The is a Mini-shinkansen

Mini-shinkansen

is the name given to the concept of converting narrow gauge railway lines to standard gauge for use by Shinkansen train services in Japan. Two mini-shinkansen routes have been constructed: the Yamagata Shinkansen and Akita Shinkansen.-Concept:...

 high-speed rail

High-speed rail

High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...

 line in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Serving the Kantō

Kanto region

The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....

 and Tōhoku Region

Tohoku region

The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....

s of the country, it links Tokyo

Tokyo Station

is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....

 and Akita

Akita Station

is a railway station in Akita, Akita, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company .-Platforms:- Limited express trains :* Komachi * Tsugaru * Inaho * Akebono * Nihonkai -Surrounding area:...

 in Akita prefecture

Akita Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....

 with direct service. From Tokyo to Morioka

Morioka Station

Morioka Station is a railway station located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-History:The station was opened on November 1, 1890, by Japan's first private railway company, Nippon Tetsudō.-Station layout:...

 in Iwate prefecture

Iwate Prefecture

is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...

, it operates on the Tōhoku Shinkansen

Tohoku Shinkansen

The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...

 tracks. From there to Ōmagari

Omagari Station

Ōmagari Station is the name of two train stations in Japan:* Ōmagari Station * Ōmagari Station...

, it uses the Tazawako Line

Tazawako Line

The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan....

 tracks. The section from Ōmagari to Akita use the Ōu Main Line

Ou Main Line

The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Fukushima Station in Fukushima, Fukushima through Akita Station in Akita, Akita to Aomori Station in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture...

 tracks.

Operations

Komachi trains couple with Hayate

Hayate (Shinkansen)

is a Shinkansen service operated on the Tōhoku Shinkansen in Japan by East Japan Railway Company since 2002. It operates as far as the northern terminus of , and it is the second-fastest service on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operating at a top speed of 275 km/h between Utsunomiya and Morioka...

 trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen for the portion of the journey between Tokyo and Morioka. Between Morioka and Akita, the Komachi runs as a six-car independent train. It uses E3 series

E3 Series Shinkansen

The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built for Komachi services which commenced on 3 June 1997, coinciding with opening of the new Akita Shinkansen 'mini-shinkansen' line, a regular narrow-gauge line between Morioka and Akita upgraded to . Later versions of the E3 series were also...

 rolling stock.

History

• March 22, 1997: The segment from Morioka to Akita began operating on with E3 series
  E3 Series Shinkansen
  The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built for Komachi services which commenced on 3 June 1997, coinciding with opening of the new Akita Shinkansen 'mini-shinkansen' line, a regular narrow-gauge line between Morioka and Akita upgraded to . Later versions of the E3 series were also...
  
   trains, 5 cars long.
• 1998: Trains extended to 6 cars
• September 16, 2001: line celebrates 10 millionth passenger.
• March 11, 2006: line celebrates 20 millionth passenger.
• March 18, 2007: All cars are made no smoking.
• March 11, 2011: All services suspended due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
  2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
  The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
  
  .
• March 18, 2011: Partial service resumes between Morioka and Akita. No through service to Tōhoku Shinkansen.
• April 29, 2011: In conjunction with the reopening of the full length of the Tōhoku Shinkansen, through service to Tokyo is restored.

Future

• March 2013: New E6 series
  E6 Series Shinkansen
  The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type on order by East Japan Railway Company for use on Komachi 'mini-shinkansen' services on the Tōhoku Shinkansen and Akita Shinkansen from Tokyo to Akita commencing in March 2013. The new 7-car trains will operate in conjunction with newly...
  
   trains will be introduced on Komachi services.
• March 2014: All Komachi services will be operated by E6 series trains, operating at 320 km/h on the Tōhoku Shinkansen
  Tohoku Shinkansen
  The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...
  
  .

