Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
"Gran Class", which opened for business at Shinkansen HAYABUSA by E5 Series on 5th March, 2011, is superior first class to Green Car (first class in JR trains).
Gran Class of E5 Series is in Car No.10 at the end of unit to prevent passengers of other cars from going through Gran Class.
There is a logo shaped like "G", which is the initial of Gran Class, by the door.
This logo as a symbol of Gran Class appears throughout the car such as destination indicator.
The entrance door of Gran Class without any windows makes create an atmosphere of "special car".
Going through the door, we can see muted room under the theme of "warm and natural", which has genuine leather seats on the wool carpet.
The clearance between seats is 1,300mm and the width of seat is 520mm. These are one of the largest dimensions of all train seats in Japan.
Reclining the seat has no discernible impact on the claerance by virtue of fixed back shell. So you can recline the seat to a maximum 45- degree angle without constraint.
The capacity is 18 passengers (3 seats x 6 lines). This is equivalent to one-quarter of normal car (average 82 passengers) and a third of Green Car (55 passengers).
The baggage rack adopts hatrack (cabinet) style like plane.
Since no baggages come into passenger's field of vision, the style is a useful way to make clean appearance.
Passengers can adjust the seat position, back, height and leg rest with the seat controller on the arm.
At the press of a human-shaped button, passengers can call attendant.
There is a LED reading light over the opposite arm.
Passangers can turn the light on/off by rotating the head part and the light is manually adjustable.
There are two kinds of table on/in the arm.
One is side table (cocktail tray) to put comparatively small things on.
The other is dining table. When you use it, pull and lift the handle firstly, then bring it down.
The dining table can be slid forward or backward to a desired position. It also adopts portfolio style to stretch in front of the seat fully.
The table is larger than cocktail tray to put meals or PCs.
There is a box containing explanatory leaflet, magazines and slippers under the seat.
This is an explanatory leaflet of the seat.
How to use the seat controller, extend the table, and use LED reading light are written.
This is "Train Vert", which is a service and information magazine circulated in JR EAST's Shinkansens.
This is "JR EAST", which is an external public relations magazine of JR EAST.
This is "Train Shop", which is a mail-order catalog.
There is a pair of slippers in the pouch with logo of Gran Class.
If passengers order, attendant brings newspapers, train guide, and amenities such as blanket and sleep shade.
In Granclass, passengers enjoy meal service. They can eat light meal once a boading but get free refills on all drinks.
Passengers can choose Japanese-style meal or Western-style light mean.
Japanese-style light meal is themed on "taste of Tokyo" in uptrains for Tokyo while "taste of Tohoku" in downtrains for Sendai and Shin- Aomori.
Western-style light meal switches its menu with the seasons (spring and summer / autumn and winter).
On a personal note, I recommend Japanese-style light meal because its variety of foods is wider than Western-style meal.
Passengers enjoy snacks and sweets.
This time I got "KIRAYUKI" sponge cake made from egg and carrot of Aomori Prefecture origin.
I can see some carrot puree in the sponge cake.
This is "NANAIRO MEGURI" - seven kinds of rice crackers and nuts.
The information menu is tucked into the arm pocket.
When passenger opens the paper, they can see greeting message at first.
When passenger flips a page, they can see list of menu.
There is an English menu on the right page for foreign passengers.
Whenever passengers choose, they can choose various drinks - beer, wine, sake, cidre, coffee...
tea, green tea, herbal tea, black oolong tea, apple juice, diet cola and mineral water.
There are logos of Gran Class on the glasses and bottles. Unfortunately passengers may not bring them to home.
Sometimes passenger can order unlisted menu. This time, I can order rose wine.
As observed above, passengers enjoy superior services of high quality to former Green Car.
Then, how about the price?
Between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori, Ticket is 9,870 yen, Express ticket is 6,490 yen, Green Car ticket is 5,000 yen, and Gran Class ticket is 5,000 yen. In total, the price is 26,360 yen.
Gran Class costs us a fortune, but don't you use the car?