Where was it built?
Japan — built by Kawasaki and Hitachi for JR East.
JR East commissioned the train for journeys towards Yamagata. Kawasaki developed the design under Ken Okuyama Design’s supervision.
Japan · Bullet trains
E8 Shinkansen
Tsubasa · Wings to Yamagata
Tsubasa means wings. This purple, white and yellow train began carrying passengers in 2024. It can join an E5 on the fast line, then continue towards Yamagata on a smaller railway. Its colours celebrate the birds, snow and flowers of Yamagata.
- Speed
- 186mph300 km/hTop service speed
- Year
- 2024Service debut
- Maker
- Kawasaki & Hitachi
- Job
- Through journeys to Yamagata and Shinjo
Turn it. Take it apart. Discover.
Explore your train
Interactive model loads here. Read the train guide below while it gets ready.
3D modelDrag to turn · Pinch to zoom · Tap a number to explore
What makes an electric train electric?
A collector takes electricity from the overhead wire. Electrical equipment prepares that power, and motors turn the wheels.
- 1The streamlined noseAt the front
A smooth nose helps the train slip through the air. The driver looks out through the dark windscreen above it.
Look deeper
Tsubasa began E8 passenger service on 16 March 2024. Its 9-metre arrow-shaped nose is shorter than the E6’s. It reaches 300 km/h between Utsunomiya and Fukushima, but only 130 km/h on the converted line towards Yamagata and Shinjo.
- 2A place for passengersInside the car body
People travel in the long car body above the wheels. Windows, doors and the connections between cars are useful clues on the outside.
Look deeper
This is an electric multiple unit: propulsion equipment is distributed through the trainset. Passenger space sits above the underfloor systems. Only three representative cars are shown.
- 3An arm that collects powerOn the roof
This spring-loaded arm touches an overhead wire and collects electricity for the train.
Look deeper
The roof collector is called a pantograph. High-speed electric trains normally take their traction power from overhead wires. Its position here is a teaching example, not an exact car-by-car equipment plan.
- 4More than just wheelsUnder the body
A bogie is the frame that holds a group of wheels. Springs help make the ride smoother.
Look deeper
Wheelsets, suspension and braking equipment form part of the running gear. Powered bogies also carry traction motors. This simplified model does not reproduce a specific bogie or show every motor and brake.
- 5The equipment below your feetBelow the floor
Electrical boxes help turn electricity into the power the motors need. They share space with other equipment underneath the train.
Look deeper
Transformers and power electronics condition electrical power for the traction motors. Different cars carry different equipment; these boxes show the general underfloor zone, not the exact position or contents of each cabinet.
Get to know E8 Shinkansen
Why can it go so fast?
A 9-metre nose balances smooth airflow with room for passengers.
The E8 reaches 300 km/h on its fast section. Active suspension steadies the ride. On the converted Yamagata railway it slows to 130 km/h, even though the same motors are still aboard.
When was it built?
Testing began in 2023; passenger journeys began on 16 March 2024.
A train has more than one milestone: construction, testing and service. Later E8 sets have their own individual build dates.
Where does it run — or where did it run?
Tokyo–Fukushima–Yamagata–Shinjo, in Japan.
Tsubasa shares the Tohoku Shinkansen to Fukushima, then follows the converted railway towards Yamagata and Shinjo. Its 300 km/h section is Utsunomiya–Fukushima.
Is it still running today?
Yes — JR East lists the E8 as the Yamagata Shinkansen passenger train.
Look for the service name Tsubasa. The operator’s current route guide describes the E8, rather than only announcing a future train.
Fleet-status check: 2026-09-18. Consult the operator for departures.What are we still researching?
We leave gaps visible instead of guessing. The original catalogue and our learning model do not establish every real-world specification.
What is it made from?
A train uses different materials for different jobs: metals for strength, glass for windows and insulating materials around wires. Paint colour cannot tell us whether the body underneath is steel or aluminium.
How power reaches the wheels
Follow these steps, then find the matching sections in the model above.
- 1
Wire & collector
Electricity reaches the train from overhead.
- 2
Electrical equipment
It controls the supply reaching the motors.
- 3
Traction motors
A motor turns electrical energy into movement.
- 4
Wheels
Powered wheelsets turn against the rails.
Read the wheels
Look underneath: wheelsets support the train and carry the forces used to accelerate and brake. The model simplifies the real running gear.
What does its speed really mean?
Published service maximum. A maximum speed describes particular conditions; station stops, curves, signals and track limits make an actual journey slower.
A fast train is a whole system: vehicle, track, electricity or fuel, brakes, signalling and trained people. A race in the game is a simplified comparison.
What curious kids ask
Is the pointy nose what makes it fast?
The motors provide the power. A smooth shape reduces air resistance, and on trains such as the E5 the long nose also softens tunnel pressure waves. Fast travel depends on the track, brakes and control systems, too.
Why does a bullet train sometimes go slowly?
The E8 can reach 300 km/h on a dedicated high-speed section, then continues on a converted railway with a 130 km/h limit. Curves, crossings and the design of the railway matter just as much as the train’s motors.
Does the driver steer like a car?
No steering wheel is needed to choose a direction. The rails guide the wheelsets. At a junction, movable sections of rail called points or switches guide the train onto another track. The driver controls speed and braking.
Why can’t it stop straight away?
A moving train has energy. Brakes must remove that energy to slow it down. A heavy train travelling fast needs room to stop, so railway signals help keep trains safely separated.
Meet these trains next
Compare how they look, what they carry and where their power comes from.
E6 Shinkansen 
E5 Shinkansen 
H5 Shinkansen Little railway dictionary
Bogie / truck
A frame holding wheelsets beneath a vehicle. It can turn relative to the body to help the train follow curves.
Gauge
The distance between the inside faces of the two running rails. Narrow gauge means closer rails; loading gauge describes the space a train may occupy.
Pantograph
A folding roof collector that stays in contact with an overhead power wire.
Traction
The force used to pull or propel the train. Grip between wheels and rails limits how much force can be used.
Multiple unit
A train with propulsion equipment within its passenger vehicles, operated together from one cab.
Locomotive
A powered vehicle whose main job is to move other railway vehicles.
Shunting / switching
Moving and arranging vehicles in a yard, often at low speed.
Livery
The colours, stripes, logos and other markings painted or applied to a train.
Service speed
The permitted speed for passenger or freight operation on a suitable section. It is not the journey average.
Record speed
A speed achieved on a particular test or record attempt, sometimes with special equipment and conditions.
Tender
A vehicle coupled to a steam locomotive to carry extra water and fuel. A tank engine carries water on the locomotive itself.
Prototype
An early vehicle built to develop and test a design before a production fleet.
Sources & reading
Follow the operator, builder and museum references below for more detail. Links beside an answer show which source supports that answer.
- JR East · E8 Tsubasa, route and service debut ↗
- JR East · E8 nose, livery and section speed limits ↗
- JR East · train testing and service milestones ↗
Edition 2026-09-27. Catalogue background is carried forward from the original collection; it is not a new independent verification. Engineering explanations describe principles. Portraits and 3D models are illustrations, with simplified parts and proportions. This is an independent learning guide, not an operator’s timetable.