Stations

Between Tokyo and Morioka, the stations are the same as those on the Tōhoku Shinkansen. From there on, the stations are as follows:

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		From Tokyo	From Morioka
Morioka Morioka Station Morioka Station is a railway station located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-History:The station was opened on November 1, 1890, by Japan's first private railway company, Nippon Tetsudō.-Station layout:...	盛岡	535.3	0.0	Tōhoku Shinkansen Tohoku Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata... , Tōhoku Main Line, Yamada Line Yamada Line The Yamada Line is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Morioka Station in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture to Kamaishi Station in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture via Miyako Station in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture.... , Tazawako Line Tazawako Line The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan.... , Iwate Ginga Line	Morioka Morioka, Iwate is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....	Iwate Prefecture Iwate Prefecture is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
Shizukuishi Shizukuishi Station Shizukuishi Station is a train station located in Shizukuishi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-Surrounding area:Near Shizukuishi Station are public facilities such as the town hall and schools. The station also serves the recreation facilities in the town...	雫石	552.9	16.0	Tazawako Line Tazawako Line The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan....	Shizukuishi Shizukuishi, Iwate is a town located in Iwate District, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 31 July 2010, the town has an estimated population of 18,492.- Geography :Shizukuishi is located in the Ōu Mountains. Mount Iwate, an active volcano, lies just to the north of Shizukuishi and dominates the landscape...
Tazawako Tazawako Station Tazawako Station is a train station located in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, Japan.-Lines:*JR East**Akita Shinkansen**Tazawako Line-Surrounding area:* Nyūtō hot spring village.* Lake Tazawa.* Semboku city hall.* Sashimaki moor....	田沢湖	579.4	40.1	Tazawako Line Tazawako Line The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan....	Senboku Senboku, Akita is a city located in Akita, Japan.- The city of Semboku :Semboku was created on September 20, 2005 from the merger of Kakunodate, Tazawako, and Nishiki, all from Senboku District...	Akita Prefecture Akita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
Kakunodate Kakunodate Station Kakunodate Station is a train station located in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, Japan.-Lines:*JR East**Akita Shinkansen**Tazawako Line *Akita Inland Rail Transport**Akita Inland Railway -History:...	角館	600.0	58.8	Tazawako Line Tazawako Line The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan.... , Akita Nairiku Jūkan Railway Akita Nairiku Line Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway Akita Nairiku Line The is a Japanese railway line in Akita Prefecture, between Takanosu, Kitaakita and Kakunodate, Senboku. This is the only railway line operated by the . The third sector company took over two former Japanese National Railways lines in 1986, and a newly built line linked the two in 1989...
Ōmagari Omagari Station (Akita) is a train station located in Daisen, Akita prefecture, Japan.-Lines:*East Japan Railway Company **Ōu Main Line**Tazawako Line**Akita Shinkansen-Layout:...	大曲	618.5	75.6	Ōu Main Line Ou Main Line The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Fukushima Station in Fukushima, Fukushima through Akita Station in Akita, Akita to Aomori Station in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture... , Tazawako Line Tazawako Line The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan....	Daisen Daisen, Akita is a city located in Akita Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, it has an estimated population of 87,497 and an area of 866.68 km², giving a population density of 101 per square kilometer....
Akita Akita Station is a railway station in Akita, Akita, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company .-Platforms:- Limited express trains :* Komachi * Tsugaru * Inaho * Akebono * Nihonkai -Surrounding area:...	秋田	670.2	127.3	Ōu Main Line Ou Main Line The is a railway line in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Fukushima Station in Fukushima, Fukushima through Akita Station in Akita, Akita to Aomori Station in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture... , Uetsu Main Line Uetsu Main Line The is a railway in the Tōhoku and Chūbu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita... , Oga Line Oga Line The is a rail line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company . It runs from Oiwake Station in Akita, Akita Prefecture to Oga Station in Oga, Akita Prefecture. It is nicknamed the Oga Namahage Line.- Stations :...	Akita Akita, Akita is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...