International Railroad Discussion > Hokkaido Shinkansen Arrives in Hakodate (Japan)

Here's an English link:

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/head-carriage-of-the-hokkaido-shinkansen-bullet-train-h5-is-news-photo/457159266


Wikipedia on the Shinkansen H5 series (English):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H5_Series_Shinkansen


Japanese link (with a dramatic photo of the H5 car under an overpass):

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20141014-OYT1T50027.html


As told to me by the conductor of the Sleeper Limited Express Hokutosei back in March, the construction for the Hokkaido Shinkansen through the Seikan Tunnel was to begin in earnest in October, with service disruptions to allow longer work windows. As a consequence, Luxury Sleeper Cassiopeia did not run the entire week, and Hokutosei had two days it didn't run in each direction this week. Furthermore, some limited express trains through the Seikan Tunnel were also cancelled.

As the articles above say, the first car of the H5 Shinkansen has just arrived in Hakodate, the southernmost major city in Hokkaido closest to Honshu, the Japan's main island. Once the rest of the train set arrive by ship like this one, testing should begin in earnest, to try to meet the March 2016 start of revenue service.