The is a
limited express
A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes.
Japan
The term "limited express" is a common ...
service operated by
East Japan Railway Company
The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is 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 ...
(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
is a limited express train service operated in Japan by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on the Jōban Line between Shinagawa Station / Ueno Station in Tokyo and Sendai Station in Miyagi Prefecture. The '' Tokiwa'' service follows the same ...
'' 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 pref ...
(JNR) from June 1958 until March 1985.
Service outline
''Tokiwa'' limited express services operate between in Tokyo and in
Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture (; ja, 福島県, Fukushima-ken, ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,810,286 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miya ...
, supplementing the limited-stop ''
Hitachi
() is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the parent company of the Hitachi Group (''Hitachi Gurūpu'') and had formed part of the Ni ...
'' 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 away their seat to the passenger who has reserved the seat, when they board the train later.
Rolling stock
*
E657 series
The is an AC/DC dual-voltage electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan on limited express services between in Tokyo and on the Joban Line since March 2012.
The trains replaced the 6 ...
10-car EMUs (March 2015 –)
Former rolling stock
*
KiHa 55 series DMUs (June 1955 –)
*
451 series 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 2,871,199 (1 June 2019) 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
may refer to:
Japan
* Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture
** Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
***Fukushima University, national university in Japan
*** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...
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
Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture (; ja, 福島県, Fukushima-ken, ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,810,286 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miya ...
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,
451 series 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 numbe ...
(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.
See also
*
List of named passenger trains of Japan
This article contains lists of named passenger trains in Japan.
Shinkansen (bullet trains)
Daytime trains Limited express (partial list)
Express
Rapid
Night trains Limited express
Express
Rapid
See also
* Rail transp ...
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)