800 Series Shinkansen

The 800 series is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type that Hitachi built for Kyushu Railway Company, known as JR Kyushu, to run on the Kyushu Shinkansen. It entered service in March 2004 on the all-stops Tsubame services and, after the whole line opened on 12 March 2011, worked mostly between Hakata and Kumamoto, with some Sakura workings as well. Its maximum speed in service is 260 km/h, although the design speed is 285 km/h. The sets gave up the duckbill nose of the 700 series for a sharper nose and wear a white livery with a red stripe. Inside, the designers used wood seating and traditional Kyushu materials, such as persimmon tannin colour on the walls and Nishijin textile on the seat cushions. The Japan Railfan Club gave it a Laurel Prize in 2005.