| Train name |
Name meaning |
Operator |
Train endpoints |
Operated |
| A-Train |
refers to Ariake region |
JR Kyushu |
Yoshizuka, Hakata – Nagasu |
1967– |
| Aizu Liner |
refers to Aizu region |
JR East |
Kōriyama – Aizu-Wakamatsu |
1968– |
| Akagi / Swallow Akagi |
refers to Mt. Akagi |
JR East |
Ueno, Shinjuku – Takasaki, Maebashi |
1982– |
| Ariake |
refers to Ariake region |
JR Kyushu |
Kumamoto – Misumi |
1967–2021 |
| Asagiri |
Morning mist |
Odakyu / JR Central |
Shinjuku – Gotemba |
1991–2018 |
| Ashizuri |
refers to Cape Ashizuri |
JR Shikoku |
Kōchi – Nakamura |
1990– |
| Ayame |
Japanese iris |
JR East |
Tokyo – Narita, Kashimajingū, Chōshi |
1975–2015 |
| Azusa |
refers to Azusa River |
JR East |
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Chiba – Matsumoto, Hakuba |
1966– |
| Banetsu Monogatari |
refers to Banetsu West Line |
JR East |
Niigata - Aizu-Wakamatsu |
1999– |
| Dinostar |
portmanteau derived from the English word "dinosaur" for which Fukui is famous and the word "star"[4] |
JR-West |
Fukui – Kanazawa |
2015–2024 |
| Enoshima |
refers to Enoshima |
Odakyu |
Shinjuku – Fujisawa – Katase-Enoshima |
1964– |
| Fuji Excursion |
|
JR East |
Shinjuku – Kawaguchiko |
2019– |
| Fujikawa |
refers to Fuji River |
JR Central |
Kōfu – Shizuoka |
1996– |
| Hachiōji / Ōme |
|
JR East |
Tokyo – Hachiōji,Ōme |
2019–2025 |
| Hakone / Super Hakone / Metro Hakone |
refers to Hakone |
Odakyu |
Shinjuku, Kita-Senju – Hakone-Yumoto |
1950– |
| Hakuchō / Super Hakuchō |
Swan |
JR East / JR Hokkaido |
Shin-Aomori, Aomori – Hakodate |
2002–2016 |
| Hamakaze |
Sea breeze/beach wind |
JR-West |
Ōsaka – Kasumi, Hamasaka, Tottori |
1972– |
| Haruka |
Faraway |
JR-West |
Kyoto/Shin-Ōsaka – Kansai Airport |
1993– |
| Hashidate |
- |
JR-West, Willer Trains |
Kyoto – Amanohashidate, Toyooka |
1965– |
| Hida |
refers to Hida |
JR Central |
Ōsaka, Nagoya – Takayama, Hida Furukawa, Toyama |
1968– |
| Hitachi |
old name of Ibaraki Prefecture |
JR East |
Shinagawa – Sendai |
1969– |
| Hitoyoshi |
name of Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto |
JR Kyushu |
Kumamoto – Hitoyoshi |
2009–2024 |
| Hokuto |
Big Dipper |
JR Hokkaido |
Hakodate – Sapporo |
1965– |
| Homeway / Metro Homeway |
- |
Odakyu |
Shinjuku, Kita-Senju, Ōtemachi – Machida, Sagami-Ōno, Hon-Atsugi, Odawara, Hakone-Yumoto, Karakida, Fujisawa, Katase-Enoshima |
1999– |
| Huis Ten Bosch |
- |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Huis Ten Bosch |
1992– |
| Inaho |
Rice stalk |
JR East |
Niigata – Sakata, Akita |
1969– |
| Inaji |
Way to Ina, refers to Ina region |
JR Central |
Toyohashi – Iida |
1996– |
| Ishizuchi |
Refers to Mt. Ishizuchi |
JR Shikoku |
Takamatsu – Matsuyama |
1988– |
| Iyonada Monogatari |
Story of the Iyonada Sea; refers to Iyo, old name of Ehime Prefecture |
JR Shikoku |
Matsuyama – Iyo-Ōzu, Yawatahama |
2014– |
| Kaiji |
Way to Kai, old name of Yamanashi Prefecture |
JR East |
Tokyo, Shinjuku – Kōfu, Ryūō |
1988– |
| Kaio |
refers to Kaiō Hiroyuki, a celebrity sumo wrestler from Nōgata |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Nōgata |
2001– |
| Kamome |
