The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train type introduced in 1997 by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) for use on the Tōhoku and Hokuriku Shinkansen high-speed lines in Japan. They are formed in 8- and 10-car sets. The 8-car sets were used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and the 10-car sets have been used on Tōhoku Shinkansen services. The 10-car sets are fitted with couplers hidden behind retracting nose doors, formerly used for coupling to E3 series sets.
They operate at a maximum speed of on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
A total of 502 vehicles (14 8-car "N" sets and 39 10-car "J" sets) were built between 1997 and 2010, with the first withdrawals commencing in late 2013.
As of 1 April 2025, the active fleet consisted of six 10-car E2-1000 series sets, numbered J70 to J75.
Operations
Tohoku Shinkansen Yamabiko Nasuno
Past operations
Tohoku Shinkansen Hayate (1 December 2002 - 16 March 2019)
Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama (1 October 1997 - 31 March 2017)
Joetsu Shinkansen Asahi Toki Tanigawa
Variants E2 series 8-car "N" sets E2' series 10-car "J" sets E2-1000 series 10-car "J" sets
8-car "N" sets
The fleet of thirteen "N" sets was constructed for the new Asama services on the newly constructed Nagano Shinkansen (present-day Hokuriku Shinkansen) to Nagano from 1 October 1997, and are classified simply "E2 series". Units N2 onwards were delivered from March 1997 to September 1997. These sets are compatible with both the 50 Hz supply used by JR East and the 60 Hz supply used west of Karuizawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and are limited to a maximum speed of . Tohoku Shinkansen set J1 was transferred to Nagano depot in October 2002 and renumbered as set N21.
The fleet of "N" sets underwent a programme of life-extension refurbishment from fiscal 2013.
Withdrawals of E2 series "N" sets commenced in April 2014, with the withdrawal of sets N4 and N12. The remaining E2 series sets were removed from regularly scheduled Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama services from 25 December 2015, with the last E2 series Asama run taking place on 31 March 2017.
Formation Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Designation T1c M2 M1 M2 M1k M2 M1s T2c Numbering E223 E226-100 E225 E226-200 E225-400 E226-300 E215 E224 Seating capacity 55 100 85 100 75 100 51 64
Cars 4 and 6 are equipped with PS205 scissors-type pantographs.
Fleet list , the fleet was as follows: Set number Manufacturer Date delivered Date withdrawn Remarks N1 6 June 1995 9 July 2014 Pre-series set S6 N2 Kawasaki HI 25 March 1997 1 September 2014 N3 Hitachi 16 April 1997 1 December 2014 N4 Kawasaki HI 25 April 1997 23 April 2014 N5 Nippon Sharyo 14 May 1997 1 June 2017 N6 Hitachi 29 May 1997 17 June 2014 N7 Nippon Sharyo 13 June 1997 25 January 2016 N8 Kawasaki HI 27 June 1997 26 May 2014 N9 Hitachi 11 July 1997 26 September 2014 N10 Nippon Sharyo 25 July 1997 17 February 2016 N11 Hitachi 8 August 1997 1 August 2014 N12 Tokyu Car 25 August 1997 2 April 2014 N13 Kawasaki HI 5 September 1997 11 May 2017 N21 - 14 April 1995 6 January 2015 Pre-series set S7, later J1
E2' series 10-car "J" sets
The initial fleet of six "J" sets was constructed as eight-car trains for the start of the new Akita shinkansen services starting in March 1997, and ran in conjunction with E3 series Akita Shinkansen units on Tōhoku Shinkansen Yamabiko/Komachi services between Tokyo and Morioka. These sets are classified E2', and are equipped with retractable nose-end couplers at the Morioka end. Units J2 onwards were delivered from December 1996 to March 1997.
