The is an award presented annually in Japan since 1961 by the Japan Railfan Club. It is awarded for railway vehicles that entered service in the previous year and voted by the selection committee as having the most outstanding functional and design features.

Award winners

The list of award winners since 1961 is as follows.

Award	Year	Train	Operator
1	1961	2000/2300 series EMU	Hankyu Railway Hankyu Railway is a Japanese private railway that provides commuter and interurban service to the northern Kansai region and is one of major businesses operated by Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc. The railway's main terminal is at Umeda Station in Osaka...
2	1962	401/421 series EMU	JNR
3	1963	3000 series Keio 3000 series The is an EMU operated by Keio Corporation exclusively on the Keiō Inokashira Line. First introduced in December 1962, it was built by Tokyu Car Corp and was the recipient of the 3rd Laurel Prize presented by the Japan Railfan Club....  EMU	Keio Corporation
4	1964	5000 series Keio 5000 series The is an EMU which formerly operated on the Keio Corporation, first introduced in 1963. Built in batches by Nippon Sharyo, Tokyu Car Corp and Hitachi, it was the recipient of the 4th Laurel Prize of the Japan Railfan Club....  EMU	Keio Corporation
5	1965	3000 series EMU	Sanyo Electric Railway Sanyo Electric Railway Sanyo Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is a Japanese private railway in western Hyōgo Prefecture...
6	1966	A830 series tramcar	Sapporo Streetcar
7	1967	0 series OS Car EMU	Nagano Electric Railway Nagano Electric Railway The is a private railway based in Nagano, Japan. The company and its lines are commonly referred to as .-History:Nagano Electric Railway consists of two lines in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture. The original Nagano Electric Railway was built in 1926 connecting Gondō in Nagano City with Suzaka...
8	1968	(No award)	-
9	1969	6000 series tramcar	Toei Toei Toei or Tōei may refer to:* Tōei, Aichi, Japan* Toei Company, Japanese film and television production company** Toei Animation, their animation subsidiary...
10	1970	60 series EMU	Osaka Municipal Subway Osaka Municipal Subway is the metro network in the city of Osaka, Japan, forming an integral part of the extensive mass transit system of Greater Osaka , having 125 out of the 1,108 rail stations in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto region. In 2010 the greater Osaka region had 13 million rail passengers daily of which the Osaka...
11	1971	Mo 600 series tramcar	Nagoya Railroad Nagoya Railroad , often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
12	1972	6000 series Tokyo Metro 6000 series The is an electric multiple unit operated by Tokyo Metro on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line in Tokyo, Japan.First entering service in 1971, the trains have 20 m aluminium 4-door cars, with chopper control and regenerative braking...  EMU	Teito (now Tokyo Metro Tokyo Metro is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:... )
13	1973	9000 series EMU	Odakyu Electric Railway Odakyu Electric Railway , or OER, is a major railway company based in Tokyo, Japan best known for its Romancecar series of limited express trains from Tokyo to Odawara, Enoshima, Tama New Town, and Hakone....
14	1974	2000 series EMU	Nishi-Nippon Railroad Nishi-Nippon Railroad The , also called or NNR, is one of Japan's "Big 16" private railroad companies. With headquarters in Fukuoka, it operates local and highway buses, supermarkets, real-estate and travel agencies, as well as railways in Fukuoka Prefecture. In addition, from 1950 to 1972, the company owned the Lions...
15	1975	24/25 series coach	JNR
		EH Class electric locomotive	Kurobe Gorge Railway Kurobe Gorge Railway The , or for short, is a private 762 mm narrow gauge railway company operating the Kurobe Gorge Main Line along the Kurobe River in the Kurobe gorge area of Toyama Prefecture, Japan...
16	1976	KiHa 66/67 DMU	JNR
		8500 series Tōkyū 8500 series The is a commuter electric multiple unit type operated by Tokyu Corporation on the Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line and Tōkyū Ōimachi Line in Japan.-Den-en-toshi Line 10-car sets:# DeHa 8600 # DeHa 8700 # SaHa 8900 # DeHa 8800 # DeHa 8700...  EMU	Tokyu Corporation
		5000 series EMU	Fujikyu
17	1977	1000 series EMU	Joshin Electric Railway
		6000 series EMU	Sapporo Municipal Subway Sapporo Municipal Subway The is an underground rapid transit system in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is operated by the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau.-Lines:The system has 3 lines; the first, the Namboku Line, was opened in 1971 prior to the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Technology:...
18	1978	7000 series tramcar	Toei Toei Toei or Tōei may refer to:* Tōei, Aichi, Japan* Toei Company, Japanese film and television production company** Toei Animation, their animation subsidiary...
