POINT1

The Charm of Resort Shirakami

Resort Shirakami 1 leaves Akita Station in the morning and travels along the Gono Line to Aomori Station in 5 hours and 10 minutes, during which passengers can enjoy scenic views and fun activities.

"Buna" is inspired by the virgin forests of Shirakami-Sanchi and has extra-large windows so passengers can enjoy the scenery. The extra-wide seats, with a seat pitch and width based on the warm colors of red and orange, provide excellent comfort. You can enjoy the fusion of the interior, which is inspired by the summer festivals of Tohoku, and the woody interior that expresses the charm of Shirakami-Sanchi.
The three trains of Resort Shirakami are equipped with box seats, which are unique among trains that run on the Gono Line. Car No. 2 is partitioned into a compartment facing the sea, and is a semi-private compartment with an extra-large window and a multi-purpose table, where you can eat your favorite bento together while looking out at the majestic sea along the coast of the Sea of Japan.

There are panoramic observation rooms at both ends of the train, where passengers can enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by nature through the driver's cabin at the front. Just like regular seats, there are large windows and seats on both sides of the observation rooms, which passengers can use freely at any time while the train is moving. Stamps and postcards with a design exclusive to Resort Shirakami are also on sale. Make sure to take them with you on your commemorative trip!

Car 2 has a convenience store with an automatic fare machine that sells snacks and drinks. Payment can be made with IC cards such as Suica or credit cards, but cash is not accepted. The default language is Japanese, but English can also be displayed.

POINT 2

From Akita to Tsugaru: From Morning to Noon

Shortly after departing from Akita Station, the train arrives at Higashi-Noshiro Station, the starting point of the Gono Line. The train stops for seven minutes, allowing passengers to take photos on the platform.

After a short break in Higashi-Noshiro, the train heads to Noshiro Station. Noshiro City is nicknamed "Town of Trees" and is a thriving producer of Akita cedar.
There is a beautiful model of the Beech train on the platform.
Noshiro City is also known as a "basketball town" and is the setting for a famous basketball anime. The train stops at Noshiro Station for about 10 minutes, where passengers will notice a basketball court on the platform. As a special privilege for those who ride Resort Shirakami, you can also try out a full-scale shot. Let's give it a try!
We arrived at Akita Shirakami Station, the main entrance station to the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Shirakami-Sanchi." The tourist stationmaster, dressed in a pure white uniform, was already standing on the platform, welcoming passengers aboard Resort Shirakami and Kurogi trains.

This section runs along the coast of the Sea of Japan, so you can enjoy taking photos while gazing at the ocean. Passengers sitting on the mountain side can also bring their cameras or cell phones and take their favorite photos.

POINT3

Meeting at Fukaura Station

After crossing the prefectural border and arriving at Fukaura Station in Aomori Prefecture, the train stops for six minutes.

Resort Shirakami 2 bound for Akita Station also arrives at Fukaura Station Fukaura Station the opposite platform, where two oncoming trains switch operating sections.

The captivating seascape and the large rocks lining the coast combine to create a spectacular natural spectacle.

POINT4

In-car event: Tsugaru shamisen live performance

From Ajiga Station to Aomori Station, the scenery outside the train window changes from the sea to rice fields, apple trees, and mountains.
Meanwhile, cheerful music begins to play inside the Resort Shirakami. An acoustic live performance by two Tsugaru shamisen players is broadcast to every corner of the train via the in-car announcements. Surrounded by the audience in Car 1, the Tsugaru shamisen players play classic Tsugaru folk songs such as "Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi" while Resort Shirakami is traveling. The powerful and passionate sound of the plectrum striking the strings is an experience that can only be experienced at a Tsugaru shamisen live performance.
The performance ends just after the train arrives at Goshogawara Station.

POINT5

Towards Aomori Station

When you think of Aomori, the first thing that comes to mind is apples.

At Kawabe Station there is a terminal station plate with an Aomori apple on it, indicating that this is the end of the Gono Line. The train "Buna" departs from Kawabe Station and a few minutes later runs in the opposite direction to Hirosaki Station. Hirosaki is famous for its cherry blossoms and castle. Many passengers get off the train during the short break at Hirosaki Station and the train runs in the opposite direction to Aomori Station. Before arriving at the end of the line at Aomori Station, you can transfer to the Shinkansen at Shin-Aomori Station.

