- Home>
- Route & Maps>
- Hakucho and Tsugaru
The Tohoku Shinkansen Line connects to three limited express trains at Shin-Aomori Station: the Super Hakucho, the Hakucho and the Tsugaru. The Super Hakucho debuted with the opening of Hachinohe Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line in 2002. New-model JR Hokkaido cars are used on the trains. Both the Super Hakucho and the Hakucho connect Shin-Aomori on Honshu with Hakodate on Hokkaido, traveling via Aomori Station. To travel between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, both trains pass through the Seikan Tunnel, the longest seabed tunnel in the world. The Tsugaru, which debuted at the same time, connects with the Tohoku Shinkansen line, providing service from Shin-Aomori to Hirosaki and Akita Stations.
The Train Line-up
- Series 789
Super Hakucho: Shin-Aomori – Aomori – Hakodate
- Series 485
Hakucho: Shin-Aomori – Aomori – Hakodate
- Series E751
Tsugaru: Aomori – Shin-Aomori – Akita
Interior Layout of Cars
The Super Hakucho Series 789: 6-car trains
Note: The direction of the train (i.e., the numbering of the cars) is reversed between Aomori and Hakodate Stations.
The Hakucho Series 485: 6-car trains
Note: The direction of the train (i.e., the numbering of the cars) is reversed between Aomori and Hakodate Stations.
The Tsugaru Series E751: 4-car trains
Places of Interest
- The Aomori Nebuta Festival in August is one of Japan's fire festivals and is well known throughout the world. Through the streets travels a float with a warrior figure known as the Nebuta. Illuminating the float is a lantern, and around the float, hayashi musicians play instruments while haneto dancers perform, all the while chanting, "rasse, rasse," filling the town with joy to celebrate the short Aomori summer. A 60-minute trip by bus from the station is Sukayu Onsen, a hot spring bath with a history reaching back three centuries. The bath accommodates one thousand bathers and is constructed from cypress.
Access: Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori Station, then transfer to the Ou Line to Aomori Station. 
- Hirosaki originally flourished as a castle town. The many structures including the Hirosaki Castle donjon, temples, and Renaissance-style Western buildings provide a look back into older times and add a historical feel to the town. For cherry blossoms, a visit to Hirosaki Park is an excellent choice, and from there, Mount Iwaki can be seen, a mountain so beautiful it is sometimes called the Mount Fuji of Tsugaru (Aomori).
Access: Take the Ou Line to Hirosaki Station. 
- Hakodate lies on a southern peninsula on Hokkaido, looking across the Tsugaru Strait to Honshu Island. When Japan opened its doors to the world 150 years ago, Hakodate was designated as a port for foreign ships, leading to a blossoming of Western culture. To this day, buildings made of red brick still give testament to the Westerners who lived here. A town with a number of charming attractions, Hakodate also has several hills, and the romantic night view from Mount Hakodate is counted among the three great night views of the world, along with Naples and Hong Kong. A picturesque sight to not be missed are the lights used by fishing boats to attract fish, bobbing in the Tsugaru Straits. Hakodate is famed for its seafood as the town is surrounded on three sides by ocean. The morning market close to Hakodate Station is a popular draw for both locals and tourists.
Access: Take the JR Hokkaido Hakodate Line to Hakodate Station.