The Limited Express Shirasagi for Tsuruga, Maibara, and Nagoya

The Limited Express Shirasagi is a JR limited express service linking Tsuruga with Maibara and Nagoya. For travelers starting at Kanazawa Station, this is a transfer route rather than a direct limited express journey. Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tsuruga, and transfer there to the Shirasagi for Maibara, Ogaki, Gifu, Owari-Ichinomiya, or Nagoya.

A Limited Express Shirasagi train at Kanazawa Station before direct Kanazawa services ended

At Tsuruga Station, the Shinkansen platforms and conventional limited express platforms are connected by transfer gates. Allow enough time to move through the station, especially if you are carrying luggage or using separate paper tickets and IC cards.

The Japan Rail Pass covers JR Group services on this route, including the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tsuruga and the Limited Express Shirasagi from Tsuruga to Maibara or Nagoya. The Shirasagi is an all-reserved-seat limited express, so pass holders should reserve seats before boarding. If you use non-JR local lines between Kanazawa and Tsuruga instead of the Shinkansen, check the official pass conditions because ordinary travel on IR Ishikawa Railway and Hapi-Line Fukui is not generally covered.

Key Destinations

Between Tsuruga and Maibara the Shirasagi uses the JR West Hokuriku Main Line, with some trains also serving Nagahama. Between Maibara and Nagoya it uses the JR Central Tokaido Main Line, serving Ogaki, Gifu, and Owari-Ichinomiya.

Komatsu, Kaga-Onsen, Awara-Onsen, Fukui, Echizen-Takefu, and Tsuruga are reached from Kanazawa by the Hokuriku Shinkansen. For slower local trips along the former conventional route from Kanazawa toward Fukui and Tsuruga, see our article on IR Ishikawa Railway, Hapi-Line Fukui, and the JR Hokuriku Main Line.

Trains that continue on from Maibara to Nagoya run along the Tokaido Main Line stopping at the following stations:

Maibara – Ogaki – Gifu – Owari-Ichinomiya – Nagoya

Exact fares and journey times from Kanazawa depend on the connection at Tsuruga, so check the official route finder before traveling.

Carriage destination signs on the Shirasagi

Tsuruga Station

Tsuruga is the transfer point between the Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Limited Express Shirasagi. Passengers traveling from Kanazawa to Maibara, Gifu, or Nagoya should transfer here from the Shinkansen to the conventional-line limited express platforms. Passengers traveling in the opposite direction should transfer here from the Shirasagi to the Hokuriku Shinkansen for Fukui, Kanazawa, Toyama, Nagano, and Tokyo.

Maibara Station

Transfer here to the Tokaido Main Line or the Tokaido Shinkansen. Nearby Mount Ibuki is popular for hiking, climbing, and skiing. To reach it take the Tokaido Main Line and get off at Omi-Nagaoka Station. The Tokaido Main Line continues on to destinations in Gifu and Aichi prefectures. Passengers for Shin-Osaka, Kyoto, or Tokyo should transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen.

The Ohmi Railway Main Line can also be accessed at Maibara Station. This local private railway line runs from Maibara Station to Kibukawa Station.

Ogaki Station

Ogaki City in Gifu Prefecture is known for its connection to the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and holds a Basho Festival every November. The city’s attractions include a small Basho museum and the reconstructed Ogaki Castle which was first built in 1500.

Gifu Station

Gifu is the capital city of Gifu Prefecture. The city is best known for its castle which is located on top of Mount Kinka in the middle of the city. Also on the mountain is a restaurant with an observation deck offering dramatic views over the city and a “Squirrel Village” where visitors can enjoy close encounters with the many different species of squirrel that live on the mountain. Among the city’s other attractions are its many museums, the Great Buddha Statue in Shohoji Temple, and summertime cormorant fishing in the Nagara River.

Owari-Ichinomiya Station

This station serves the city of Ichinomiya in Aichi Prefecture. This city’s main points of interest are the Masumida Shrine which according to legend dates from 628 BC, and the 138 Tower Park. The park features a 138m high tower with an observation deck which is the tallest arched tower in Asia.

Nagoya Station

Nagoya is a major port city in central Honshu. Popular tourist attractions include Nagoya Castle, the Hommaru Palace, the Tokugawa Museum and Garden, and Osu Temple and shopping district.

Connections to Hokuriku and Wakura Onsen

For Fukui, Kanazawa, Toyama, Shin-Takaoka, Kurobe-Unazuki-Onsen, Itoigawa, Joetsu-Myoko, Nagano, and Tokyo, transfer between the Shirasagi and the Hokuriku Shinkansen at Tsuruga.

For Wakura Onsen, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa and transfer there to the Limited Express Noto Kagaribi.

Shirasagi departure information at Kanazawa Station before direct services ended

Timetables

Shirasagi services run between Tsuruga and Nagoya or Maibara. Service patterns and departure times can change at timetable revisions, so check the JR West Route Finder before traveling. For the transfer at Tsuruga, see the JR West Tsuruga transfer guide.