Asakaze

Asakaze
Down Asakaze service at Yokohama Station, February 2003
Service type	Limited express
Operator	JR West
Line used	Tokaido Main Line, Sanyo Main Line
Started	1956
Ended	2005
Rolling stock	24 + 14 series sleeper coaches

The Asakaze (あさかぜ^?) was a limited express sleeper train service operated by Japan National Railways (JNR) and later by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), which ran from Tokyo to Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

The Asakaze was discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 1 March 2005.

Rolling stock

Asakaze service at Hakata Station, hauled by EF81-400 locomotive, July 1991

The train was formed of 14 and 24 series sleeping cars hauled by an EF66 electric locomotive between Tokyo and Shimonoseki.^[1]

History

The Asakaze service commenced on 19 November 1956, operating between Tokyo and Hakata. From October 1970, Tokyo to Shimonoseki Asakaze services were also introduced, and the Tokyo to Hakata services were discontinued from December 1994.^[2]

The remaining Asakaze services were discontinued in 2005, with the final runs occurring on 28 February.

See also

• Blue Train (Japan)

References

1. ^ "こだわりの新幹線＆特急列車ガイド" (In-depth Shinkansen & Limited Express Guide), published 2000 by Ikaros
2. ^ "列車名鑑1995" (Train Name Survey 1995), published 1995 by Railway Journal