Seagull |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Saga, Hizen-Kashima, Nagasaki and Haiki – Nagasaki |
1961– |
| Kamoshika |
Japanese serow |
JR East |
Akita – Aomori |
1997–2010 |
| Kamui |
Kamuy |
JR Hokkaido |
Sapporo – Asahikawa |
2007– |
| Kawasemi Yamasemi |
refers to kingfishers native to the area |
JR Kyushu |
Kumamoto-Hitoyoshi |
2017- |
| Kinosaki |
refers to Kinosaki Onsen |
JR-West |
Kyoto – Kinosaki Onsen |
1996– |
| Kinugawa / Spacia Kinugawa |
refers to Kinugawa River |
JR East / Tobu Railway |
Shinjuku – Kinugawa-Onsen |
2006– |
| Kirameki |
Glitter |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Kokura, Mojikō |
2001– |
| Kirishima |
refers to Mount Kirishima |
JR Kyushu |
Miyazaki – Miyakonojō, Nishi-Miyakonojō, Kagoshima-Chūō and Kokubu – Kagoshima-Chūō |
1995– |
| Kita-Kinki |
North Kinki |
JR-West |
Shin-Ōsaka, Fukuchiyama – Toyooka, Kinosaki Onsen |
1986–2011 |
| Kounotori |
Stork |
JR-West |
Shin-Ōsaka – Fukuchiyama, Toyooka, Kinosaki Onsen |
2011– |
| Kumagawa |
refers to Kuma River |
JR Kyushu |
Kumamoto – Hitoyoshi |
2004– |
| Kuroshio |
Kuroshio Current |
JR-West |
Kyoto, Shin-Ōsaka, Tennōji – Wakayama, Shirahama, Shingu |
1965– |
| Kusatsu/Shima |
refers to Kusatsu Onsen |
JR East |
Ueno – Naganoharakusatsuguchi |
1985– |
| Lilac |
- |
JR Hokkaido |
Sapporo – Asahikawa |
1980–2007; 2017– |
| Mahoroba,Rakuraku Yamato |
|
JR West |
Osaka,Shin-Ōsaka – Nara |
Mahoroba: 2010;2019-
Rakuraku Yamato: 2024- |
| Midori |
Green |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Sasebo |
1976– |
| Muroto |
refers to Cape Muroto |
JR Shikoku |
Tokushima – Mugi |
1962-2025 |
| Nanki |
refers to South Kii Peninsula |
JR Central |
Nagoya – Shingū, Kii-Katsuura |
1978– |
| Nanpū |
Southern wind |
JR Shikoku |
Okayama – Kōchi |
1972– |
| Narita Express |
- |
JR East |
Tokyo area – Narita Airport |
1991– |
| Nikkō / Spacia Nikkō |
refers to Nikkō |
JR East / Tōbu |
Shinjuku – Tōbu-Nikko |
2006– |
| Noto Kagaribi |
Noto fire built in an iron basket |
JR-West |
Kanazawa – Wakuraonsen |
2015– |
| Odoriko / Super View Odoriko / Saphir Odoriko |
refers to The Dancing Girl of Izu |
JR East / Izukyū / Izuhakone Railway |
Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro – Itō, Izukyū Shimoda, Shuzenji |
Odoriko: 1981-
Super View Odoriko: 1990–2020
Saphir Odoriko: 2020- |
| Ohayo Express / Oyasumi Express |
Good morning express / Good night express |
JR-West |
Tsuruga – Kanazawa |
- Ohayo Express: 2001–2024
- Oyasumi Express: 2004–2024
|
| Ohayo Tochigi / Hometown Tochigi |
Good morning Tochigi / - |
JR East |
Shinjuku – Utsunomiya, Kuroiso |
1995–2010 |
| Okhotsk |
refers to Sea of Okhotsk |
JR Hokkaido |
Sapporo – Asahikawa - Abashiri |
1972– |
| Ozora |
Sky |
JR Hokkaido |
Sapporo – Kushiro |
1961– |
| Rakuraku Biwako |
|
JR West |
Osaka – Kusatsu,Maibara |
2003- |
| Rakuraku Harima |
|
JR West |
Kyoto,Shin-Ōsaka – Aboshi |
2019- |
| Relay Tsubame |
Swallow |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Shin-Yatsushiro |
2004–2011 |
| Relay Kamome |
- |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata - Takeo-Onsen |
2023- |
| Sagami / Metro Sagami |
refers to Sagami, old name of Kanagawa Prefecture |
Odakyu |
