Countdown to the Hokuriku Shinkansen Extension

The Hokuriku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to Kanazawa in approximately 2.5 hours.

Currently, preparations are being made in anticipation of the line's extension from Kanazawa to Tsuruga,

which is scheduled to open in March 2024.

Local municipalities and people living along the line have high expectations for the opening

as it's expected to increase the number of visitors to the area, boosting the economy.

The extension will add six new stations to the shinkansen line, each with its own distinctive station building.

Currently, the area around the new station buildings is being developed in preparation for the opening.

In today's program, we are taking a look at the efforts being made along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line

in the six months leading up to the opening of the extension.

In March 2015, the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line opened, running from Nagano Station to Kanazawa Station in Ishikawa Prefecture,

greatly improving access to the Tokyo metropolitan area from Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures in the Hokuriku region,

which also increased the number of tourists and business travelers.

The distance between Kanazawa Station and Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture is approximately 125 km.

When the line opened in 2015, the time it took to travel between Tokyo and Toyama was reduced.

Now, the trip takes 2 hours and 8 minutes, and to Kanazawa it takes just 2 hours and 28 minutes.

The new extension will reduce the time it takes to travel to Tsuruga by approximately 50 minutes,

making the travel time from Tokyo just 3 hours and 8 minutes.

In the future, there are plans to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Osaka via Kyoto.

Along the newly extended section, preparations are steadily underway ahead of the opening scheduled for March 2024.

The first station after Kanazawa on the way to Tsuruga is Komatsu Station in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture.

To accommodate the new shinkansen line, JR Hokuriku main lines, Komatsu station was rebuilt.

Komatsu City is known for Children's Kabuki, which has been held since the 18th century,

as well as traditional crafts like "Kutani-yaki" ceramics.

A new area within Komatsu Station was completed this past June.

It includes restaurants, souvenir shops, and a nostalgic game corner.

Until now, Komatsu Station, which had few stores, was mostly used by passengers only.

This facility was established by Komatsu City together with JR West to make the station livelier.

Now we enjoy coming to Komatsu Station.

I like the idea of being able to
pop into the station to eat.

I'm happy so many people came today.

We want people to feel comfortable here
before we welcome the shinkansen.

Next is Kagaonsen Station in Kaga City in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Kaga City is a castle town home to three hot spring areas.

The station building was designed to evoke the town's history.

Almost all of the tourists who stop here are headed to the hot springs.

Located in the southernmost part of Ishikawa Prefecture,

Kaga City is surrounded by nature and is rich in tourism resources like hot spring resorts,

as well as traditional crafts like ceramics and lacquerware.

However, the city's population peaked at around 80,000 in 1985.

Today, the population is around 63,000.

In the 38 years since its peak, there has been a decline of more than 20%.

With that in mind, Kaga City has been focusing on ways to encourage people to move to the city.

It's hoped that the Hokuriku Shinkansen will serve as a tailwind that motivates people to relocate to the area.

The Kaga City Relocation Council offers a range of support services, including a "one-week trial move" and job referrals.

And for people relocating to the area, vacant houses like this one are ready for them to move into.

Everything is clean and ready for use.

It will be easier for people to visit from
the greater Tokyo area.

Some people have already moved in
anticipation of the shinkansen.

We're definitely looking forward to the benefits
the shinkansen will bring.

This cafe, which offers homemade sweets and other specialty items,

doubles as a photo studio that caters to family photos and weddings.

The owner, Mr. Kitayama, moved here with his family from Tokyo three years ago.

The opening of the shinkansen will be
great for business

and visitors coming to Kaga to enjoy
the hot springs.

We are all looking forward to the shinkansen.

The shinkansen extension doesn't just link urban and rural areas;

it also makes living and working in two locations possible.

Mr. Fujinaga runs a concept store that sells designer crafts and herbal teas.

He moved to Kaga City from Tokyo in 2017 after the opening of the shinkansen to Kanazawa.

Now, he has bases in both Tokyo and Kaga, since he also works at a design company he started in Tokyo.

The shinkansen was one of the reasons
I opened my shop here.

I think we'll see more people with multiple bases.
That will be interesting.

The opening of a new shinkansen always has a lot of benefits, such as tourists coming to the region.

But also people maybe considering to move to the region.

Indeed, and the most important advantages of the shinkansen is its ability to transport a great number of people,

plus, the reduction in travel time, isn't it?

So, now we will see more people are traveling between the two regions of the greater Tokyo and the Hokuriku,

so then the various changes will take place in both regions.

In Japan, whenever we see a new shinkansen open,

we see so much excitement from the locals, from the prefecture, and it's almost contagious. It's wonderful.

