The Hakutaka ("White hawk") is a high-speed shinkansen train service jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Tokyo and Kanazawa on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line in Japan.
Shin-Takaoka Station
Shin-Takaoka is a little-known (but not so little) shinkansen station on the Hokuriku line. If you're travelling from Tokyo, it's one stop before Kanazawa - the final stop on the line.
Meeting livestreamer BDJoetsu
On this day I had arranged to meet a Periscoper for the first time. His Periscope name is BDJoetsu. BD are his initials and he lives in Joetsu - a town not far from Nagoya.
BD was born in Scotland but has lived in Japan for more than 20 years. I recommend you check him out HERE. His scopes are really interesting about everyday life in rural Japan.
We agreed to meet up and spend the day in Kanazawa. I had stayed in the beautiful mountain village of Ainokura in Gokayama the night before, heading down to Takaoka by bus to catch the Hakutaka shinkansen to Kanazawa.
Co-ordinating our meeting
BD and I were messaging each other that morning to co-ordinate a rough arrival time in Kanazawa of around 10am.
I told him my wife and I were aiming to pick up shinkansen at Shin-Takaoka around 9:30am. He replied saying he thought the shinkansen he was on from Nagoya stopped at Shin-Takaoka around that time.
Wouldn't it be cool, I thought, if we met on the train en-route rather than just at Kanazawa Station!? BD said he was in car 4 - so we headed up to the platform and waited in the boarding location for the fourth carriage.
The beautiful Hakuata shinkansen
The beautifully-designed Hakuata shinkansen, with its sky blue roof and white and copper side livery, glided into the station.
As it came to a halt, there, right in front of us, was BD waving to us from his window seat! That's when you can hear me laughing as the train comes to a stop (almost in disbelief) - at how small the world sometimes feels.
VIDEO: Hakutaka Shinkansen Arriving at Shin-Takaoka Station
Shin-Takaoka Station Location Map
About the Author
A writer and publisher from England, Rob has been exploring Japan’s islands since 2000. He specialises in travelling off the beaten track, whether on remote atolls or in the hidden streets of major cities. He’s the founder of TheRealJapan.com.
Resources
Further Reading
Exploring Japan By Train – A Beginner’s Guide
Exploring The Magnificent Osaka Station City (Prepare To Be Amazed)
How To Ride The Nagasaki Electric Tramway
Japan Rail Pass: The Ultimate Guide
Regional Japan Rail Passes: 5 Best Value Passes
Steam Locomotive Kyoto Railway Museum (Video)
The Magnificent N700A Shinkansen (Video)
Tōkaidō Shinkansen Travelling Through Nagoya Station
Why You Should Explore Kyoto Train Station’s Dramatic Architecture