POINT 6

From Tsugaru to Akita: Afternoon to Night

Resort Shirakami No. 4 (Kurehachi formation) runs from Aomori Station along the Gono Line back to Akita Station in the afternoon, offering a completely different experience to Resort Shirakami No. 1.

Kizukuri Station is characterized by its giant "Shakoki Clay Figurine" and mysterious exterior, making it an attractive tourist spot that attracts many tourists.

POINT7

Senjōjiki Station

One of the great attractions of Resort Shirakami No. 4 is that it stops at Senjōjiki Station for 15 minutes, allowing you to stop by Senjojiki Beach, a scenic spot just a short distance from Senjōjiki Station.

Three minutes before departure, the train will honk to inform passengers that it will be departing from Senjōjiki Station.

POINT8

Amazing sunset

The Kurogane and Aoike trains met again at Fukaura Station.

When I returned to Higashi-Higashi-Noshiro Station, the starting point of the Gono Line, the tracks, platform, and seats were already glowing in the golden light of the sunset.

As the sun sank in the west, the horizon gradually turned gray and colorful flares scattered across the sky. On the train to Akita Station, the sky darkened and night fell.

Finally, Resort Shirakami No. 4 arrived at Akita Station. We look forward to seeing you again!

POINT9

How to reserve reserved seat

Here we will introduce how to reserve seat ticket for foreign tourists. JR EAST Pass (Tohoku Area) is a rail pass that allows unlimited rides on trains from Tokyo to Akita, including Resort Shirakami and Akita Shinkansen, for five days, and was used on the trip introduced in this column.

1/ JR EAST Railway Reservation (official website)
"JR EAST Train Reservation" is the official website for booking train tickets online. It is also available in multiple languages. You can purchase various train tickets issued by JR EAST, including JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area), here.

This website is the only place to reserve a seat before departing from Japan. Reservations are accepted from one month before departure. For example, if you are boarding on April 1st, you can reserve reserved seat online from March 1st.

reserved seat in Ordinary Car (cars 1, 3, and 4) on Resort Shirakami can be reserved through JR-EAST Train Reservation. Once your seat reservation is confirmed, a reservation confirmation email containing your membership number and reservation details will be sent to your registered email address. Please note that your JR-EAST Train Reservations membership number is important information when obtaining tickets.

Currently, we are not accepting seat reservations for the Resort Shirakami Shirakami box seats (car 2) on this website. Also, due to system issues, the Resort Shirakami timetable for your designated departure and arrival station, such as "from Akita Station to Aomori Station," may not be available. In such cases, reservations can only be made within Japan, so please consult with a staff member at JR EAST Travel Center or a JR ticket office, or purchase directly at Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine.

Japan upon arrival, you can pick up your online rail passes at the JR EAST Travel Centre at major stations such as Haneda Airport, Narita Airport, Tōkyō Station and Ueno Station. You can also purchase a JR EAST Pass.

To collect your ticket reserved online at the JR EAST Travel Center, you will need to present your passport and JR-EAST Train Reservation membership number.

If you do not collect your ticket by 21:00 (JST, UTC+09:00) on the day before your trip, your reservation will be automatically canceled (free of charge).

2/JR ticket counter (JR Ticket Office（Midori-no-Madoguchi）)
In my case, I received Resort Shirakami reserved ticket at the JR ticket window. I showed JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area) to the attendant and filled out the reserved seat application form with the train combination, departure and arrival stations, date and time. seat ticket from JR EAST 's official online reservation site "JR EAST Train Reservation" can also be picked up at JR EAST ticket offices.

3/ Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine
The default language of the ticket vending machine is Japanese. You can change it to English or another language by clicking the button on the top right of the touch panel.

If you wish to reserve a seat using a rail pass (such as JR EAST PASS), please follow the steps below.
First, press the "Seat reservation" or "Seat reservation with discounted ticket" button and insert one or more rail passes into the ticket machine.
Next, enter the departure and arrival stations, and the boarding date and time.
Then, select your train combination from the search results. You can also choose your preferred seat from the seating map.
Once your ticket information has been confirmed, you can collect your ticket or rail pass from the automated ticket machine.

For more information, please refer to the official English user guide (PDF). Opens in a new window