# 781 series

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Japanese train type

781 series 781 series on a Lilac service, November 2006 In service 1980–2007 Replaced 485-1000 series Constructed 1978–1980 Scrapped 2006–2007 Number built 48 vehicles (12 sets) Number in service None Number preserved 4 vehicles Number scrapped 44 vehicles Formation 4/6 cars per trainset Fleet numbers L1–L7, L101–L104, L901 Operators JNR (1980–1987) JR Hokkaido (1987–2007) Depot Sapporo Specifications Car body construction Steel Car length 21,250 mm (69 ft 9 in) (end cars) 20,500 mm (67 ft 3 in) (intermediate cars) Width 2,949 mm (9 ft 8 in) Height 3,945 mm (12 ft 11 in) Doors 2 per side Maximum speed 120 km/h (75 mph) Traction system Thyristor drive Traction motors MT54E Electric system 20 kV AC (50 Hz) Current collection Overhead line Bogies DT38A (motored), T208A (trailer) Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The **781 series** (781系) was an [AC](/source/Alternating_current) [electric multiple unit](/source/Electric_multiple_unit) (EMU) train type formerly operated by [Japanese National Railways](/source/Japanese_National_Railways) (JNR) and later [Hokkaido Railway Company](/source/Hokkaido_Railway_Company) (JR Hokkaido) on limited express services in [Hokkaido](/source/Hokkaido), Japan, between 1980 and 2007.[1]

## Operations

781 series 4-car set in JNR livery on a *White Arrow* service, 1990

- *[Ishikari](/source/Ishikari_(train))* (1980)

- *[Lilac](/source/Lilac_(train))* (1 October 1980 – 30 September 2007)

- *[White Arrow](/source/White_Arrow_(train))* (3 March 1986 – August 1990)

- *[Suzuran](/source/Suzuran)* (1 July 1992 – 30 September 2007)

- *Airport* Rapid (1992 – 15 March 2002)

## Formations

### 4-car sets (1986–2007)

Car No. 1 2 3 4 Designation TAc' M TA Mc Numbering KuHa 780 MoHa 781 SaHa 780 KuMoHa 781 Weight (t) 45.2-45.4 46.2 43.1 48.5-48.8 Capacity 60–64 68 64 56

Cars 1 and 3 were each fitted with one N-PS785 single-arm pantograph (from 2004 onward).[2]

### 6-car sets (1980–1986)

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Designation TAc' M TA M TA Mc Numbering KuHa 780 MoHa 781 SaHa 780 MoHa 781 SaHa 780 KuMoHa 781

Cars 1, 3, and 5 were each fitted with one PS102B scissors-type pantograph.[1]

### 6-car *Doraemon Undersea Train* set L7 (2003–2006)

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Designation TAc' M TA M TA Mc Numbering KuHa 780 MoHa 781 SaHa 780 MoHa 781 SaHa 780 KuMoHa 781 Colour Blue Light green Yellow Vermillion Pink Red

Cars 1, 3, and 5 were each fitted with one N-PS785 single-arm pantograph.[2]

## Interior

The 781 series trainsets did not include Green class (first class) accommodation, but from March to June 2001, improved "u-Seat" seating was added to half of car 4 for reserved seat passengers. All other cars were normally designated as non-reserved seating.[1]

## History

JNR 781 series 6-car set on a *Lilac* service, 1986

Reliveried 781 series on a *Suzuran* service, June 2001

The 781 series electric multiple unit was designed specifically for limited express services on electrified lines in the [Sapporo](/source/Sapporo) area of Hokkaido, to replace the [485-1500 series](/source/485_series) EMUs first introduced on *[Ishikari](/source/Ishikari_(train))* services in 1975, but which proved unreliable in the harsh winter conditions of Hokkaido.[3]

A pre-production 6-car set, classified 781–900 series, was delivered in November 1978. The body was based on the JNR 485 series design, with a more rounded profile to prevent snow adhering, and the electrical systems were based on the earlier [711 series](/source/711_series) suburban EMU.[3]

Seven full-production 6-car sets were delivered from 1980, with minor improvements including the abolishment of two opening windows on each side. The pre-production set was modified to bring it in line with full production standards in October 1981.[1][3]

The eight 6-car sets were reformed into twelve 4-car sets to cope with increased service frequency from the November 1986 timetable revision. This entailed converting eight MoHa 781 and SaHa 780 cars into KuMoHa 781-100 and KuHa 780-100 cars respectively by adding new cab ends.[1]

