&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:E6_series_Z12_Komachi_20161013.jpg) An E6 series train on a Komachi service in October 2016 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Shinkansen |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Tōhoku Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen |
| First service | 22 March 1997 |
| Current operator(s) | JR East |
| Route | |
| Termini | Tokyo Akita |
| Distance travelled | 670.2 km (416.4 mi) |
| Service frequency | Hourly |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Standard + Green |
| Catering facilities | Trolley service |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | E6 series |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 25/20 kV AC overhead |
| Operating speed |
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The Komachi (こまち) is a high-speed shinkansen service between Tokyo and Akita in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) since March 1997. It is the only shinkansen service that runs on the Akita Shinkansen, and uses E6 series trains. Between Tokyo Station and Morioka, it couples with Tōhoku Shinkansen E5 series Hayabusa and formerly E2 series for E3 series respectively. After Morioka, the Komachi service continues along standard gauge tracks that were converted from narrow gauge. Because it then runs on tracks that have grade crossings, its maximum speed from Morioka to Akita is 130 km/h (80 mph), compared to 320 km/h (200 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
The Komachi service was named after a famous poet from the area, Ono no Komachi, whose name (小町) is also synonymous with "belle" or "beauty" in Japanese.