Start Shinagawa/Ueno Class(es) Green + Standard Locale Japan | Stops Iwaki Catering facilities Trolley service | |
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First service 1963 (Hitachi)1989 (Super Hitachi)1997 (Fresh Hitachi) Former operator Japanese National Railways Lines used Jōban Line, Tōhoku Main Line | ||
Hitachi (ひたち) is a limited express train service operated in Japan by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on the Jōban Line between Shinagawa Station and Ueno Station in Tokyo and Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture. The Tokiwa service follows the same route but makes additional stops.
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Hitachi
The Hitachi (ひたち) name was first introduced on 1 October 1963 for a semi-express service which operated daily between Ueno and Taira (present-day Iwaki) using 451 series EMU stock, will all cars reserved. This service operated until 30 September 1967.
The name was subsequently reintroduced on 1 October 1969 for a once-daily seasonal limited-express service operating between Ueno and Iwaki using 7-car KiHa 81 series diesel multiple units. This became a regular daily service the following year.
485 series EMUs were phased in from 2 October 1972, and were used until services were discontinued in December 1998. From 1 April 1973, one return service daily was extended to operate between Ueno and Sendai. From 1 October of the same year, the number of services to and from Sendai was increased to six return services. From 2 October 1978, this number was increased to 11 return services daily, to 12 from 15 November 1982, to 23 from 14 March 1985 with the discontinuation of the Tokiwa express, and to 26 return services daily from 1 November 1986.
During the 1990s, services were operated using Katsuta-based seven-car 485 series formations with no Green car accommodation. Fourteen-car formations were sometimes used.
Super Hitachi
The Super Hitachi (スーパーひたち) was introduced on 11 March 1989, operating between Ueno and Iwaki and Sendai, using new 651 series EMUs. It operates at a maximum speed of 130 km/h. Services are generally formed of 7-car or 7+4-car formations, with only the 4-car sets continuing north of Iwaki.
From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, new E657 series EMUs were phased in on some Super Hitachi services, and entirely replaced the 651 series trains by the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013.
Fresh Hitachi
The Fresh Hitachi (フレッシュひたち) was introduced on 1 October 1997 between Ueno and Iwaki, using new E653 series EMUs. It operates at a maximum speed of 130 km/h. Services were initially formed of 7-car, 7+4-car, or 7+7-car E653 EMUs, as well as 7-car or 7+4-car 651 series EMUs.
The Hitachi name itself was discontinued from December 1998 with the withdrawal of the last 485 series electric multiple units (EMUs) on the Jōban Line, with the main daytime limited express services subsequently being named Super Hitachi and Fresh Hitachi.
From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, new 10-car E657 series EMUs were introduced on Fresh Hitachi services, operating alongside existing 651 series and E653 series sets, and as of 16 March 2013, all services are operated using E657 series EMUs. During the period between 1 October 2013 and around March 2015, however, one up and one down Fresh Hitachi service daily will be operated by an 11-car 651 series formation covering while the E657 series fleet undergoes modification work to add LED seat reservation status indicators above each seat.
Ueno-Tokyo Line extension
From the start of the 14 March 2015 timetable revision, Super Hitachi services were renamed simply Hitachi, and Fresh Hitachi services were renamed Tokiwa. From the same date, services were extended south of Ueno via the new Ueno-Tokyo Line, with most services terminating at Shinagawa Station.
Rolling stock
As of 16 March 2013, all services are operated by E657 series 10-car EMUs, first introduced from March 2012, although 11-car 651 series formations will be substituted on some services between 1 October 2013 and March 2015.
Past rolling stock
Formations
Trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Ueno end. All cars are no smoking.