Shinjuku, Kita-Senju – Machida, Sagami-Ōno, Hon-Atsugi, Odawara |
1950– |
| Sarobetsu |
refers to Sarobetsu plain |
JR Hokkaido |
Asahikawa – Wakkanai |
2017– |
| Sazanami |
Ripples |
JR East |
Tokyo – Kimitsu |
1972– |
| Shimanto |
refers to Shimanto River |
JR Shikoku |
Takamatsu – Kōchi, Sukumo |
1988– |
| Shinano |
refers to Shinano region, old name of Nagano Prefecture |
JR Central |
Nagoya – Nagano |
1968– |
| Shiokaze |
Sea breeze |
JR Shikoku |
Okayama – Imabari, Matsuyama |
1972– |
| Shiosai |
- |
JR East |
Tokyo, Shinjuku – Sakura, Narutō, Chōshi |
1975– |
| Shirasagi |
Egret |
JR-West |
Nagoya, Maibara – Tsuruga |
1964– |
| Shirayuki |
White snow |
JR East |
Niigata – Jōetsumyōkō,Arai |
2015– |
| Shōnan |
refers to Shōnan region |
JR East |
Tokyo,Shinjyuku – Hiratsuka,Odawara |
2021– |
| Skyliner |
- |
Keisei |
Keisei Ueno – Narita Airport |
1972– |
| Sonic |
- |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Yanagigaura, Ōita, Saiki (via Nippō Main Line) |
1997– |
| Soya |
refers to Soya region |
JR Hokkaido |
Sapporo – Asahikawa - Wakkanai |
2000– |
| Super Hakuto |
White hare, i.e. Hare of Inaba |
JR-West, Chizu Express |
Kyoto – Tottori - Kurayoshi |
1994– |
| Super Inaba |
refers to Inaba, old name of Tottori Prefecture. Also Hare of Inaba |
JR-West, Chizu Express |
Okayama – Tottori |
1993– |
| Super Matsukaze |
Pine wind |
JR-West |
Tottori – Masuda |
2003– |
| Super Oki |
refers to Oki Islands |
JR-West |
Tottori – Yonago, Shin-Yamaguchi |
2001– |
| Super White Arrow |
- |
JR Hokkaido |
New Chitose Airport, Sapporo – Asahikawa |
1986–2007 |
| Suzuran |
Lily of the valley |
JR Hokkaido |
Muroran – Sapporo |
1992– |
| Taisetsu |
another name of Mt. Daisetsu |
JR Hokkaido |
Asahikawa - Abashiri |
2017–2025 |
| Thunderbird |
- |
JR-West |
Ōsaka – Tsuruga |
1995– |
| Tokachi |
refers to Tokachi region |
JR Hokkaido |
Sapporo – Obihiro |
1990– |
| Tōkai |
refers to Tokai region |
JR Central |
Tokyo – Shizuoka |
1996–2007 |
| Tokiwa |
old name of Ibaraki Prefecture |
JR East |
Shinagawa – Tsuchiura, Katsuta, Iwaki, Takahagi |
2015– |
| Trans-Kyushu Limited Express |
- |
JR Kyushu |
Beppu – Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto |
2004– |
| Tsugaru |
old name of Aomori Prefecture |
JR East |
Akita – Aomori |
2002– |
| Tsurugisan |
refers to Mount Tsurugi |
JR Shikoku |
Tokushima – Awa-ikeda |
1996– |
| Umisachi Yamasachi |
refers to Hoderi, whose myth supposedly takes place in Southern Kyushu |
JR Kyushu |
Miyazaki-Nangō |
2009- |
| Uwakai |
refers to Sea of Uwa |
JR Shikoku |
Matsuyama – Uwajima |
1990– |
| Uzushio |
refers to Naruto whirlpools |
JR Shikoku |
Takamatsu – Tokushima |
1988– |
| Wakashio |
Growing tide from neap tide to spring tide, also another name of Kuroshio Current |
JR East |
Shinjuku – Kazusa-Ichinomiya, Katsuura, Awa-Kamogawa |
1972– |
| Yakumo |
thick clouds |
JR-West |
Okayama – Izumoshi |
1972– |
| Yufu / Yufuin-no-mori |
refers to Yufu Onsen |
JR Kyushu |
Hakata – Yufuin, Ōita, Beppu (via Kyūdai Main Line) |
1989– |
| μ Sky |
- |
Meitetsu |
Shin-Unuma, Shin-Kani, Mikakino, Meitetsu Gifu, Meitetsu Nagoya – Central Japan International Airport |
2005– |