		1000 series EMU	Kobe Municipal Subway Kobe Municipal Subway is the subway of Kobe. It has two lines.-Lines:- External links :****...
19	1979	800 series EMU	Keikyu Corporation
		50 series coach	JNR
20	1980	100 series Meitetsu 100 series The is a commuter electric multiple unit type operated by Nagoya Railroad in Japan since 1978. There is also a 200 series type, operated since 1991, which is very similar to the 100 series. The 100 series and 200 series trains run on the Inuyama Line and Toyota Line and provide through service to...  EMU	Nagoya Railroad Nagoya Railroad , often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
		7000 series EMU	Hokusō Railway
		14760 series EMU	Toyama Chihō Railway Toyama Chiho Railway thumb|Type 9000 tramcar "Centram"The is a transportation company in Toyama, Toyama, Japan. The company is commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines in the eastern part of the prefecture. It also operates as the agency of All Nippon Airways in Toyama area. The...
21	1981	117 series 117 series The is a Japanese suburban electric multiple unit introduced in 1979 by Japanese National Railways , and currently operated by Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company . A total of 216 cars were manufactured...  EMU	JNR
		2000 series tramcar	Nagasaki Tramway
22	1982	1000 series Fukuoka Subway 1000 series The is an electric multiple unit operated by the Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau on the Hakozaki Line and Kūkō Line in Fukuoka, Japan. The trains also inter-run to/from the Chikuhi Line, operated by Kyushu Railway Company .-History:...  EMU	Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau
23	1983	200 Series Shinkansen 200 Series Shinkansen The is a Shinkansen high-speed train type introduced by Japan National Railways for the Tōhoku Shinkansen and Jōetsu Shinkansen high-speed rail lines in Japan, and currently operated by East Japan Railway Company . They actually predate the 100 series trains, having been built between 1980 and 1986...	JNR
		8200 series	Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau The is a public transportation authority of Kumamoto City, Japan. The bureau operates trams and bus lines.The city government has operated tram lines since 1924 and bus lines since 1927, but the current transportation bureau was formed in 1944....
24	1984	6000 series EMU	Keihan
25	1985	01 series Tokyo Metro 01 series The is an electric multiple unit type operated by Tokyo Metro on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line subway in Tokyo, Japan. A total of 38 six-car trainsets were introduced from 1983. It was the recipient of the 25th Laurel Prize of the Japan Railfan Club in 1985...	Teito (now Tokyo Metro Tokyo Metro is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:... )
		HaIMo 180 DMU	Tarumi Railway
26	1986	10000 series EMU	Nankai Electric Railway Nankai Electric Railway is a private railway in Japan. IC cards are accepted.Nankai Railway Company was founded on June 16, 1884, then became one of the companies that merge to form Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in 1944. However Kin-nichi transferred the former Nankai Railway Company Lines to present Nankai Electric...
		100 Series Shinkansen 100 Series Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1984 and 1991 for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen high-speed lines. The earliest units have now been withdrawn from service, and the series was retired from the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line in September 2003...	JNR
27	1987	8000 series Kitakyū 8000 series The is an electric multiple unit operated by Kita-Osaka Kyūkō Railway on the Kitakyū Namboku Line in north Osaka, with through service to the Osaka Municipal Subway Midōsuji Line....  EMU	Kita-Osaka Kyūkō Railway Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway The is a railway operator of Osaka, Japan. The sole line named is actually an extension of the Midōsuji Line Osaka Municipal Subway. Kitakyū, as it is often abbreviated, also owns various commercial and residential properties along the line.-History:...
		7000 series EMU	Kintetsu Kintetsu , named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...
		KiHa 185 series DMU	JNR
28	1988	1000 series EMU Sendai Subway 1000 series The is a rapid transit EMU type operated on the Nanboku Line in Sendai, Japan.The 1000 series was the world's first train type to use fuzzy logic to control its speed, and this system accounts for the relative smoothness of the starts and stops when compared to other trains, and is 10% more...	Sendai City Transportation Bureau Sendai City Transportation Bureau is a public organization of transportation in Sendai, Japan. The organization operates subways and buses. It was founded in 1926.-Transportations:*Sendai City Bus**Loople Sendai *Sendai Subway**Nanboku Line...
