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Fuji (train)
Encyclopedia
The was a sleeper train operating between Tokyo
and Ōita
in Japan
. Operated by the Kyushu Railway Company
and classified as a limited express
service, it was discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2009.
sleeper between Tokyo
and Moji Station
. The Hayabusa separated at Moji and continued to Hakata
and Kumamoto
.
The 1,240 km Tokyo-Ōita run took just over seventeen hours, leaving Tokyo at 18:03 and arriving in Ōita at 11:17. The return service left Ōita at 16:48 and arrived in Tokyo at 09:58.
. Fuji and Sakura were the first named trains in Japan.
Fuji services originally operated between Tokyo and Shimonoseki Station
. Connecting ferries were available from Shimonoseki to Pusan, Korea
, from which passengers could connect to train services bound for China, Russia, and even Europe. In November 1942, service was extended to Nagasaki
, from where ferries were available to Shanghai
.
Fuji services were suspended in April 1944 due to Japan's deteriorating situation in World War II
.
- Kawaguchiko service (Chūō Main Line
) in 1950, but did not return to the Tōkaidō corridor until 1 October 1961, when the Fuji service resumed as a daytime limited express between Tokyo and Kobe
using 151 series EMUs.
After the Tōkaidō Shinkansen opened on 1 October 1964, the Fuji became a Tokyo-Ōita sleeper service using 20 series sleeping cars. Between 1965 and 1980, the service was extended to Nishi-Kagoshima Station
, becoming the longest train service in Japanese history: the 1574.2 km (978.2 mi) Tokyo-Kagoshima run took over 24 hours (departing Tokyo at 18:00 and arriving Nishi-Kagoshima at 18:03). From 1980 to 1997, the Fuji operated between Tokyo and Miyazaki
(Miyazaki Station
or Minami-Miyazaki Station
).
Dining car service was discontinued from March 1993.
From 1 March 2005, the Fuji was combined with the Hayabusa service between Tokyo and Moji, following the discontinuation of the Sakura
service which previously operated in conjunction with the Hayabusa. Finally, the Fuji was discontinued in its entirety in March of 2009, due to a decline in ridership.
electric locomotive between Tokyo and Shimonoseki
, a JR Kyushu EF81-400 electric locomotive between Shimonoseki and Moji (through the undersea Kanmon Tunnel
), and by a JR Kyushu ED76
electric locomotive from Moji to Ōita.
Tokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
and Ōita
Oita Station
is a JR Kyushu railway station located in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan.The station opened on November 1, 1911.-Limited Express Trains:* Sonic * Nichirin * Yufuin-no-mori, Yufu...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Operated by the Kyushu Railway Company
Kyushu Railway Company
The , also referred to as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait between Fukuoka and Busan, South Korea.When Japan Railways was divided in...
and classified as a limited express
Limited express
A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes.- Japan :...
service, it was discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2009.
Route
The train was coupled with the HayabusaHayabusa (train)
The is a new high-speed Shinkansen service operated by East Japan Railway Company between Tokyo and in Japan since 5 March 2011. The name was formerly used for a limited express sleeping car service operated by JR Kyushu, which ran from Tokyo to , and was discontinued in March 2009.-Service...
sleeper between Tokyo
Tokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
and Moji Station
Moji Station
is a railway station on the Kagoshima Main Line and the Sanyō Main Line, operated by Kyushu Railway Company in Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan....
. The Hayabusa separated at Moji and continued to Hakata
Hakata Station
Hakata Station , located in Hakata-ku, is the main railway terminal of the city of Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest and busiest station on Kyūshū, and is a gateway to other cities in Kyūshū for travellers from Honshū. The Sanyō Shinkansen from Osaka ends at this station...
and Kumamoto
Kumamoto Station
is the central railway station in the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by Kyushu Railway Company .In front of the station is a tram stop of the tram operated by Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau named Kumamoto-Ekimae Station.- Lines :Kumamoto is an intermediate station...
.
The 1,240 km Tokyo-Ōita run took just over seventeen hours, leaving Tokyo at 18:03 and arriving in Ōita at 11:17. The return service left Ōita at 16:48 and arrived in Tokyo at 09:58.
Pre-World War II
The Fuji began as a long-distance daytime service in 1912, although the train did not receive a name until September 1929. It was one of two long-distance services on the Tōkaidō/Sanyō corridor. The other train on the route, named Sakura, was aimed at middle-class travelers, while Fuji had higher-class rooms, dining cars serving Western food and a "Momoyama" observation carObservation car
An observation car/carriage/coach is a type of railroad passenger car, generally operated in a passenger train as the last carriage, with windows on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure...