And that did happened in 2015, when the existing section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened.

And the people living along the new section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen has been waiting to see that effect reach their region.

I think the expectation is high in the region.

It's about time now for them.

Now let's have a look at the situation in Fukui Prefecture.

The first station in Fukui Prefecture is Awaraonsen Station.

It's the closest station to Awaraonsen,

a serene hot spring resort that's hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

At present, nearly 70% of the resort's visitors come from the Kansai region

mainly Osaka and Kyoto and the Chukyo region mainly Nagoya using limited express trains on JR's conventional lines.

With the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen,

it's hoped that the number of visitors from the Tokyo metropolitan area will also increase.

Business hotels, cafes and souvenir shops have opened by the station.

Awara City also created a complex that connects directly to the shinkansen station building,

making it a place that both tourists and residents can enjoy.

On the first floor, there's an event space that also serves as the station's waiting room.

On the second floor, you'll find tourist information for all of Fukui Prefecture, as well as a children's play area.

And on the third floor you'll find the Shinkansen ticket gates.

I think it's great that there will finally be
a shinkansen to Fukui Prefecture.

We are planning to visit Tokyo for the first time!

This hot spring inn or "onsen ryokan" has been in business for 140 years.

Featuring traditional Japanese architecture, the building's interior was renovated in the last year to cater to new visitors.

Of the 20 guest rooms, four now have western-style beds, making it easier for elderly and overseas guests to stay.

The restaurant, which was an open space with tatami mat floors,

has now been divided into private rooms with tables and chairs,

and the restaurant's wine stock has been replenished.

Lifestyles in Japan are changing. We have
to adapt to those changes

while preserving the best parts of today.
That's the challenge.

The extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen
will bring rapid change to the area.

So that change isn't short-lived, we have to promote
the area to bring people back again.

This is Fukui Station, located in Fukui City, the prefecture's capital.

The predominantly glass structure makes the station feel bright and open.

Prior to the opening of the shinkansen, the area around the station was developed,

large commercial facilities were opened, and new hotels and facilities are being built.

A moving dinosaur installation was erected in the plaza in front of the station to promote the Prefecture's Dinosaur Museum.

In Fukui Prefecture, a local bank estimated the economic impact of the shinkansen's opening to be about 30 billion yen per year.

The prefecture sees the opening of the shinkansen as a once-in-a-century opportunity to attract visitors.

To maximize the economic impact, we have to
renew the prefecture's tourist spots.

There are many gems as yet undiscovered
by visitors from Japan and overseas.

So we want to focus on promoting Fukui.

Surrounded by farmland, this station is Echizen-Takefu Station in Echizen City.

This new shinkansen station is the only station in Fukui Prefecture that does not connect to a conventional line.

So the city opened a roadside market and food hall adjacent to the station in March 2023,

as a base for passengers and tourists.

The city also saw the opening of the shinkansen line as an opportunity to launch a new project within City Hall.

This is the Film Commission.

This section supports the filming of movies, TV dramas, and commercials.

The idea is to raise awareness of the region by using the local culture and scenery

as the backdrop for film and television productions.

By filming in Echizen City, we hope locals rediscover
the beauty of their hometown.

In addition, we hope the films and commercials
made here inspire others to come visit too.

As well as providing location information for filming and support for extra recruiting,

the film commission made a 100,000 yen subsidy available for location scouting.

Tsuruga Station will be the new terminus of the extended line.

With a height of approximately 37 meters, the large station building is equivalent to 12-stories high.

After the shinkansen opens, Tsuruga Station will serve as a transfer station for conventional lines coming from Osaka and Nagoya,

it's estimated that 7 million passengers will use Tsuruga Station per year.

Positioning Tsuruga Station as a hub for the shinkansen, conventional lines, and regional transportation,

the city is also developing the area around the station.

Opposite the station, on the other side of this grassy plaza, various facilities,

including a hotel and a number of restaurants, have been developed.

Among them are facilities closely tied to the daily lives of local residents.

Like this daycare center which was established to provide childcare.

Jointly opened by the city and a private company, the heart of this facility is a large bookstore.

Tsuruga City is trying to revitalize the community through this bookstore,

which has over 30,000 books and educational toys for visitors of all ages.

I'm really happy. We didn't have
a large bookstore before.

Usually, when a shinkansen line is introduced, there's
a need to build a variety of tourist facilities.

But we developed the area in front of the station
with two things in mind.

We wanted to create a gateway for tourism as well as
a base for locals to use throughout the day.

As preparations for the opening of the shinkansen line progress, there are new challenges to overcome.

Until now, Tsuruga City hasn't had much experience
with tourism and hospitality.