29	1989	783 series 783 series The is an AC electric multiple unit train type operated on limited express services by Kyushu Railway Company in Japan since March 1988.-5-car Kamome sets :The 5-car sets used on Kamome services are formed as follows....  Hyper Saloon EMU	JR Kyushu
30	1990	221 series 221 series The is a suburban electric multiple unit operated by West Japan Railway Company in the Kansai Region of Japan.-8-car sets:-6-car sets:-4-car sets:-8-car sets:-6-car sets:-4-car sets:-2-car sets:-4-car sets:...  EMU	JR West
		2000 series 2000 series -Japanese train types:* Chichibu Railway 2000 series EMU* Choshi Electric Railway 2000 series EMU* Fukuoka Subway 2000 series EMU* Kobe New Transit 2000 series EMU* Meitetsu 2000 series EMU* Nagano Electric Railway 2000 series EMU...  "TSE" DMU	JR Shikoku
31	1991	251 series 251 series The is a DC electric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company on Tōkaidō Line Super View Odoriko limited express services in Japan.-Operations:...	JR East
		70 series EMU	Osaka Municipal Subway Osaka Municipal Subway is the metro network in the city of Osaka, Japan, forming an integral part of the extensive mass transit system of Greater Osaka , having 125 out of the 1,108 rail stations in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto region. In 2010 the greater Osaka region had 13 million rail passengers daily of which the Osaka...
32	1992	253 series 253 series The is a DC electric multiple unit operated by East Japan Railway Company . It was introduced on 19 March 1991 for use exclusively on the Narita Express, a limited express service to and from Narita International Airport...  Narita Express Narita Express , abbreviated as N'EX, is a limited express train service operated since 1991 by East Japan Railway Company , serving Narita International Airport from various Greater Tokyo Area stations. Services are approximately half-hourly in the mornings and evenings, and hourly through the middle of the day... EMU	JR East
		KiHa 200 series DMU	JR Kyushu
33	1993	300 Series Shinkansen 300 Series Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train type introduced in 1992 on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen lines, initially for use on the fastest Nozomi services, being capable of...	JR Central
		Class EF200 JR Freight Class EF200 The EF200 class of electric locomotives are Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement DC freight locomotives operated by JR Freight in Japan.Between 2006 and 2009, the entire fleet was repainted into a new livery similar to that used for the later EF210 locomotives....  electric locomotive	JR Freight
34	1994	Class DF200 JR Freight Class DF200 The DF200 class of diesel-electric locomotives are Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement freight locomotives operated by JR Freight in Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 1 April 2009, 40 DF200s were operated by JR Freight, all based at Washibetsu Depot...  "Eco-Power Red Bear" diesel locomotive	JR Freight
35	1995	KiHa 281 series DMU	JR Hokkaido
36	1996	383 series 383 series The is a tilting DC electric multiple unit operated by Central Japan Railway Company on Chūō Main Line, Shinonoi Line and Tōkaidō Main Line Shinano Limited Express services in Japan.- Services on which 383 series operate :...  EMU	JR Central
		KoKi 71 "Car Rack System" freight wagon	JR Freight
37	1997	731 series 731 series The is an AC electric multiple unit operated by Hokkaido Railway Company on Sapporo area suburban services in Hokkaido, Japan since 1996.-Formation:Car 2 is fitted with one N-PS785 single-arm pantograph.-Interior:...  EMU	JR Hokkaido
38	1998	9700 series tramcar	Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau The is a public transportation authority of Kumamoto City, Japan. The bureau operates trams and bus lines.The city government has operated tram lines since 1924 and bus lines since 1927, but the current transportation bureau was formed in 1944....
		900 series Kirara EMU	Eizan Electric Railway
		5800 series EMU	Kintetsu Kintetsu , named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...
39	1999	Skyrail 200 series	Skyrail Service
40	2000	5000 series Green Mover tramcar	Hiroden
		700 Series Shinkansen 700 Series Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1997 and 2006, and entering service in 1999. Originally designated as "N300", they formed the next generation of shinkansen vehicles jointly designed by JR Central and JR West for use on both Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen...	JR Central/JR West
		209 series 209 series The is a commuter electric multiple unit type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Tokyo area of Japan since 1993.The series was introduced in 1993 to replace the aging 103 series stock on the Keihin-Tōhoku and Negishi lines...  EMU	JR East
41	2001	Mo 800 tramcar	Nagoya Railroad Nagoya Railroad , often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
		3220/5820/9020 series "Series 21" EMU	Kintetsu Kintetsu , named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...
42	2002	KiHa 187 series DMU	JR West
43	2003	9200 series "Momo" tramcar	Okayama Electric Tramway Okayama Electric Tramway The is a transportation company in Okayama City, Japan. The private company operates tram lines and bus lines.The company was founded in 1910, while their first tram line was opened in 1912. This is one of the few Japanese railway operators that maintain their original corporation names from the...