. Fuji and Sakura were the first named trains in Japan.
Fuji services originally operated between Tokyo and Shimonoseki Station
Shimonoseki Station
is a railway station on the San'yō Main Line, operated by West Japan Railway Company in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan. Kyushu Railway Company and Japan Freight Railway Company also use this station....
. Connecting ferries were available from Shimonoseki to Pusan, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, from which passengers could connect to train services bound for China, Russia, and even Europe. In November 1942, service was extended to Nagasaki
Nagasaki Station (Nagasaki)
is a railway station in Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company . It forms the terminus of the Nagasaki Main Line....
, from where ferries were available to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
Fuji services were suspended in April 1944 due to Japan's deteriorating situation in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Post-World War II
The Fuji name was briefly used on a ShinjukuShinjuku Station
is a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...
- Kawaguchiko service (Chūō Main Line
Chuo Main Line
The , commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, while the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the fastest rail...
) in 1950, but did not return to the Tōkaidō corridor until 1 October 1961, when the Fuji service resumed as a daytime limited express between Tokyo and Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
using 151 series EMUs.
After the Tōkaidō Shinkansen opened on 1 October 1964, the Fuji became a Tokyo-Ōita sleeper service using 20 series sleeping cars. Between 1965 and 1980, the service was extended to Nishi-Kagoshima Station
Kagoshima-Chuo Station
is the main railway station in Kagoshima, Japan. It is the southern terminus of the Kyūshū Shinkansen and is located on the Kagoshima Main Line, and Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line...
, becoming the longest train service in Japanese history: the 1574.2 km (978.2 mi) Tokyo-Kagoshima run took over 24 hours (departing Tokyo at 18:00 and arriving Nishi-Kagoshima at 18:03). From 1980 to 1997, the Fuji operated between Tokyo and Miyazaki
Miyazaki, Miyazaki
is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. Located on the coast and perforated by several rivers, Miyazaki City enjoys scenic views of both ocean and nearby, verdant mountains...
(Miyazaki Station
Miyazaki Station
is a JR Kyushu railway station located in Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.The central station of the prefectural capital is served by the Nippō Main Line connecting Fukuoka Prefecture and Kagoshima Prefecture...
or Minami-Miyazaki Station
Minami-Miyazaki Station
is a train station of JR Kyushu Nippō Main Line and Nichinan Line in Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan....
).
Dining car service was discontinued from March 1993.
From 1 March 2005, the Fuji was combined with the Hayabusa service between Tokyo and Moji, following the discontinuation of the Sakura
Sakura (train)
The is a high-speed shinkansen service operated between and Kagoshima in Japan since 12 March 2011. It was formerly a limited express sleeper train service operated by JR Kyushu, which ran from to and in Kyūshū, Japan...
service which previously operated in conjunction with the Hayabusa. Finally, the Fuji was discontinued in its entirety in March of 2009, due to a decline in ridership.
Rolling stock
The train was formed of 14 series sleeping cars based at JR Kyushu's Kumamoto Depot, typically consisting of six cars in the Hayabusa portion and six cars in the Fuji portion. The train was hauled by a JR West EF66JNR Class EF66
The EF66 is a 6-axle electric locomotive designed for fast freight used by Japanese National Railways and currently operated by its descendents JR West and JR Freight.-Background and history:...
electric locomotive between Tokyo and Shimonoseki
Shimonoseki Station
is a railway station on the San'yō Main Line, operated by West Japan Railway Company in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan. Kyushu Railway Company and Japan Freight Railway Company also use this station....
, a JR Kyushu EF81-400 electric locomotive between Shimonoseki and Moji (through the undersea Kanmon Tunnel
Kanmon Tunnel
The Kanmon Railway Tunnel, Kanmon Roadway Tunnel, and Shin-Kanmon Tunnel are undersea tunnels crossing the Kanmon Straits between Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi and Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka in western Japan...
), and by a JR Kyushu ED76
JNR Class ED76
The ED76 class of electric locomotives are Bo-2-Bo wheel arrangement AC electric locomotives operated on passenger and freight services in Japan.-ED76-0:94 class ED76-0 locomotives were built from 1965 to 1976 and numbered ED76 1 to ED76 94.-ED76-500:...
electric locomotive from Moji to Ōita.