List of named passenger trains of Japan

This article contains lists of named passenger trains in Japan.

Shinkansen (bullet trains)

Train name	Name meaning	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated	Maximum operating speed (km/h)
Aoba	Green leaves	JR East	Tokyo – Sendai	1982–1995	240
Asahi	Morning Sun	JR East	Tokyo – Niigata	1982–2004	275
Asama	refers to Mount Asama	JR East	Tokyo – Nagano	1998–	260
Hakutaka	White hawk	JR East / JR-West	Tokyo – Kanazawa	2015–	260
Hayabusa	Peregrine falcon	JR East / JR Hokkaido	Tokyo – Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto	2011–	320
Hayate	Strong wind	JR East / JR Hokkaido	Tokyo – Morioka and Morioka – Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto	2002–	275
Hikari	Light	JR Central / JR-West	Tokyo – Hiroshima and Nagoya – Hakata	1964–	Tokaido Shinkansen: 285 Sanyo Shinkansen: 300
Hikari Rail Star	Light – Rail Star	JR-West	Shin-Ōsaka – Hakata	2000–	285
Kagayaki	Glitter	JR East / JR-West	Tokyo – Kanazawa	2015–	260
Kodama	Echo	JR Central / JR-West	Tokyo – Shin-Ōsaka and Shin-Ōsaka – Hakata	1964–	285
Komachi	Beauty (refers to Ono no Komachi)	JR East	Tokyo – Akita	1997–	320
Mizuho	Harvest, also an ancient name of Japan	JR Kyushu / JR-West	Shin-Ōsaka – Kagoshima-Chūō	2011–	300
Nasuno	refers to Nasu highlands	JR East	Tokyo – Kōriyama	1995–	275
Nozomi	Hope	JR Central / JR-West	Tokyo – Shin-Ōsaka, Hakata	1992–	Tokaido Shinkansen: 285 Sanyo Shinkansen: 300
Sakura	Cherry blossoms	JR Kyushu / JR-West	Shin-Ōsaka – Kagoshima-Chūō	2011–	300
Tanigawa	refers to Mount Tanigawa	JR East	Tokyo – Echigo-Yuzawa	1997–	240
Toki	Crested ibis	JR East	Tokyo – Niigata	1982–1997, 2004–	240
Tsubame	Swallows	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Kagoshima-Chūō	2004–	260
Tsubasa	Wings	JR East	Tokyo – Shinjō	1992–	275
Tsurugi	refers to Mount Tsurugi	JR-West	Toyama – Kanazawa	2015–	260
Yamabiko	Mountain spirit	JR East	Tokyo – Morioka	1982–	275

Daytime trains

Limited express (partial list)

