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

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) between in Tokyo and via the Joban Line and Ueno-Tokyo Line since 14 March 2015. The services replaced the former '' Fresh Hitachi'' services operated on the Joban Line between Ueno and Iwaki. The ''Tokiwa'' train service name was also formerly used for semi-express services operated by

Japanese National Railways The , abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pre ...

(JNR) from June 1958 until March 1985.

Service outline

''Tokiwa'' limited express services operate between in Tokyo and in

Fukushima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,771,100 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture ...

, supplementing the limited-stop ''

Hitachi () is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1910 and headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company is active in various industries, including digital systems, power and renewable ener ...

'' limited express services formerly named ''Super Hitachi''. Tokiwa services are numbered from No. 51 to No. 92. Northbound ''Tokiwa'' trains depart Ueno at mainly hourly intervals, from 7:30am to 22:30pm, and also 6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm, 10pm and 11pm (Tokiwa No. 91, the last service of the day). 21 northbound trains and 22 southbound trains operate every weekday. For northbound services, 2 trains terminate at Tsuchiura, 15 at Katsuta, 3 at Takahagi and 1 at Iwaki. For southbound services, 16 trains terminate at Shinagawa, with 6 at Ueno. 25 northbound trains and 20 southbound trains operate every Saturday, Sunday or holiday. For northbound services, 2 trains terminate at Tsuchiura, 18 at Katsuta, 4 at Takahagi and 1 at Iwaki. For southbound services, 17 trains terminate at Shinagawa, with 3 at Ueno.

Ticketing

A supplementary ticket has to be purchased to board the train, along with the basic fare ticket. There are two types of such supplementary 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.

Rolling stock

* E657 series 10-car EMUs (March 2015 –)

Former rolling stock

* KiHa 55 series DMUs (June 1955 –) *

451 series __NOTOC__ Year 451 (Roman numerals, CDLI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcianus and Adelfius (or, less frequently, year 1204 ''Ab urbe condita''). The ...

EMUs (October 1962 – March 1985) File:Kiha55 2.jpg, A KiHa 55 series DMU File:JNR kumoha451-7.jpg, A 451 series EMU

Formations

''Tokiwa'' trains are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo (Ueno/Shinagawa) end. All cars are no-smoking.

History

The name ''Tokiwa'' is the alternative pronunciation of , which refers to the combined region of the former

Hitachi Province was an old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture.Louis Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Hitachi fudoki''" in . It was sometimes called . Hitachi Province bordered on Shimōsa Province, S ...

(常陸国) (now the

Ibaraki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture has a population of 2,828,086 (1 July 2023) and has a geographic area of . Ibaraki Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, ...

) and the Iwaki Province (磐城国) (now part of the Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures), where the ''Tokiwa'' serves. The original ''Tokiwa'' semi-express service was introduced on 1 June 1958, operating between in Tokyo and Taira Station (present-day Iwaki Station) in

via the Joban Line using KiHa 55 series

diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are also ...

(DMU) trains. Three return services operated daily. Following electrification of the Joban Line,

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number o ...

(EMU) trains were introduced on some ''Tokiwa'' services from October 1962. Primarily used on ''Miyagino'' express services, these formations included buffet cars, although a buffet service was not provided on ''Tokiwa'' services. A typical 11-car 451 series formation (without a buffet car) as used following the October 1978 timetable revision is shown below. * Cars 2 and 9 were "Green" (first class) cars. From 5 March 1966, ''Tokiwa'' services were upgraded from "semi express" to "express" status. From the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 1985, ''Tokiwa'' services were absorbed into ''Hitachi'' limited express services, and the name was discontinued.

Future plans

Effective 18 March 2023, all services in both directions will make a scheduled stop at

Kashiwa Station is an interchange passenger railway station in the city of Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan, jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and the private railway operator Tōbu Railway. Lines Kashiwa Station is served by the JR East Jōban Line ...

References

External links

* {{JR East trains Named passenger trains of Japan East Japan Railway Company Railway services introduced in 1958 Railway services discontinued in 1985 Railway services introduced in 2015 1958 establishments in Japan 1985 disestablishments in Japan 2015 establishments in Japan ja:ひたち (列車)