E8 Series Shinkansen
| E8 series | |
|---|---|
E8 series set in March 2024 | |
| Stock type | Electric multiple unit |
| In service | 2024–present |
| Manufacturers | |
| Designer | Ken Okuyama |
| Family name | Mini-Shinkansen |
| Replaced | E3 series |
| Constructed | 2022–2026 |
| Entered service | 16 March 2024 |
| Number under construction | 23 vehicles (4 sets) |
| Number built | 66 vehicles (11 sets) |
| Number in service | 66 vehicles (11 sets) (as of June 2025) |
| Formation | 7 cars per trainset |
| Fleet numbers | G1–G15 |
| Capacity | 355 (26 Green + 329 ordinary) |
| Operator | JR East |
| Depot | Yamagata |
| Lines served | |
| Specifications | |
| Doors | 1 per side, per car |
| Maximum speed | 300 km/h (190 mph) |
| Electric systems | |
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| Safety systems | DS-ATC, RS-ATC, ATS-P |
| Multiple working | Up to two units, E5 series |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The E8 series (Japanese: E8系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It operates exclusively on Tsubasa services on the Yamagata Shinkansen, a mini-Shinkansen line between Shinjo in Yamagata Prefecture and Fukushima, at speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph). From Fukushima, services continue to and from Tokyo on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, where E8 series trainsets are typically coupled to or uncoupled from Yamabiko services operated by E5 series trains. Compared with the E3 series it replaced, the E8 series is capable of operating at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph) on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, an increase from 275 kilometres per hour (171 mph).
A total of 15 seven-car trainsets are scheduled to be built by Hitachi Rail and Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing between 2022 and 2026. Seventeen trainsets were originally planned; however, the order was reduced in response to decreased travel demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first trainset was delivered on 30 January 2023, and the E8 series entered revenue service on 16 March 2024.