The is a

limited express A limited express is a type of express train or express bus service that stops at fewer locations compared to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common translation of the Japanese ...

service operated by the

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

(JR East), which mainly run between and via the

Chūō Main Line The , commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It connects Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faste ...

and

Shinonoi Line The is a railway line in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Shinonoi Station in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano with Shiojiri Station in Shiojiri, Nagano, Shiojiri. The line is a corridor between ...

. The name ''Azusa'' is taken from the Azusa River in

Matsumoto, Nagano is a Cities of Japan, city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto is designated as a Core cities of Japan, core city since 1 April 2021. , the city had a population of 239,466 in 105,207 households and a population density of 240 perso ...

. On the Chūō Main Line, limited express ''

Kaiji Kaiji may refer to: People *, Japanese manga artist whose works include ''Eagle'' and ''Zipang'' *, Japanese voice actor; see List of Ultraman manga characters * Kaiji Tang, (born 1984) an American voice actor *, Japanese ceramist of the Showa er ...

'' also runs between / , and / . The name ''Super Azusa'' () was used for services operated with tilting rolling stock, namely the E351 series, and the

E353 series The is a DC Tilting train, tilting electric multiple unit (EMU) train operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan on limited express services on the Chūō Main Line since December 2017. A pre-series train, consisting of one ...

(prior to 16 March 2019).

Service pattern and stops

As of March 2025, 16 round trips are operated every day. All trains run on the

and

, with few of them also running on the

Sōbu Main Line The is a Japanese railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. It connects Tokyo with the east coast of Chiba Prefecture, passing through the cities of Funabashi, Chiba, and Chōshi. Its name derives from the ...

and

Ōito Line The is a railway line in Japan which connects Matsumoto Station in Nagano Prefecture with Itoigawa Station in Niigata Prefecture. There are two operators on the line: East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West ...

. Prior to March 2025, the trip currently terminating at instead traveled four stations further to .

Stops

* No brackets denote stations at which most or all ''Azusa'' services stop. * Parentheses () denote stations at which some ''Azusa'' services stop. * Square brackets【】denote stations at which very few ''Azusa'' services stop. 【 Chiba -

Funabashi is a Cities of Japan, city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 644,668 in 309,238 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . It is the Greater Tokyo Area's 7th most populat ...

- Kinshichō /

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

】-

Shinjuku , officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world ( Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropol ...

Tachikawa file:Autumn colors in Showa memorial park.jpg, 250px, Showa Memorial Park is a Cities of Japan, city located in the western Tokyo, western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 184,383 in 93,428 househ ...

Hachiōji is a Cities of Japan, city located in the Western Tokyo, western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 561,344, and a population density of 3,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is ...

-【 Ōtsuki -

Enzan was a cities of Japan, city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 5, 1954. As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 25,856 and the population density, density of 139.96 persons per km2. The total area w ...

- Yamanashishi - Isawa-Onsen】-

Kōfu is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 187,985 in 90,924 households, and a population density of 880 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Overview Toponymy Kōfu ...

- ( Nirasaki) - Kobuchizawa -【 Fujimi】- Chino - Kami-Suwa -【 Shimo-Suwa】- Okaya - Shiojiri - Matsumoto -【 Toyoshina - Hotaka - Shinano-Ōmachi -

Hakuba is a village located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of April 1, 2019, the village had an estimated population of 9,007 in 4267 households, and a population density of 48 persons per km2. The total area of the village is . Hakuba is located i ...

】

Ticketing

A limited express ticket has to be purchased to board an ''Azusa'' train, along with the basic fare ticket. There are two types of such limited express tickets, namely the , and the . The Reserved Seat Ticket enables a specified seat to be reserved for the holder. The reserved status for the seat is signified by a green overhead lamp on top of the corresponding seat. The Unreserved Seat Ticket enables the holder to be seated on any unreserved seat. A red overhead lamp signifies that the seat is unreserved; while a yellow overhead lamp signifies that the seat is reserved for the later part of the journey, implying that one has to give up their seat to the passenger who has reserved the seat and change to another vacant seat, when they board the train later.

Extra services

''Kiso Azusa''

The was an extra limited express service that was operated in 2017 and 2018, as a part of the to boost tourism to

Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

(Shinshū is an old name for the region). The extra train operated on the

between

Nagiso is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 4,111 in 1751 households, and a population density of 19 persons per km2. The total area of the town was . Nagiso is listed as one of The Most Beautiful Vil ...

