Discover Northern Tohoku’s “Hinabi-utiful” countryside with Hinabi
Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Hinabi (ひなび ), one of the latest additions to the lineup of Joyful Trains by JR East. The train made its debut in December 2023, and travels around the prefectures Iwate (岩手県) and Aomori (青森県), located in the northern part of the Tohoku Region (東北地方 Tōhoku-chihō).
The name “Hinabi” comes from the kanji readings “hi” (陽) which means “sun”, and “tabi” (旅) which means “travel”. Passengers onboard the train will get to appreciate the joys of a sunny railway journey, and enjoy the numerous picturesque areas when the train leisurely travels across the countryside.
Want to know more about the train? Then read on!
Explore the beauty of Iwate onboard the train
Hinabi in the summer. (Image credit: JR East)
The main highlight of the Hinabi is the sheer beauty of the outdoor scenery that passengers onboard will enjoy at different times of the year. In spring, the train will run through rows of blooming cherry blossom trees and rice fields that gleam in the distance. Later in the summer, passengers can witness the contrast of colours between the verdant rice fields and the deep blue sky.
When autumn arrives, the surroundings will be bathed in vivid warm shades of red and yellow, and the golden rice fields will signal the arrival of the harvest season. When snow arrives for winter, the landscape will be blanketed in snow, and turn into a quiet snowy wonderland.
Every season offers something special for passengers onboard the Hinabi to see and enjoy, making for an unforgettable experience.
Travel routes
Hinabi’s Kamaishi and Miyako routes. (Image credit: Google Maps)
There are two main routes for the Hinabi: the Hinabi Kamaishi route and the Hinabi Miyako route. Both routes originate from Morioka Station (盛岡駅 Morioka-eki), with the former travelling on the Tohoku Main Line (東北本線 Tōhoku-honsen) to Hanamaki Station (花巻駅 Hanamaki-eki) before continuing towards Kamaishi Station (釜石駅 Kamaishi-eki) on the Kamaishi Line (釜石線 Kamaishi-sen) for its outbound journey. The route between Hanamaki and Kamaishi may seem familiar to some railway enthusiasts, as it is the same one taken by the SL Ginga, which ended service last spring.
For the latter route, the train departs from Morioka Station and travels on the Yamada Line (山田線 Yamada-sen) towards Miyako Station (宮古駅 Miyako-eki) for its outbound journey.
Hinabi Shimokita route. (Image credit: Google Maps)
The Hinabi also has a third route that enables passengers to explore the Shimokita Peninsula (下北半島 Shimokita-hantō), located in the far northern part of Aomori Prefecture. The route begins from Hachinohe Station (八戸駅 Hachinohe-eki) and plies the Aoimori Railway Line (青い森鉄道線 Aoimori Tetsudō-sen) and Ōminato Line (大湊線 Ōminato-sen) towards Ōminato Station (大湊駅 Ōminato-eki) for the outbound journey.
Train design
Hinabi’s exterior design. (Image credit: JR East)
Hinabi’s exterior comes in a striking colour scheme of red and white. An image of a traditional Japanese knot known as “ume-musubi” (梅結び plum knot), resembling a Japanese plum flower front of the train features, is featured prominently near the front of the train. Did you know? The plum flower is considered auspicious in Japanese culture as it symbolises good luck and good health, and is often used in wrappings for wedding gifts and gift envelopes!
The train's body features plum flowers and a red line across a white background that symbolises “connection between the land and the local people”. On top of that, there are images of mountains, ocean waves, rivers, and cherry blossom petals that showcase the natural beauty of northern Tohoku.
Don’t forget to check out the train exterior design when you get the chance to ride this train!
A sneak peek inside the train
4-seater box seats in Car 1. (Image credit: JR East)
Hinabi comprises two cars, with Car 1 known as the Green Car. It features 4-seater boxed seats, and 2-seater box seats that are perfect for passengers travelling in a small group. On top of that, the car includes large windows so that passengers can fully enjoy the splendid outdoor scenery.