		1000 series "U-tram" tramcar	Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau The is a public transportation authority of Kagoshima City, Japan. The bureau operates trams and bus lines. From April 1, 2005, together with Nangoku Kōtsū and JR Kyūshū Bus, the bureau introduced RapiCa, a smart card ticketing system....
44	2004	(No award)	-
45	2005	800 Series Shinkansen 800 Series Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by JR Kyushu on the Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail line. Built by Hitachi, the trains were introduced on the Tsubame services from March 2004....	JR Kyushu
		3000 series tramcar	Nagasaki Electric Tramway Nagasaki Electric Tramway The is a private tram system in Nagasaki, Japan. Beginning on March 20, 2008, its lines accept Nagasaki Smart Card, a smart card ticketing system....
46	2006	2000 series Meitetsu 2000 series The is an express electric multiple unit type operated by Nagoya Railroad in Japan since 2004. It was one of the four recipients of the 46th Laurel Prize presented annually by the Japan Railfan Club.-Airport service:...  μSky EMU	Nagoya Railroad Nagoya Railroad , often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
		100 series Linimo Linimo , formally the is a magnetic levitation train line in Aichi, Japan, near the city of Nagoya. While primarily built to serve the Expo 2005 fair site, the line is still operating to serve the local community.Linimo is owned and operated by...	Aichi Rapid Transit
		5100 series Green Mover Max Green Mover Max The Green Mover Max was the first 100% low-floor articulated Light Rail Vehicle to be built entirely in Japan. It was developed jointly by Kinki Sharyo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Toyo Electric Co., and introduced first in Hiroshima by the Hiroshima Electric Railway Company... tramcar	Hiroshima Electric Railway Hiroshima Electric Railway is a Japanese transportation company established on June 18, 1910, that operates streetcars and buses in and around Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known as for short....
		3000 series Fukuoka Subway 3000 series The is an electric multiple unit operated by Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau on the Nanakuma Line in Fukuoka, Japan.-History:The 3000 series was introduced on 3 February 2005 on the newly opened Nanakuma Line between and...  EMU	Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau
47	2007	E233 series E233 series The is a commuter and suburban electric multiple unit type developed by East Japan Railway Company from the earlier E231 series and the E531 series design...  EMU	JR East
		3000 series EMU	Nishi-Nippon Railroad Nishi-Nippon Railroad The , also called or NNR, is one of Japan's "Big 16" private railroad companies. With headquarters in Fukuoka, it operates local and highway buses, supermarkets, real-estate and travel agencies, as well as railways in Fukuoka Prefecture. In addition, from 1950 to 1972, the company owned the Lions...
48	2008	E721 series/SAT721 E721 series The is an electric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company on services in the Sendai area of Japan since 2006.-Operations:* Tōhoku Main Line* Jōban Line* Senzan Line* Sendai Airport Line...  EMU	JR East/Sendai Airport Transit Sendai Airport Transit is a third sector company in charge of constructing and running the Sendai Airport Line train service between Sendai Airport Station and Natori Station in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
		KiHa E200 KiHa E200 The is a single-car hybrid diesel multiple unit operated by East Japan Railway Company on the Koumi Line. Three cars were delivered in April 2007, and introduced on 31 July 2007....  DMU	JR East
49	2009	T1000 series tramcar	Toyohashi Railroad Toyohashi Railroad The is a private railroad company in Japan, and a subsidiary of the Meitetsu Group. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The company operates the Atsumi Line train service on Atsumi Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture and a tram system in Toyohashi City, and has subsidiary operations...
		3000 series Comfort Saloon EMU	Keihan Electric Railway Keihan Electric Railway is a Japanese railway operator in Osaka, Kyoto, and Shiga Prefectures. It is known as , or .-History:Keihan started its operation between Osaka and Kyoto in 1910. It was the first electric railway to connect these two cities, and the first line on the left bank of Yodo River...
50	2010	22600 series Kintetsu 22600 series The is a limited express electric multiple unit on order by Kintetsu in Japan for entry into service from 1 April 2009.Initially, 10 vehicles were introduced, at a cost of approximately 1.9 billion yen, formed as two 4-car sets and one 2-car set...  Ace EMU	Kintetsu Kintetsu , named Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd. in English until June 27, 2003, is a Japanese rail transit corporation commonly known as . It is the largest non-JR railway in Japan. Its complex network of lines connects Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Tsu and Ise...
51	2011	16000 series Tokyo Metro 16000 series The is an electric multiple unit type operated by Tokyo Metro on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line in Tokyo, Japan, since November 2010. A total of sixteen 10-car sets are on order.-Design:...  EMU	Tokyo Metro Tokyo Metro is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...