As with the Nagano Shinkansen N units, these sets are also compatible with both 50 Hz and 60 Hz (25 kV) power supplies, and were also used on Nagano Shinkansen Asama services before they were lengthened to ten cars. A further four J sets were delivered in October/November 1998 to augment the fleet to coincide with the introduction E2 series stock on four return Asahi services between Tokyo and Niigata on the Jōetsu Shinkansen from the start of the revised timetable in December 1998. From September 2002, the fleet of J sets (except J1) was augmented from 8 to 10 cars with the addition of newly built intermediate cars for use on Hayate services to Hachinohe commencing in December 2002. The red stripe on these lengthened sets was also changed to magenta, and the original "wind" bodyside logo was changed to the new Hayate logo.
Withdrawals of E2 series "J" sets commenced in October 2013, with the withdrawal of sets J2 and J3. The last remaining original "J" sets were withdrawn before the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2019.
Formation Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Designation T1c M2 M1 M2 M1k M2 M1 M2 M1s T2c Numbering E223 E226-100 E225 E226-200 E225-400 E226-300 E225-100 E226-400 E215 E224-100 Seating capacity 55 100 85 100 75 100 85 100 51 64
Cars 4 and 6 are equipped with PS205 scissors-type pantographs.
Fleet list Set number Manufacturer Date delivered Date lengthened to 10 cars Date withdrawn J1 - 14 April 1995 (Pre-series set S7, renumbered N21 from October 2002) 16 March 2019 J2 Hitachi 20 December 1996 19 December 2002 2 October 2013 J3 24 January 1997 24 December 2002 30 October 2013 J4 Kawasaki HI 12 February 1997 19 September 2002 8 February 2016 J5 Nippon Sharyo 3 March 1997 29 October 2002 12 June 2014 J6 17 March 1997 3 November 2002 2 May 2014 J7 5 October 1998 16 November 2002 21 August 2017 J8 Hitachi 20 October 1998 24 September 2002 31 May 2018 J9 Nippon Sharyo 23 November 1998 14 September 2002 8 April 2016 J10 Kawasaki HI 17 December 1998 14 October 2002 14 February 2017 J11 Nippon Sharyo 6 September 1999 21 November 2002 9 January 2019 J12 Tokyu Car 17 September 1999 29 September 2002 23 August 2019 J13 Hitachi 5 October 1999 4 October 2002 27 April 2018 J14 Kawasaki HI 19 October 1999 19 October 2002 7 November 2018 J15 Tokyu Car 5 November 1999 24 October 2002 17 May 2019
E2-1000 series 10-car "J" sets
The prototype E2-1000 series train (unit J51) was delivered as an 8-car to Sendai depot in late December 2000, and entered revenue-earning service in November 2001 after extensive testing. Units J52 onwards were delivered as 10-car units from July 2002, entering service on the Tohoku Shinkansen from December 2002. These trains replaced life-expired 200 series trains and augment JR East's fleet for use on new Hayate services following the opening of the Tōhoku Shinkansen extension to Hachinohe in December 2002.
The E2-1000 series incorporates a number of design improvements compared with the earlier batches, the most noticeable of which is the change from small windows for each seating bay to wide windows similar to the E4 series trains. A new single-arm pantograph design is used with an aerofoil-shaped mounting that eliminates the need for pantograph shrouds. The pre-series set, J51, was equipped with automatic couplers at both ends, but sets J52 onwards have couplers at the northern end only, as on the earlier E2' trains. Unlike the earlier J sets, these units are only compatible with the 50 Hz power supply of the Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen routes and they are not equipped with slope-usable brake systems. The flush-fitting plug doors of the earlier N and J sets were replaced by conventional sliding doors on these units. While J51 was delivered in the same livery as earlier E2 series trains, units J52 onward were delivered from new in the Hayate livery with a magenta waistline stripe in place of the previous red and a new "apple" logo in place of the "wind" logo on the original batch of J and N units.
Withdrawals of E2-1000 series sets commenced in March 2019, beginning with set J51.
Effective 18 March 2023, all sets have been withdrawn from Joetsu Shinkansen services and restricted to services on the Tohoku Shinkansen as a result of operating speed upgrades on the Joetsu Shinkansen; from .
From the 16 March 2024 timetable revision, the Yamabiko portions coupled with Tsubasa services between Tokyo and Fukushima were changed from E2 series to E5 series operation following the introduction of E8 series trains on the Yamagata Shinkansen.
