 series 8-car sets. A fleet of 17 new E7 series 12-car trainsets were phased in from March 2014, and these were augmented by

315-673: Is also the setting for Yasunari Kawabata 's novel Snow Country . Hokuriku is listed as No. 4 in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2014 – Top 10 Regions. The region has seen an influx of tourists since 2015 as the Hokuriku Shinkansen (formerly Nagano Shinkansen) extended its services from Nagano to Kanazawa, enabling direct bullet train services to the Hokuriku region from Tokyo . When services commenced in March 2015,

350-711: Is jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The first section, between Takasaki and Nagano in Nagano Prefecture , opened on 1 October 1997 in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics , and was originally called the Nagano Shinkansen ( 長野新幹線 ) . The extension to Toyama in Toyama Prefecture and Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture opened on 14 March 2015. Construction of

385-731: Is to be avoided. From March 22, 1997, until the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa, the primary route for Hokuriku customers (from the Tokyo area) is to use the Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa Station , then transfer to Hakutaka via the Hokuetsu Express , rendering using the Takasaki–Nagano section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen meaningless for them. Therefore, JR East sought other names. On

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420-481: Is to be via Kyotanabe, with a station at Matsuiyamate on the Katamachi Line . There are also requests from Kyoto City and Kyoto Prefecture, local governments along the route, to further extend the line to Kansai Airport . In an attempt to extend the benefits of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to stations west of Tsuruga before the section to Shin-Osaka is completed, JR West was working in partnership with Talgo on

455-771: The 1998 Winter Olympics held in Nagano. The train was modified to operate on both 25 kV AC 50 Hz and 60 Hz overhead power supplies, incorporated weight-saving measures to comply with the 16 tonne axle load restriction, and included additional control equipment to cope with the 30 ‰ gradient of the Nagano Shinkansen. Its maximum speed was limited to 210 km/h (130 mph). The last services operated using eight-car E2 series trainsets ran on 31 March 2017, from which date all Asama services were formed of E7 and W7 series trainsets. The initial section between Takasaki and Nagano opened on 1 October 1997, in time for

490-467: The 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Between May 2012 and March 2014, station platforms on the Nagano Shinkansen had their platform roofs extended to handle the E7 series 12-car trains which entered service in March 2014 ahead of the March 2015 opening of the extension beyond Nagano. The Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa opened in March 2015. The 113-km extension from Kanazawa to Tsuruga

525-608: The Aizu Basin, and then turns to the west and falls into the Sea of Japan . The Agano River flows for 210 kilometers. It has a watershed area of 7,710 square kilometers. Approximately 560,000 people live in the basin area. In 1964–1965, a chemical factory at Kanose village in Niigata Prefecture released methylmercury into the river and caused Niigata Minamata disease . There are several hydroelectric power plants on

560-471: The Taiheiyō Belt . The Hokuriku region includes the four prefectures of Ishikawa , Fukui , Niigata and Toyama , although Niigata is sometimes included as an addition rather than being one of the core prefectures. It is similar to the following region definitions: The major population centers of Hokuriku are: Of these, Niigata is the largest with a population of over 800,000. The main industries in

595-652: The Agano River: This Niigata Prefecture location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Fukushima Prefecture location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Japan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hokuriku region From the Heian period until the Edo period , the region

630-566: The Chikuma River overflowed during typhoon Hagibis . As a result, JR West suffered a loss of ¥ 3 billion (2019) ( US$ 27.52 million). The original E2 series 8-car "J" sets, primarily used on Tohoku Shinkansen services were also used on some Asama services until they were subsequently lengthened to 10 cars. One specially-modified 200 series set, numbered F80, was used on additional Asama services in February 1998 during

665-407: The Hokuriku area include chemicals, medicine, tourism, textiles and textile machinery, heavy machinery, farming, and fishing. Koshihikari , a popular variety of rice is a special product of Hokuriku subregion. Per Japanese census data, Hokuriku subregion has had negative population growth since year 2000. The Hokuriku region has the highest volume of snowfall of any inhabited and arable region in

700-522: The development of a Gauge Change Train (GCT), which was proposed to be capable of operating under both the 25 kV AC electrification used on the Shinkansen and the 1.5 kV DC system employed on conventional lines. The six-car train was due to start trials on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the 1067 mm-gauge Hokuriku and Kosei lines in 2017. As part of the project JR West had begun trials with a purpose-built 180 m-long gauge-changer at Tsuruga. However, as

735-702: The end of March 2014. Test-running on the entire line between Nagano and Kanazawa (Hakusan Depot) started on 1 August 2014, using the "East i" test train. Test-running using W7 series trains commenced on 5 August 2014, initially at low speed, on the JR West section between Kanazawa and Jōetsumyōkō . In the months preceding the opening, JR West conducted various low speed runs on the new Kanazawa - Tsuruga section using " East i " test trains on 23 September 2023. Runs using regular W7 series trainsets started on 26 September. Regular passenger service began on 16 March 2024, with ceremonies at both Tsuruga and Tōkyō from

