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Hikari (train)
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Hikari (train)
Hikari (ひかり; "Light") is a high-speed train service running on the Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen "bullet train" lines in Japan. Slower than the premier Nozomi but faster than the all-stations Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen that can be used with the Japan Rail Pass, which is not valid for travel on the Nozomi or Mizuho trains except through a special supplementary ticket.
These JR West services first appeared in 1988 on the San'yō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata using 6-car 0 series trains. 0 series 12-car SK units were employed on these services from 1989. From 11 March 2000, they were mostly replaced by the new 700 series Hikari Rail Star services, and were finally withdrawn on 21 April 2000. The West Hikari livery had a similar colour pattern to the newer 100 series rolling stock, most of which were allocated to JR Central when the Japanese National Railways (JNR) was privatised in 1987. The interior was refurbished, with the conventional 2+3 seat configuration changed to a 2+2 configuration, and the buffet car converted into a café car.
These were the premier services operated between Tokyo and Hakata from 11 March 1989 using JR West 16-car 100 series V sets with four double-deck centre cars including a restaurant car. JR West inherited no 100 series train sets when JNR was privatised. On the other hand, unlike the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, the San'yō Shinkansen had a severe competition with aeroplanes, and there was an imminent need to introduce a faster and more comfortable flagship train.
The 100 series V sets were designed to be operated at 275 km/h (171 mph), but due to noise complaints, JR West had to reduce its maximum speed to 230 km/h (143 mph) on the San'yō Shinkansen (compared to 220 km/h (137 mph) for other Hikari services). From 11 March 2000, restaurant car services were discontinued on all trains, and from May 2002 onwards, the few remaining Grand Hikari services were limited to special service on the San'yō Shinkansen only. The last Grand Hikari ran in November 2002.
First appearing in the summer of 1995, these seasonal services operated between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata during holiday periods using special 6-car 0 series sets (R2 and R24) which included a children's play area in car 3. All seats were reserved on these services. [citation needed]
JR West began operating the Hikari Rail Star service from the start of the new timetable on 11 March 2000. This service is limited to the Sanyo Shinkansen line, and uses special 8-car 700-7000 series trains with a distinctive livery and a maximum speed of 285 km/h (177 mph). JR West introduced the service to provide better competition against airlines on the Osaka-Fukuoka route. These services do not have Green car accommodation, but the reserved seating cars feature 2+2 seating and also some 4-seat compartments instead of the standard 3+2 arrangement in non-reserved seating cars. The front row of seats in these cars feature power outlets for laptop users. With all but 3 Hikari services (590-592) solely running on the Sanyo Shinkansen being replaced by through Kyushu Shinkansen Sakura services from 12 March 2011, the 8-car 700 series sets used on the service have been running mostly on all-stations Kodama services on the San'yō Shinkansen line. However, as of 14 March 2026, there is still one Hikari Rail Star service, Hikari Rail Star 680, which departs from Shin-Shimonoseki to Okayama at 06:11 every morning, stopping at every station except Asa. As of June 2025, the Hikari Rail Star is the only special service variation to run on the Hikari service.
Legend
16-car N700 and N700S series services are formed as follows with car 1 at the Hakata end and car 16 at the Tokyo end. All cars are non-smoking except for smoking compartments located in Cars 3, 7, 10, and 15.
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Hikari (train)
Hikari (ひかり; "Light") is a high-speed train service running on the Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen "bullet train" lines in Japan. Slower than the premier Nozomi but faster than the all-stations Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tōkaidō and San'yō Shinkansen that can be used with the Japan Rail Pass, which is not valid for travel on the Nozomi or Mizuho trains except through a special supplementary ticket.
These JR West services first appeared in 1988 on the San'yō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata using 6-car 0 series trains. 0 series 12-car SK units were employed on these services from 1989. From 11 March 2000, they were mostly replaced by the new 700 series Hikari Rail Star services, and were finally withdrawn on 21 April 2000. The West Hikari livery had a similar colour pattern to the newer 100 series rolling stock, most of which were allocated to JR Central when the Japanese National Railways (JNR) was privatised in 1987. The interior was refurbished, with the conventional 2+3 seat configuration changed to a 2+2 configuration, and the buffet car converted into a café car.
These were the premier services operated between Tokyo and Hakata from 11 March 1989 using JR West 16-car 100 series V sets with four double-deck centre cars including a restaurant car. JR West inherited no 100 series train sets when JNR was privatised. On the other hand, unlike the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, the San'yō Shinkansen had a severe competition with aeroplanes, and there was an imminent need to introduce a faster and more comfortable flagship train.
The 100 series V sets were designed to be operated at 275 km/h (171 mph), but due to noise complaints, JR West had to reduce its maximum speed to 230 km/h (143 mph) on the San'yō Shinkansen (compared to 220 km/h (137 mph) for other Hikari services). From 11 March 2000, restaurant car services were discontinued on all trains, and from May 2002 onwards, the few remaining Grand Hikari services were limited to special service on the San'yō Shinkansen only. The last Grand Hikari ran in November 2002.
First appearing in the summer of 1995, these seasonal services operated between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata during holiday periods using special 6-car 0 series sets (R2 and R24) which included a children's play area in car 3. All seats were reserved on these services. [citation needed]
JR West began operating the Hikari Rail Star service from the start of the new timetable on 11 March 2000. This service is limited to the Sanyo Shinkansen line, and uses special 8-car 700-7000 series trains with a distinctive livery and a maximum speed of 285 km/h (177 mph). JR West introduced the service to provide better competition against airlines on the Osaka-Fukuoka route. These services do not have Green car accommodation, but the reserved seating cars feature 2+2 seating and also some 4-seat compartments instead of the standard 3+2 arrangement in non-reserved seating cars. The front row of seats in these cars feature power outlets for laptop users. With all but 3 Hikari services (590-592) solely running on the Sanyo Shinkansen being replaced by through Kyushu Shinkansen Sakura services from 12 March 2011, the 8-car 700 series sets used on the service have been running mostly on all-stations Kodama services on the San'yō Shinkansen line. However, as of 14 March 2026, there is still one Hikari Rail Star service, Hikari Rail Star 680, which departs from Shin-Shimonoseki to Okayama at 06:11 every morning, stopping at every station except Asa. As of June 2025, the Hikari Rail Star is the only special service variation to run on the Hikari service.
Legend
16-car N700 and N700S series services are formed as follows with car 1 at the Hakata end and car 16 at the Tokyo end. All cars are non-smoking except for smoking compartments located in Cars 3, 7, 10, and 15.
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