, via Tatsuno. With consideration that tourists would be staying the night around the area, the inbound train to Shinjuku was operated the day after the outbound train to Nagiso has arrived. In 2018, the train operated 2 round trips during the campaign duration.

Stops

- Chino - Kami-Suwa - Okaya - Tatsuno - Shiojiri -

Narai King Narai the Great (, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Prasat Thong dynasty. He was the king of Ayutthaya Kingdom from 1656 to 1688 and arguably the most famous king of the ...

- Kiso-Fukushima -

Rolling stock

189 series The was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in 1972 by Japanese National Railways (JNR). Following the privatization of JNR, the 183 series was operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Wes ...

6-car EMUs (Ordinary class, reserved seats only)

Rolling stock

EMUs (since 23 December 2017) File:E353 Super Azusa Kokubunzhi Station 20180407.jpg, An E353 series train in April 2018 From 23 December 2017, new

EMUs were introduced on ''Super Azusa'' services. By March 2018, all ''Super Azusa'' services were replaced by E353 series trains, and the

E257 series The is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan for limited express services by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and built jointly by Hitachi, Kinki Sharyo, and Tokyu Car Corporation. Variants * E257-0 series: ''Azu ...

trainsets used on ''Azusa'' services by 16 March 2019. Following the unification of all ''Super Azusa'' and ''Azusa'' services into E353 series, the name ''Super Azusa'' was abolished.

Rolling stock previously used

181 series The (and the earlier 151 and 161 series variants) was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) type operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR). Variants * 151 series * 161 series * 181 series The 151 series trains were introd ...

10-car EMUs (from 1966) *

183 series The was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in 1972 by Japanese National Railways (JNR). Following the privatization of JNR, the 183 series was operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and We ...

EMUs (from 1972) *

165 series The was an express electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in 1963 by Japanese National Railways (JNR). History During the early 1960s, the Chūō Main Line and Shinetsu Line were electrified, requiring new EMUs for the express se ...

EMUs (from 1966) * E351 series EMUs (''Super Azusa'', from December 1993 to March 2018) *

EMUs (from December 2001 to 16 March 2019, still used on extra services) *

EMUs (from 1975) File:181 Azusa 8 Shinjuku 19750119.jpg, A 181 series EMU on an ''Azusa'' service in 1975 File:165 M3 Kaiji Mitaka 20030712.jpg, A 165 series EMU File:JR east E351.jpg, An E351 series EMU on a ''Super Azusa'' service in July 2010 File:JR East E257 Limited Express Azusa.jpg, An

EMU on an ''Azusa'' service in January 2008

Formations

Current formation

''Azusa'' (E353 series)

All ''Azusa'' services (E353 series) are formed of nine cars as shown below, numbered 4 to 12, with car 4 at the Shinjuku end.

Past formations

''Azusa'' (E257 series)

''Azusa'' services (E257 series) were formed of 2+9-car or 9-car sets as shown below, with car 1 at the southern (Chiba/Tokyo/Shinjuku) end. All cars were no-smoking.

''Super Azusa'' (E353 series)

From March 2018 to March 2019, ''Super Azusa'' services were formed of 3+9-car E353 series trainsets as shown below, with car 1 at the southern (Tokyo/Shinjuku) end. All cars were no-smoking. There were days when car 3 operates as a reserved seating car.

History

The ''Azusa'' service began on 1 October 1957 as a semi express operating between Shinjuku and Matsumoto. This operated until 24 April 1960 when it was absorbed into ''Hakuba'' semi express services. The ''Azusa'' name was revived from 12 December 1966 for use on limited express services operating between Shinjuku and Matsumoto. The premier ''Super Azusa'' service commenced on 3 December 1994 with the delivery of the first new E351 series tilting EMUs. New

EMUs were introduced on ''Azusa'' services from the start of the revised timetable on 1 December 2001. Smoking was prohibited in all cars from 18 March 2007. From 16 March 2019 onwards, with the replacement of E257 series trains to E353 series trains on all Azusa services, the name ''Super Azusa'' were discontinued and were integrated with ''Azusa'' services.

References

External links

JR E257 ''Azusa/Kaiji''

{{JR East trains Named passenger trains of Japan East Japan Railway Company Railway services introduced in 1957 1957 establishments in Japan

Service pattern and stops

Stops

Ticketing

Extra services

''Kiso Azusa''

Stops

Rolling stock

Rolling stock

Rolling stock previously used

Formations

Current formation

''Azusa'' (E353 series)

Past formations

''Azusa'' (E257 series)

''Super Azusa'' (E353 series)

History

See also

References

External links