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770-431: The extension. The extension to Tsuruga was approved for construction on 30 June 2012, and opened on 16 March 2024. Beyond Jōetsumyōkō Station, the line is operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) instead of East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Many people speculated about and discussed what the line's operational name should be after Nagano–Kanazawa section is completed. Nagano economic associations argued

805-506: The five third-sector operating companies and their respective lines are as shown below. In 2019, it was decided that the section of the Hokuriku Main Line between Tsuruga and Fukui would be transferred to third-sector railway operating companies. Three years later in 2022, it was determined that the section would be split among two operators. The IR Ishikawa Railway would extend their operations from Kanazawa to Daishoji, while

840-469: The line are split into four types, with train names as listed below. Trains operate over the Joetsu and Tohoku Shinkansen tracks between Tokyo and Takasaki. The original Nagano Shinkansen Asama services, introduced in 1997, replaced the conventional Shin'etsu Main Line limited express services, also named Asama , which previously took 2 hours 50 minutes from Tokyo ( Ueno Station ) to Nagano. Following

875-410: The opening of the Shinkansen, part of the conventional line was abandoned between Yokokawa and Karuizawa . This section included the steeply-graded Usui Pass which required the use of bank engines on all trains. Travel time between Tokyo and Tsuruga is 3 hours 8 minutes, 50 minutes shorter than using a conventional train between Kanazawa and Tsuruga. Legend: As of 2024, the maximum line speed

910-442: The opposition to the name. Construction of the extension from Nagano to Kanazawa was completed on 24 May 2014. When services commenced in March 2015, the travel time from Tokyo to Toyama was reduced to about 2 hours, with Kanazawa an additional 30 minutes away. Final permission to start construction to Fukui was granted in December 2011, with modification works to Fukui Station already in progress for several years in anticipation of

945-429: The other hand, local governments in Hokuriku, fearing construction west of Nagano may be halted, petitioned that the name "Hokuriku" should remain in use for operational purposes. JR East announced the following solution at July 25, 1997: Soon, "Nagano- bound Shinkansen" fell out of use, and timetables by various publishers use "Nagano Shinkansen" only. Construction to Kanazawa was officially decided, thereby reducing

980-539: The prefectural and municipal governments through which the lines pass. A total of 252.2 km (156.7 mi) of route between Nagano and Kanazawa was transferred to four separate operating companies, including 75.0 km (46.6 mi) of the Shinetsu Main Line between Nagano and Naoetsu , and 177.2 km (110.1 mi) of the Hokuriku Main Line between Naoetsu and Kanazawa. Details of

1015-474: The region, resolving the naming issue. Test-running on the JR East section of the line between Nagano and Kurobe-Unazukionsen commenced on 1 December 2013, initially at low speeds using the " East i " test train. From 6 December, test-running commenced using 10-car E2 series trainsets, with running speeds gradually increased to the full line speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). Test-running continued until

1050-617: The respective presidents of JR West and JR East . The extension cost ¥ 1.67 trillion ( US$ 15.22 billion) to build. In accordance with the opening of the extension, the limited express service Thunderbird ended its service between Tsuruga and Kanazawa on 15 March 2024. The route of the final section from Tsuruga to Ōsaka was finalized on 20 December 2016 as the Obama–Kyoto route. JRTT proposed three possible stations in Kyoto at an August 8, 2024 meeting. Two options include

1085-422: The travel time from Tokyo to Toyama was reduced to about 2 hours, with Kanazawa an additional 30 minutes away. 37°54′58″N 139°02′11″E  /  37.91611°N 139.03639°E  / 37.91611; 139.03639 Hokuriku Shinkansen The Hokuriku Shinkansen ( Japanese : 北陸新幹線 ) is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo with Tsuruga in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It

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1120-553: The world. This is because dry Siberian air masses , which develop high humidity over the Sea of Japan , are forced upwards when they encounter the mountains of Honshū , causing the humidity to condense as snow. The long winters and deep snow of this region are depicted in Hokuetsu Seppu , an encyclopedic work of the late Edo period which describes life in the Uonuma district of Niigata Prefecture. The Hokuriku region

1155-452: Was a core recipient of population, and grew to be proportionately much larger than it is today, despite the rural character; in modern times, its population has remained consistent, with most urban growth in the 20th century instead taking place in Kanto , Chūkyō , and Kansai . The Hokuriku region is also known for traditional culture that originated from elsewhere that has been long lost along

1190-518: Was approved for construction in June 2012. From the start of the revised timetable on 15 March 2014, E7 series trainsets were introduced on Asama services. Initially used on seven return services daily, this number was increased to eleven return services daily from 19 April 2014. The line's legal name has always been Hokuriku Shinkansen. However, just before the opening of the Nagano section, JR East has decided that using this name in passenger service

1225-547: Was transferred from the control of JR East to a newly established third-sector railway operating company, Shinano Railway , becoming the Shinano Railway Line . With the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension north of Nagano on 14 March 2015, the conventional lines running along approximately the same route were transferred from the control of their respective JR owning companies to newly established third-sector railway operating companies funded primarily by

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