A theme about these smaller Shinkansen extensions/improvements in Nagasaki, Yamagata and Akita is that the post privatisation Shinkansen system is reaching its limits. It was pretty good for building the linear mainlines with each new prefecture taking the responsibility for its section, but with branches to more marginal destinations where the placement of track and the benefits of improved access don't match up. Maybe its time for MLIT and MoF to rethink their current framework?

You're English is getting better and better. Please keep making video. Any video about chu-o Shinkansen yet?

Tough question indeed. On one hand it makes sense for Akita to be against such a project. They spent so much converting the line to standard gauge, having to abandon it would be such a waste, converting back to narrow gauge would also be expensive. And special trains are required for the line... it makes Akita prefecture sound way more financially responsible than Yamagata thats for sure. Things such as traffic between Akita and Morioka vs Akita and Yamagata have to be taken into account, if the Ou shinkansen is built the current line will probably be discontinued and Akita will lose its convenient link to the tohoku shinkansen corridor. On the other hand the Ou Shinkansen does seem to have many advantages. Speed aside, shinkansen grade tracks mean that the impact of weather will be much lesser. This could also mean that by running Akita and Yamagata shinkansens together there could be more trains on the tohoku shinkansen or on the Ou shinkansen depending on which line needs capacity. It also means that coupling a mini shinkansen for Hakodate would be feasible as presumably the Ou shinkansen and Tohoku shinkansen will be separated. These are all things to be considered (and probably are) the truth is either project will take so long to complete and will be so expensive, we will probably have invented teleportation by the time its all done.

I don’t think driving at 360km/h on the Tohoku Shinkansen can save 30 minutes

Perhaps Iwate Prefecture can be persuaded to pay for the tunnel by guaranteeing that every train stops at the prefecture's only station. At travel time. I'm sure there are plenty of places along the route to Akita where straightening is still possible that can take another 10-15 minutes. A few minutes could also be gained with passive tilting technology such as the Shinkansen 700N or the Taroko express trains from Taiwan. So even with 320 KM/H on the normal route to Tokyo it should ultimately be 3:15 from Tokyo to Akita.

Great video. In Japan, a new tunnel is constructed just to save 7 minutes of travel time. Being from the UK, 7 minutes extra is nothing to me, so projects like this amaze me really. I appreciate it is to account for weather/track conditions too. Appreciate your videos - I hope to return to Japan one day to ride some rails!

2:04 incorrect series (E7 -> E6)

Love the video

I wonder Ou Shinkansen Line uses Mini Shinkansen because higher cost project if using main Shinkansen

Hmmm, looking at maps, approximately half of the Shin-Sengan tunnel will be built in Iwate and the other in Akita, so I think Iwate will have to fork out more than just 1% of the local government subsidies to pay for the construction. I wonder if they considered upgrading the track on the Tazawako and Ou Main Line, to allow the Shinkansen to run at say, 140km/h - 150km/h. The section between Tazawako and Omagari is largely straight, so the Shinkansen has the potential to run faster if allowed, especially the Komachi 6, which doesn't stop at Kakunodate.

Is Akita MiniShinkansen single tracked? I look on Google maps. It looks like it still has grade crossings and is single tracked.

No tunnels please…. The Akita Shinkansen is so scenic and beautiful ❤️…. Tunnels are not.