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The highest class seat on the Tohoku Shinkansen, “Gran Class”—a train journey of a few hours where you can fully savor luxurious services in a seat that costs more than about 10,000 JPY higher than a regular ticket price.
I hear Gran Class on the Tohoku Shinkansen is expensive, but extremely comfortable. I’d love to try riding it…
Gran Class is a special seat with value beyond its price. You can’t always ride it casually, but riding it on a special trip as a treat to yourself is wonderful.
In this article, based on information actually experienced by the author upon boarding and photos taken, we introduce a moment in a special space.
Charms of the Tohoku Shinkansen Gran Class (Tokyo → Morioka)
Relaxing Before Boarding at the VIEW GOLD LOUNGE
At Tokyo Station, there is the “VIEW GOLD LOUNGE” where you can relax before boarding the Shinkansen; it is a special space that only credit card status holders, Green Car ticket holders, or Gran Class ticket holders can enter.
The high-class feel wafting from the sign already elevates your mood. If you have a Gran Class ticket, you definitely want to savor that elegance to your heart’s content.
Inside the lounge is a space narrower than imagined, but because there are few users, there is no queuing, offering a comfortable space. An attendant guides you to a seat, so there is no need to look for a seat yourself.
There is a drink menu, and they take your order.
Although there is no alcohol service, you can have a break time with delicious tea (free) and elegantly enjoy reading on your smartphone until Shinkansen time.
Gran Class Seats
Stepping into the Gran Class car, the first thing that catches your eye is seats secured with plenty of luxurious space. You don’t have to fight over the “armrest” with the neighboring seat, providing a stress-free, ample space.
Fully power-adjustable reclining seats go up and down, leaning back and returning upright. Be careful not to accidentally press the “Attendant Call Button.” (Everyone mistakenly presses it once)
Even watching movies on a tablet at leisure, it is a comfortable space where you feel no tightness at all. (The tablet is personal property. It is not an accessory of Gran Class)
The amenity slippers are flat. The wearing feel is not bad. Being able to take off your shoes and relax at leisure can also be called one of the advantages of Gran Class.
Front and back space is also sufficiently secured, so even crossing your legs, you feel no tightness in the forward direction. Because there is no net in front of the seat, trash created inside the car or small personal items cannot be placed, so that is a point of concern.
All-You-Can-Drink Sparkling Wine
(Note: As of 2024, sparkling wine has been changed to non-alcoholic.)
Inside the car, drinks (including alcohol) are all-you-can-drink (please note that there are Gran Class trains without drink service). You can enjoy various drinks such as beer, wine (red), Japanese sake, whisky, cider (Tohoku/Hokkaido Shinkansen only), plum wine sparkling (Hokuriku Shinkansen only), non-alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic sparkling wine, and more.
If you get overly eager to get your money’s worth out of the Gran Class fare and drink many glasses of alcohol, be careful not to get drunk, overshoot your arrival station, and accidentally end up going all the way to the final stop.
When your departure station gets close, the attendant will speak to you, but they do not take care of everything until you get off. Please be extra careful not to overshoot.
Light Meals Provided in Gran Class
Gran Class comes with a “light meal” service (please note that there are Gran Class trains without light meal service). The light meals served in Gran Class are truly “light” meals, so:
Delicious, but small quantity
Delicious, but small quantity
Delicious, but small quantity
Since recent Shinkansen do not have bento sales via onboard cart sales, buying “snacks for alcohol” or an “additional bento” separately before boarding is recommended.
The Japanese sake “Katsuyama Ken” served inside Gran Class has a well-balanced sweetness and dryness, offering a high-grade taste. The Gran Class ride time is about 2 to 3 hours from Tokyo to Morioka, making it just right for a slight izakaya mood and suitable for enjoying 1 to 2 glasses of Japanese sake “Katsuyama Ken.”
Desserts and Sweets
The “sweets” served after the light meal are also a delightful service. While elegantly partaking in sweets, please enjoy the Shinkansen journey in comfortable seats.
Recommended Seats on the Tohoku Shinkansen “Gran Class”
Gran Class seats feel like ultra-luxurious seating, with wide left-to-right and front-to-back widths, so basically anywhere you sit is comfortable. However, sitting by the window requires taking slight care toward the aisle-side person when going to the restroom or similar, so please note only that aspect.
Single Seats Recommended for Solo Travel
For solo travel, “Gran Class single seats” are recommended. Being both window-side and aisle-side, you don’t have to care about the left or right at all, and you can further enjoy outside scenery. The side of the seat (aisle side) also has ample space, making the sense of openness outstanding.
Dishes Served in Tohoku Shinkansen “Gran Class”
January 2022 “Light Meal”
Each ingredient and dish is delicious and elegant. Having a strong Japanese feel, it pairs very well with Japanese sake or refreshing champagne.
May 2025 “Light Meal” (Western)
Rapeseed bud quiche
Risotto with salmon trout simmered in tomato sauce
Date chicken and lotus root au gratin
Framboise ganache cake
Elegant seasoning, the quiche texture is just right, and the risotto and au gratin are lightly solidified, so all four can be eaten in one bite. (Of course, breaking them apart with chopsticks to eat is also OK). Eating and drinking alcohol~ I was able to deliciously enjoy it with the feel of light Western-style treats.