Train name	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated
A-Train	JR Kyushu	Yoshizuka, Hakata – Nagasu	1967–
Aizu Liner	JR East	Kōriyama – Aizu-Wakamatsu	1968–
Akagi / Swallow Akagi	JR East	Ueno, Shinjuku – Takasaki, Maebashi	1982–
Ariake	JR Kyushu	Kumamoto – Misumi	1967–
Asagiri	Odakyu	Shinjuku – Gotemba	1991–
Ashizuri	JR Shikoku	Kōchi – Nakamura	1990–
Ayame	JR East	Tokyo – Narita, Kashima Jingu, Chōshi	1975–2015
Azusa / Super Azusa	JR East	Shinjuku, Tokyo, Chiba – Matsumoto, Minami-Otari	1966–
Enoshima	Odakyu	Shinjuku – Fujisawa – Katase-Enoshima	1964–
Fujikawa	JR Central	Kōfu – Shizuoka	1996–
Hakone / Super Hakone / Metro Hakone	Odakyu	Shinjuku, Kita-Senju – Hakone-Yumoto	1950–
Hakuchō / Super Hakuchō	JR East / JR Hokkaido	Shin-Aomori, Aomori – Hakodate	2002–2016
Haruka	JR-West	Kyoto/Shin-Ōsaka – Kansai Airport	1993–
Hida	JR Central	Nagoya – Takayama, Toyama	1968–
Hitachi	JR East	Shinagawa – Iwaki	1969–
Hokuto / Super Hokuto	JR Hokkaido	Hakodate – Sapporo	1965–
Homeway / Metro Homeway	Odakyu	Shinjuku, Kita-Senju, Ōtemachi – Machida, Sagami-Ōno, Hon-Atsugi, Odawara, Hakone-Yumoto, Karakida, Fujisawa, Katase-Enoshima	1999–
Huis Ten Bosch	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Huis Ten Bosch	1992–
Inaho	JR East	Niigata – Sakata, Akita	1969–
Inaji	JR Central	Toyohashi – Iida	1996–
Ishizuchi	JR Shikoku	Takamatsu – Matsuyama, Uwajima	1988–
Kaiji	JR East	Tokyo, Shinjuku – Kōfu, Ryūō	1988–
Kaio	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Nōgata	2001–
Kamome	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Saga, Hizen-Kashima, Nagasaki and Haiki – Nagasaki	1961–
Kamoshika	JR East	Akita – Aomori	1997–2010
Kinosaki	JR-West	Kyoto – Kinosaki Onsen	1996–
Kinugawa / Spacia Kinugawa	JR East / Tōbu	Shinjuku – Kinugawa-Onsen	2006–
Kirameki	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Kokura, Mojikō	2001–
Kirishima	JR Kyushu	Miyazaki – Miyakonojō, Nishi-Miyakonojō, Kagoshima-Chūō and Kokubu – Kagoshima-Chūō	1995–
Kita-Kinki	JR-West	Shin-Ōsaka, Fukuchiyama – Toyooka, Kinosaki Onsen	1986–2011
Kounotori	JR-West	Shin-Ōsaka – Fukuchiyama, Toyooka, Kinosaki Onsen	2011–
Kumagawa	JR Kyushu	Kumamoto – Hitoyoshi	2004–
Kuroshio	JR-West	Kyoto, Shin-Ōsaka, Tennōji – Wakayama, Shirahama, Shingu	1965–
Kusatsu	JR East	Ueno – Manza-Kagawaguchi	1985–
Lilac	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Asahikawa	1980–2007
Midori	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Sasebo	1976–
Nanki	JR Central	Nagoya – Shingū Station, Kii-Katsuura	1978–
Nanpū	JR Shikoku	Okayama – Kōchi, Nakamura, Sukumo	1972–
Narita Express	JR East	Tokyo area – Narita Airport	1991–
Nikkō / Spacia Nikko	JR East / Tōbu	Shinjuku – Tōbu-Nikko	2006–
Odoriko / Super View Odoriko	JR East / Izukyū / Izuhakone Railway	Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro – Itō, Izukyū Shimoda, Shuzenji	1981–
Ohayo Express / Oyasumi Express	JR-West	Fukui – Kanazawa	Ohayo Express: 2001– Oyasumi Express: 2004–
Ohayo Tochigi / Hometown Tochigi	JR East	Shinjuku – Utsunomiya, Kuroiso	1995–2010
Okhotsk	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Abashiri	1972–
Relay Tsubame	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Shin-Yatsushiro	2004–2011
Sagami / Metro Sagami	Odakyu	Shinjuku, Kita-Senju – Machida, Sagami-Ōno, Hon-Atsugi, Odawara	1950–
Sazanami	JR East	Tokyo – Kimitsu	1972–
Shimanto	JR Shikoku	Takamatsu – Kōchi, Sukumo	1988–
Shinano	JR Central	Ōsaka, Nagoya – Nagano	1968–
Shiokaze	JR Shikoku	Okayama – Imabari, Matsuyama, Uwajima	1972–
Shiosai	JR East	Tokyo, Shinjuku – Sakura, Narutō, Chōshi	1975–
Shirasagi	JR-West	Nagoya, Maibara – Kanazawa	1964–
Shirayuki	JR East	Niigata – Jōetsumyōkō	2015–
Skyliner	Keisei	Keisei Ueno – Narita Airport	1972–
Sonic	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Yanagigaura, Ōita, Saiki (via Nippō Main Line)	1997–
Super Inaba	JR-West	Okayama – Tottori	1993–
Super Kamui	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Asahikawa	2007–
Super Matsukaze	JR-West	Tottori – Masuda	2003–
Super Oki	JR-West	Tottori – Yonago, Shin-Yamaguchi	2001–
Super Ozora	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Kushiro	1961–
Super Soya, Sarobetsu	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Wakkanai	2000–
Super Tokachi	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Obihiro	1990–
Super White Arrow	JR Hokkaido	New Chitose Airport, Sapporo – Asahikawa	1986–2007
Suzuran	JR Hokkaido	Muroran – Sapporo	1992–
Thunderbird	JR-West	Ōsaka – Kanazawa, Wakura-Onsen	1995–
Tokiwa	JR East	Shinagawa – Tsuchiura, Katsuta, Iwaki, Takahagi	2015–
Trans-Kyushu Limited Express	JR Kyushu	Beppu – Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto	2004–
Tsugaru	JR East	Akita – Aomori	2002–
Uwakai	JR Shikoku	Matsuyama – Uwajima	1990–
Uzushio	JR Shikoku	Okayama, Takamatsu – Tokushima	1988–
Wakashio	JR East	Shinjuku – Kazusa-Ichinomiya, Katsuura, Awa-Kamogawa	1972–
Tōkai	JR Central	Tokyo – Shizuoka	1996–2007
Yufu / Yufuin-no-mori	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Yufuin, Ōita, Beppu (via Kyūdai Main Line)	1989–
μ Sky	Meitetsu	Shin-Unuma, Shin-Kani, Mikakino, Meitetsu Gifu, Meitetsu Nagoya – Central Japan International Airport	2005–