Take note that passengers must pay the additional Green Car surcharge to reserve seats in this car, even if they use the JR EAST PASS.
Observation deck behind the train driver’s cab. (Image credit: JR East)
Plus, passengers in this car have access to the Observation Deck just behind the train driver’s cab, and enjoy a firsthand view of the train travelling along the railway tracks!
Window seats for single passengers in Car 1. (Image credit: JR East)
Travelling alone or want to have your own space onboard the Hinabi? Then fret not; Car 1 also features 3 single window seats, specially for passengers who want to have a seat to themselves. Facing directly towards the window, the seats offer more privacy for passengers who simply want to enjoy the outdoor views.
Reclining seats in Car 2. (Image credit: JR East)
Car 2 features seats in a conventional 2+2 seat configuration. Otherwise known as the Ordinary Car, it also has reclinable seats and large windows for a comfortable ride for all passengers. As a plus, there is ample legroom for all seats and an observation deck at the end of the car for passengers to enjoy watching the train travelling along the railway tracks.
Enjoy special onigiri onboard Hinabi
Special Tō no Musubiya onigiri. (Image credit: JR East)
Of course, a trip on a Joyful Train would not be complete without enjoying some food as well! For passengers on board the Hinabi, they can enjoy rice balls that are unique to the city of Tōno, which is known for its traditional folklore.
Tō no Musubiya (とおの結屋) is an establishment that specialises in preparing rice balls with local ingredients, and passengers on the Hinabi can pre-order their special set that includes two rice balls made with moromi (もろみ) pickles, salad, and drinks. This set is exclusively sold on the “Uketorippu” (うけとりっぷ) smartphone-only reservation site, and you can buy it up to 5 days before your boarding date.
Take note that this set is not sold onboard the train, and passengers who pre-ordered the set can collect it at Tōno Station (遠野駅 Tōno-eki).
Limited edition Hinabi colouring page!
Limited edition Hinabi colouring page. (Image credit: JR East)
Are you a fan of colouring books? Then there is another small surprise: a Hinabi colouring page for your colouring pleasure! The page is available on the official website, and you can download it for free and colour it to your heart’s content!
Travelling on the Hinabi
(Video credit: JR East)
Getting there
The Hinabi travelling through the countryside. (Image credit: JR East)
The Hinabi operates mostly on weekends and selected weekdays for the national holidays for all three routes. The train makes one round trip per day for the Kamaishi, Miyako, and Shimokita routes. You can check their official website here for more details on the timetable and calendar. The train only has reserved seating, so seat reservations must be made before boarding.
From Tokyo, you can take the Tōhoku Shinkansen (東北新幹線) from Tōkyō Station to either Shin-Hanamaki Station (新花巻駅 Shin-Hanamaki-eki) or Morioka Station. The Hinabi stops at both stations, so you can board the train at either station directly! Take note that the journey from Tokyo to Shin-Hanamaki and Morioka takes approximately 3 hours, and 2 hours 15 minutes (via the Hayabusa superexpress service) respectively.
To take the Shimokita route, you can take the Tōhoku Shinkansen from Tōkyō Station to Hachinohe Station, with the journey taking approximately 3 hours (via the Hayabusa superexpress service).
JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area)
The JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area) and where you can use it. (Image credit: JR East)
If you are thinking of riding the Hinabi or exploring other areas in the Tohoku Region, check out the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area), an affordable pass offering unlimited rail travel on JR East lines (including bullet trains and Joyful Trains) in the valid area for 5 consecutive days. At only ¥30,000, it is cheaper than a round-trip ticket between Tokyo and Morioka (more than ¥30,000).
With the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area), you can also make seat reservations for bullet trains, some limited express trains and Joyful Trains online for free, up to 1 month in advance, on the JR-EAST Train Reservation.
The JR-EAST Train Reservation. (Image credit: JR East)
The pass can be used for automatic ticket gates, and foreign passport holders living in Japan are also eligible to use this pass.
Header image credit: JR East
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