Formation Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Designation T1c M2 M1 M2 M1k M2 M1 M2 M1s T2c Numbering E223-1000 E226-1100 E225-1000 E226-1200 E225-1400 E226-1300 E225-1100 E226-1400 E215-1000 E224-1100 Seating capacity 54 100 85 100 75 100 85 100 51 64
Cars 4 and 6 are equipped with PS207 single-arm pantographs. Car 1 of set No. J51 is numbered E223-1101.
Fleet list Set number Manufacturer Date delivered Date withdrawn J51 Hitachi/Kawasaki HI/Nippon Sharyo/Tokyu Car 13 January 2001 14 March 2019 J52 Hitachi 17 July 2002 14 March 2022 J53 Kawasaki HI 5 August 2002 9 May 2022 J54 8 March 2003 April 2023 J55 Hitachi 7 November 2002 27 October 2022 J56 23 November 2002 10 August 2022 J57 Nippon Sharyo 4 October 2003 24 March 2023 J58 Tokyu Car 11 September 2003 4 February 2023 J59 Tokyu Car 21 October 2003 18 March 2023 J60 Kawasaki HI 24 December 2003 October 2023 J61 Nippon Sharyo 17 January 2004 August 2023 J62 Kawasaki HI 2 February 2004 7 July 2023 J63 Tokyu Car 8 December 2003 31 May 2023 J64 Hitachi 11 June 2003 19 December 2023 J65 Kawasaki HI 10 March 2004 24 November 2022 J66 Nippon Sharyo 6 April 2005 15 March 2024 J67 Hitachi 7 June 2005 17 October 2024 J68 10 July 2005 26 September 2024 J69 Kawasaki HI 5 December 2005 1 October 2024 J70 Hitachi 19 February 2010 J71 Nippon Sharyo 11 March 2010 J72 Hitachi 12 April 2010 J73 Kawasaki HI 10 May 2010 J74 7 June 2010 J75 Nippon Sharyo 27 September 2010
Pre-series units The pre-series E2' series unit S7 (renumbered as J1 and later as N21) was delivered in April 1995, with S6 (now numbered as N1) delivered in June of the same year. Visually, these two units differed from subsequent production standard units in having large pantograph shields resembling the original 300 series design. These were later changed to the current low-profile design. Before its retirement in 2015, car E926-13 of the East-i was rarely inserted into set N21 for track inspection purposes when the East-i was being maintained.
Interior Seating is 2+3 in standard class with a seat pitch of , and 2+2 in green class with a seat pitch of .
Test running An E2-1000 series train (J56) broke the Japanese rail speed record for a production train (i.e. not a dedicated test train) in April 2003 when it reached a speed of during a series of late-night high-speed test runs between Urasa and Niigata on the Joetsu Shinkansen. This train was modified to allow high speed operation, such as changes to the gear ratio and ATC. Also, the effectiveness of new pantograph covers and sound-absorbing bogie covers was tested.
Special liveries
To celebrate 150 years of rail transport in Japan, JR East announced plans in 2022 to repaint a set into a livery similar to that of the 200 series when they first entered service in 1982. The special livery was painted on set J66 and introduced on 8 June 2022. Set J66 was withdrawn on 15 March 2024, a day before the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2024. J66 was later shipped to Hakodate in Hokkaido in April 2025, where it was rebuilt into a test train and renumbered as H66.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Tokyo Disney Resort, set J69 was wrapped with a Disney-themed wrap, featuring artworks of Disney characters. Set J69 with the special wrap, nicknamed the Magical Dream Shinkansen, was introduced on 22 December 2023.
Exports
China ordered 60 trainsets based on the E2-1000 series design in 2004 for upgraded mainline services; the type was later designated CRH2A and became the second Shinkansen-derived train exported after the 700T for Taiwan. Under the contract, three sets were built in Japan, six were supplied in complete knock down (CKD) form for assembly by CSR Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock, and the remaining 51 were built by Sifang through technology transfer.
Withdrawals