The was a limited-stop train service that operated until November 2002 in Japan on the
Joetsu Shinkansen high-speed line between Tokyo and Niigata.
Operations
The ''Asahi'' shinkansen services ran approximately hourly, with two
down services (''Asahi'' 1 and 3) permitted to operate at 275 km/h in the tunnel section between and using specially modified
200 series (F90) sets, completing the journey in 1 hour 40 minutes (compared to the fastest journey time of 1 hour 37 minutes in 2008 for ''
Toki'' services operating at a maximum speed of 240 km/h).
[JR Timetable, December 2008]
Former rolling stock
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200 series 8/10/12-car sets (November 1982 – November 2002)
*
E1 series 12-car sets, as ''Max Asahi'' (July 1994 – November 2002)
*
E2 series 8-car sets (December 1998 – November 2002)
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E4 series 8-car sets, as ''Max Asahi'' (May 2001 – November 2002)
File:Shinkansen200.jpg, A 200 series Shinkansen, similar to those used on Asahi services
File:E1_M1_Max_Asahi_317_Omiya_20020629.jpg, An E1 series Shinkansen on an Max Asahi 317 service at Ōmiya Station (Saitama)
File:N11_Asama_514_Tokyo_20020601.jpg, Set N11 of the E2 series Shinkansen at Tokyo on an Asama 514 service, similar to those used on Asahi services
File:E4+E3_1000_omiya.jpg, An E4 Shinkansen, similar to those used on Max Asahi services
History
The name ''Asahi'', meaning "morning sun" in Japanese, dates from before World War II, when it was used for an express train operated by Japan from
Rason
Rason (formerly Rajin-Sŏnbong; ) is a North Korean special city and ice-free port in the Sea of Japan in the North Pacific Ocean on the northeast tip of North Korea. It is in the Kwanbuk region and location of the Rason Special Economic Zone. ...
in
Korea
Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
(present-day North Korea) to
Xinjing in
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...
(present-day China).
It was first used in Japan on 1 November 1960 for services operating between and . This service was renamed ''Benibana'' from 1 July 1982.
From the start of services on the newly opened Joetsu Shinkansen on 15 November 1982, ''Asahi'' was the name used for the limited-stop shinkansen services operating initially between and Niigata, later between and Niigata, and eventually between and Niigata.
At the start of Joetsu Shinkansen operations in 1982, 11 ''Asahi'' services operated in each direction daily. With the start of shinkansen operations from Ueno on 14 March 1985, the number of ''Asahi'' services was increased to 34 in each direction daily. From 10 March 1990, two down services (nicknamed ''Super Asahi'') were timed to operate at a maximum speed of 275 km/h in the tunnel section between and . New
E1 series "Max" 12-car sets were introduced on ''Max Asahi'' services from 15 July 1994, with two workings in each direction daily between Tokyo and Niigata. The number of ''Max Asahi'' services was increased to five in each direction daily from 3 December 1994.
"Max" trains built in 1997 were first assigned to ''Max Asahi'' services on 7 May 2001.
The ''Asahi'' name was discontinued from 1 December 2002 when the ''
Toki'' name was re-introduced for all Tokyo to Niigata trains.
See also
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List of named passenger trains of Japan
This article contains lists of Lists of named passenger trains, named passenger trains in Japan.
Shinkansen (bullet trains)
Daytime trains Limited express (partial list)
Express
Rapid
Night trains Limited express
Express
...
References
{{JR East trains
Jōetsu Shinkansen
Railway services introduced in 1960
Railway services discontinued in 2002
Named Shinkansen trains