So we are concerned about how local residents
and officials will cope with an influx of visitors.

With six months to go, I think we have to work on
improving service standards.

For Fukui Prefecture, the transfer at Tsuruga Station is a concern.

Until now, passengers from the direction of Osaka and Nagoya would travel directly to major stations

using conventional limited express trains.

After the Shinkansen starts service, the parallel conventional line in Fukui Prefecture

will be transferred from JR to a third-sector railway,

and all limited express trains will terminate at Tsuruga Station.

This means passengers will have to transfer to the Shinkansen at Tsuruga Station.

However, there are concerns that this would be considered inconvenient.

The solution was to position the limited express platforms directly below the Shinkansen platforms,

and to install six large 20-passenger elevators and 26 escalators.

Moving walkways to the third-sector railway's station were also installed.

Tsuruga Station was designed to make
transfers as easy as possible.

That's one of the things we've been promoting
at business meetings in Osaka and Nagoya.

Wow, Fukui prefecture has dinosaurs, and they're moving and they are talking. Fantastic!

But, also one thing as a creator, that I found very interesting is the film commission project.

I think the locals are expecting that more visitors will be coming from the greater Tokyo area

to the Hokuriku region using the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

But at the same time, I do share the concerns for the locals that

the convenience will decline after the opening, because of the need to change trains at Tsuruga Station.

So after the opening of the shinkansen, the service from Tsuruga will become third-sector railway.

But I was wondering since the lines are still connected,

would it not be possible for the JR express train to run at least once or twice a day?

It seems that the local government people did examine that possibility.

But, I've heard that they have, at least for now, decided not to pursue the idea

because of the cost concerns for the third-sector railway company.

Well, I hope the locals will come up with some creative ideas to make it possible in the end.

Next up is "Tourist Trains In Style."

Where we introduce amazing tourist trains from all across Japan to you.

"The Story of 13000' " is a tourist train operated by Ainokaze Toyama Railway,

a third-sector railway company in Toyama Prefecture.

Today's lunch-course train takes about two hours to make the round trip

between Toyama and Tomari Stations, a distance of approximately 50 km.

The three-car train features designs depicting the Tateyama mountain range

the symbol of Toyama Prefecture and Toyama Bay on the train body.

The number "13,000" in the train's name comes from the elevation difference

between the Tateyama mountain range and the depth of Toyama Bay which is approximately 13,000 feet.

The interior of the car has a modern, relaxed feel.

The ceiling, floor, and tables all make use of cedar from Toyama Prefecture.

The passenger seats are located in Cars 1 and 3.

The kitchen and concession stand are located in Car 2.

On this day, the train is carrying four attendants and one guide.

The train runs by the majestic Tateyama Mountain Range and Toyama Bay.

Shortly after departing, the attendants serve a welcome drink.

The guide entertains the passengers with the train's mascot and provides information about the scenic spots along the line.

Please enjoy the view of the Tateyama Mountain Range.

It's usually cloudy, even in the summer, so it's rare
to see the mountains so clearly.

In the kitchen, sushi chefs are preparing today's lunch.

On the menu today is sushi featuring fresh seafood from Toyama Bay.

Other dishes include steamed egg custard and tempura, all made with produce from Toyama Prefecture.

Yum!

Good!

At stations and spots along the way local volunteers wave flags to welcome the train.

After about an hour, the train arrives at Tomari Station.

Here, the train stops for 15 minutes.

The passengers get off the train and spend time taking commemorative photos.

On the return journey, the attendants offer a variety of services.

This VR experience offers 360-degree views taken from the front of the train, as well as by drone.

Passengers onboard can also make exclusive "can badges" like these.

Using a special badge-making machine, both the adults and children enjoy making their own original badges.

After a two-hour journey, the train arrives back at Toyama Station.

"The Story of 13000' " tourist train offers both lunch and dinner courses, and operates mainly on weekends and holidays.

Wow that looks like two hours pack full with fun.

We have local food, we have the view, and we have VR experiences, can badge making,

but personally, what I really like the most is seeing how the locals are coming together to wave and greet the train.

That sort of hospitality really warms my heart.

In fact, this Ainokaze Toyama Railway is one of the third-sector railway companies that has been set up in 2015

after the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen's existing section to succeed the parallel conventional lines.

And, this tourist train, I think, is one of the successful examples

compared with many similar examples all across Japan, with all those good attractions on and off the train.

I think it's a really nice one.

Yes, I hope a tourist train like that could run from Tsuruga on the third-sector railway in Fukui Prefecture too.

I think the company people are looking very seriously into the possibility of that.

I'm really sure about that.

Oh I hope they make it happen.