Express

Train name	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated
Chichibuji	Chichibu Railway	Hanyū, Kumagaya – Kagemori, Mitsumineguchi	1969–
Moriyoshi	Akita Nairiku Jūkan Railway	Kakunodate – Takanosu	1989–
SL Express	Ōigawa Railway	Shin-Kanaya – Senzu	1976–

Rapid

Train name	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated
Acty	JR East	Tokyo – Atami	1989–
Airport	JR Hokkaido	Otaru, Sapporo – New Chitose Airport	1992–
Aqua Liner	JR-West	Yonago – Masuda	2001–
Aterui	JR East	Mizusawa – Morioka	2001–
Central Liner	JR Central	Nagoya – Nakatsugawa	1999–2013
Hamayuri	JR East	Morioka – Kamaishi (via Kamaishi Line)	2002–
Kansai Airport Rapid Service	JR-West	Tennōji – Kansai Airport (via Ōsaka)	1994–
Karikachi	JR Hokkaido	Takikawa, Asahikawa – Obihiro	1990–
Kishuji Rapid Service	JR-West	Tennōji – Wakayama, Kainan, Gobō, Kii-Tanabe (via Ōsaka)	1999–
Kitami	JR Hokkaido	Asahikawa – Kitami	1998–
Kubikino	JR East	Arai – Niigata	2002–2015
Marine Liner	JR-West / JR Shikoku	Okayama – Takamatsu	1988–
Mie	JR Central / Ise Tetsudo	Nagoya – Toba	1990–
Nayoro	JR Hokkaido	Asahikawa – Nayoro	1965–
Rabbit	JR East	Tokyo – Utsunomiya, Kuroiso	1988–
Rias	JR East	Morioka – Miyako (via Yamada Line)	1988–
Shōnan Liner	JR East	Tokyo – Odawara (Some of trains pass Tōkaidō Freight Line)	1986–
Tambaji Rapid Service	JR-West	Ōsaka – Sasayamaguchi	2000–
Tottori Liner	JR-West	Tottori – Yonago, Izumoshi	2001–
Urban	JR East	Tokyo – Takasaki, Maebashi	1989–
Yamatoji Rapid Service	JR-West	Tennōji – Kamo (via Ōsaka)	1989–

Night trains

Limited express

Train name	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated
Akatsuki	JR-West	Kyoto – Nagasaki	1965–Mar 2008
Akebono	JR East	Ueno (Tokyo) – Aomori	1970–Jan 2015
Asakaze	JR-West	Tokyo – Shimonoseki	1956–Mar 2005
Cassiopeia	JR East	Ueno – Sapporo	1999–Mar 2016
Dream Nichirin	JR Kyushu	Hakata – Minami Miyazaki, Miyazaki Airport	1993–2011
Fuji	JR Kyushu	Tokyo – Ōita	1964–Mar 2009
Hayabusa	JR Kyushu	Tokyo – Kumamoto	1958–Mar 2009
Hokuriku	JR East	Ueno – Kanazawa	1947–Mar 2010
Hokutosei	JR East / JR Hokkaido	Ueno – Sapporo	1988–August 2015
Izumo	JR East	Tokyo – Izumoshi (via Tottori)	1972–Mar 2006
Marimo	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Kushiro	2001–2008
Naha	JR Kyushu	Kyoto – Kumamoto	1968–Mar 2008
Nihonkai	JR-West / JR East	Ōsaka – Aomori	1968–Mar 2012
Sunrise Izumo	JR Central / JR-West	Tokyo – Izumoshi (via Okayama)	1998–
Sunrise Seto	JR Central / JR-West	Tokyo – Takamatsu	1998–
Okhotsk	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Abashiri	1992–Mar 2006; Daytime service continues
Rishiri	JR Hokkaido	Sapporo – Wakkanai	2000–2007
Sakura	JR Kyushu	Tokyo – Nagasaki	1959–Mar 2005
Suisei	JR-West	Kyoto – Minami-Miyazaki	1968–2005
Twilight Express	JR-West	Ōsaka – Sapporo	1989–Mar 2015
Oze yakō 23:55 / Snowpal 23:55	Tobu Railway	Asakusa – Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi	1986–; Climbing and skiing season only

Express

Train name	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated
Daisen	JR-West	Ōsaka – Yonago (via San'in Main Line)	1968–Oct 2004
Ginga	JR-West	Tokyo – Ōsaka	1950–Mar 2008
Hamanasu	JR Hokkaido	Aomori – Sapporo	1955–Mar 2016
Kitaguni	JR-West	Ōsaka – Niigata	1968–Jan 2013
Noto	JR East	Ueno – Kanazawa	1975–Feb 2012

Rapid

Train name	Operator	Train endpoints	Operated
Moonlight Echigo	JR East	Shinjuku – Niigata	1986–May 2014
Moonlight Nagara	JR East / JR Central	Tokyo – Ōgaki	1996–

See also

• Rail transport in Japan

References

• JR Timetable, December 2008
• ＪＲ新幹線＆特急列車ファイル (JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File). Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
• 列車名鑑１９９5 (Train Name Directory 1995). Japan: Railway Journal. August 1995.