Delicious Ekiben Between Tokyo Station and Morioka Station
Unfortunately, the “light meal” provided inside Gran Class is truly a light meal and does not make you full, so for those who want to eat heartily, buying an additional “ekiben” at Tokyo Station is recommended. Tokyo Station ekiben are recommended.
Recommended, Tuna and Ikura Bento
There is a highly recommended bento. It is this “Tuna and Ikura Bento.” Generally, seafood in ekiben inevitably has a dry feeling, but the tuna and ikura in this “Tuna and Ikura Bento” perfectly display a raw sashimi feel and offer great eating satisfaction.
Above all, as the visual weight of the bento suggests, it has volume and is a bento with great eating satisfaction.
Want to read alongside! Gran Class “Morioka Station” → “Tokyo Station” Boarding Report
Both “inbound” and “outbound” Gran Class are comfortable.
Introducing a special flight experience aboard JAL Domestic’s top-class “First Class” seat from Haneda Airport to New Chitose Airport (Sapporo). For about 11,000 yen more than a standard ticket, you can indulge in luxurious, top-notch service for a truly memorable journey in the sky.
“Frequently Asked Questions” About Tohoku Shinkansen “Gran Class”
Question
Why are there trains “with beverages & light meals” and “without”?
Answer
Gran Class has two service formats:
Without beverages & light meals: Mainly set on “Nasuno” and some “Yamabiko” trains. Seats only, with lower fares accordingly. No attendant service.
With beverages & light meals: Mainly offered on “Hayabusa” and some “Yamabiko” trains. Dedicated attendants ride on board, providing meal and drink services.
Question
Can I get seconds on light meals (refreshments)?
Answer
Unfortunately, second helpings of light meals are not available. Only one meal—either “Japanese” or “Western”—is provided per person. However, tea sweets, snacks, and drinks served with the set can be ordered repeatedly.
Question
What types of drinks are available?
Answer
A carefully selected menu ranging from alcohol to soft drinks is available.
Soft Drinks: Coffee, tea, herbal tea, carefully selected apple juice, etc. All are included in the fare, and an attendant will bring them to your seat upon order.
Alcohol: Beer, wine (red/white), Japanese sake (local Tohoku sake), whisky, etc.
Question
Can children also ride in Gran Class?
Answer
Yes, children can also use the service. However, Gran Class does not have a “child fare” setting, so the full adult Gran Class fee is required (only the base fare and express ticket portion receive child rates). Because it is a space that values tranquility, consideration for those around you may be necessary.
Recommended Hotels for Sightseeing and Business Trips in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Because Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, is a castle town and an ancient city, Morioka Station, where the Shinkansen stops, and Morioka's downtown area (entertainment and commercial district) are slightly separated. Compared to prefectural capitals in other prefectures (regional areas), Morioka is a city where shops still relatively remain in the center of town (such as the Odori arcade street). Furthermore, as a city of water and greenery with three rivers flowing through it, hotels suitable for sightseeing and business trips are scattered throughout the area.
Among them, the hotel areas in Morioka City are roughly divided into three main zones. The recommended areas vary depending on your priorities—such as location, city sightseeing, gourmet dining, or proximity to downtown/entertainment districts—so choosing a hotel that fits your purpose is recommended.
If you are looking for a hotel in Morioka City, please be sure to check out the following article.
The ancient capital of Morioka, a former castle town, retains the charm of good old Japan. To fully enjoy and sightsee Morioka, choose a high-quality hotel in a recommended area.
Summary: Tohoku Shinkansen “Gran Class” (Tokyo → Morioka)
Time spent in “Gran Class,” the highest class on the Tohoku Shinkansen, from Tokyo Station to Morioka Station transforms mere transportation into “supreme rest.”
- A Special Feel Starting Before Boarding: An elegant time at Tokyo Station’s “VIEW GOLD LOUNGE” is optimal as a travel prologue. Leaving the hustle and bustle, you can heighten your mood in a quiet space.
- Thoroughly Calculated Comfort Seats: Deeply reclining the seat and taking off your shoes to change into slippers offers an exceptional sense of freedom. Especially for solo travel, a “single seat” where you can immerse yourself without worrying about surroundings is decisively recommended.
- Alcohol and Light Meal Pairing: All-you-can-drink beverages (as of 2026, non-alcoholic sparkling options are also fulfilling) and elegant light meals. Because the volume is modest, those who want to eat heartily can buy additional boast-worthy ekiben at Tokyo Station for a more satisfying “in-car dinner.”
- As a Treat to Yourself: The additional fee of more than about 10,000 JPY is not cheap, but the tranquility, service, and refreshed feeling upon arrival gained through it should be worth more than the price.
On the journey to Morioka visited for work or sightseeing, why not indulge just a little on your next trip and open the door to Gran Class? Surely, you will come to love Shinkansen travel even more.
Spending a nostalgic day in Morioka, a capital of rivers and greenery, is also wonderful.
Located along the Nakatsu River in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, the “Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building” is a brick structure completed in 1911 (Meiji 44). Formerly used as the head office of a bank, it has undergone restoration and is now open to the public as one of Morioka’s most iconic historical landmarks.
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