A second side door was added to the KuHa 780 and SaHa 780 cars between 1991 and 1993 to reduce station dwell times.[1] The MoHa 781 cars of sets L1 to L7 only were similarly treated in 1993.[2]

Trains were repainted from the original JNR livery into a new livery based on that of the *[Super Tokachi](/source/Super_Tokachi)* between February 1992 and March 1993.[2]

Improved "u-Seat" reserved seating accommodation (rows 1 to 7) was added to half of car 4 between March and June 2001.[2]

In 2003, sets L7 and L104 were reallocated to Hakodate depot and reformed to become 6-car set L7 for use on special *Doraemon Undersea Train* services between [Hakodate](/source/Hakodate_Station) and [Yoshioka-Kaitei](/source/Yoshioka-Kaitei_Station) inside the undersea [Seikan Tunnel](/source/Seikan_Tunnel) from 19 July 2003. Each car was painted a different colour and decorated with *[Doraemon](/source/Doraemon)* characters. This operated until August 2006.[2] The set was subsequently scrapped together with the two stored cars from former set L104.

The remainder of the fleet was withdrawn in September 2007.

## Preserved examples

A complete 4-car set, consisting of cars KuHa 780–2, SaHa 780–4, MoHa 780–4, and KuMoHa 781–2, were preserved, minus the bogies, at Kikyo Kindergarten in [Hakodate, Hokkaido](/source/Hakodate%2C_Hokkaido).[4] They were removed and scheduled to be scrapped in 2025 following the reconstruction of the kindergarten. A crowd-funding campaign raised 20 million yen to restore and preserve KuMoHa 781-2 on new bogies from withdrawn [415 series](/source/415_series) trains at Poppo no Oka in [Chiba Prefecture](/source/Chiba_Prefecture). As of March 2026, the car is ready for the relocation. KuHa 780-2's cab structure is now privately owned. [5]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-neko2005_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-neko2005_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-neko2005_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-neko2005_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-neko2005_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-neko2005_1-5) *JR全車輌ハンドブック2005* [*JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2005*]. Japan: Neko Publishing. August 2005. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4-7770-0382-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4-7770-0382-2).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-jrr2007_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-jrr2007_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-jrr2007_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-jrr2007_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-jrr2007_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-jrr2007_2-5) *JR電車編成表 '07冬号* [*JR EMU Formations – Winter 2007*]. Japan: JRR. December 2006. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4-88283-046-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4-88283-046-7).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-prototype2005_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-prototype2005_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-prototype2005_3-2) *プロトタイプの世界 – Prototype World*. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbunsha. December 2005. p. 111. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [170056962](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/170056962).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-sasada2012_4-0)** Sasada, Masahiro (September 2012). *国鉄&JR保存車大全* [*JNR & JR Preserved Rolling Stock Complete Guide*] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. p. 128. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4863206175](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4863206175).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["解体阻止！甦れ、国鉄781系 ライラック号！咲き誇れ奇跡の花"](https://readyfor.jp/projects/series_save781). *ReadyFor*.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [JNR 781](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:JNR_781).

v t e Electric multiple units of Japanese National Railways DC commuter/suburban 12 63 70 72 101 103 105 111 113 115 117 119 121 123 201 203 205 207 211 213 301 DC express/limited express 52 80 151 153 155 157 159 161 165 167 169 181 183 185 187 189 381 AC/DC commuter/suburban 401 403 411 413 415 417 419 421 423 AC/DC express/limited express 451 453 455 457 471 473 475 481 483 485 487 489 581 583 AC commuter/suburban 711 713 715 717 AC limited express 781 Non-revenue/experimental 141 143 145 147 191 193 443 495 591 791 This list shows all JNR EMUs, both active and withdrawn. Shinkansen types are omitted.

v t e Multiple units of Hokkaido Railway Company Current / active Shinkansen AC EMU H5 Conventional lines AC EMUs 721 731 733 735 737 785 789 DMUs KiHa 40 KiHa 54 KiHa 150 KiHa 201 KiHa 261 KiHa 283 DEMUs H100 Retired / withdrawn Conventional lines AC/DC EMUs 485 583 AC EMUs 711 781 DMUs KiHa 22 KiHa 45 KiHa 56 KiHa 80 KiHa 130 KiHa 141 KiHa 183 KiHa 281 KiHa 285 Non-revenue DMUs KiHa 160 DMV

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