The Odoriko started service from October 1981, with the then-new 185 series rolling stock, replacing the earlier Amagi limited express (run by the 183 series) and the Izu express (run by the 153 series). After that, the Super View Odoriko also operated from April 1990 to 13 March 2020, with the 251 series rolling stock. On 14 March 2020, Saphir Odoriko started service using E261 seriesEMUs.
Regular services
Odoriko
Three services operate back and forth every day between Tokyo and Izukyū Shimoda Station along the Tōkaidō Main Line, Itō Line, and Izu Kyūkō Line, two of which are coupled with services that go to Shuzenji along the Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line (decoupled at Atami). Vending services are available between Tokyo and Itō, but aren't available aboard seasonal services.
On the now retired 185 series, the 15 car formation made the Odoriko the longest Limited Express train running in Japan (excluding shinkansen trains).[3] They were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Izukyū-Shimoda/Shuzenji end.
The Saphir Odoriko (Japanese: サフィール踊り子) commenced operations on 14 March 2020 to replace the Super View Odoriko as an ultra-deluxe version of the regular Odoriko. One Saphir Odoriko service runs to and from Tokyo station daily. During the peak travel season, an additional service runs from Tokyo during weekdays, and runs from Shinjuku during weekends.[4]
Seasonal service from Shinjuku (Saphir Odoriko 5) does not have return service to Shinjuku, service will return towards Tokyo (Saphir Odoriko 4)
Formation
Trains are operated by E261 series trainsets. The trains feature all Green Cars, with Car 1 designated as a 'Premium Green Car' with 2 large reclining seats per row.[5]
The Saphir Odoriko does not operate from Ikebukuro, Omiya or Abiko as the former Super View Odoriko used to. These services were consolidated with the regular Odoriko services.[6][7]
Temporary services
Izu Kyuko 2100 series EMU on a Resort Odoriko service at Yokohama Station
Resort Odoriko
The Resort Odoriko (Japanese: リゾート踊り子) is a temporary service, which operates between Tokyo and Izukyū-Shimoda. The service normally consists of one outbound journey to Izukyu-Shimoda at special holidays only.[3]
Resort Odoriko services operate using Izukyū 2100 series "Resort 21" 8-car EMUs, formed as shown below, where car 1 at the Izukyū-Shimoda end, and car 8 at the Tokyo end.
Izukyu 2100 series "Resort 21" (8 cars)
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Accommodation
Reserved, Observation deck
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Green
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved, Observation deck
Former services
Super View Odoriko
The Super View Odoriko (Japanese: スーパービュー踊り子) was the first deluxe version of the Odoriko operated from 28 April 1990 to 13 March 2020.[8][7] It used 251 series 10-car EMUs and ran between Tokyo or Ikebukuro and Izukyū-Shimoda.[3] The service was originally scheduled to commence from the start of the revised timetable on 10 March 1990, but rolling stock delivery delays meant that services were substituted by regular Odoriko services using 185 series EMUs.[8]
On weekdays, one train operated from Shinjuku to Izukyu-Shimoda, 2 trains operated back and forth between Tokyo and Izukyu-Shimoda, and one train operated from Izukyu-Shimoda to Ikebukuro each day.
On weekends, the Shinjuku-originating train changed originating station to Ikebukuro. Aside from that, services from Shinjuku to Izukyu-Shimoda and from Izukyu-Shimoda to Tokyo operated once a day. Moreover, during busy seasons, there were numerous extra services, with one extended service between Omiya and Izukyu-Shimoda, which ran along the Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Omiya to Yokohama; 2 trains from Tokyo to Izukyu-Shimoda, with only 1 returning to Tokyo; and one train from Izukyu-Shimoda to Shinjuku.
Stations served
Stations in brackets meant that some services made stop there.
Omiya ー Urawa ー Akabane ー Ikebukuro ー (Continue on towards Izukyu-Shimoda)
JR East 251 series EMU on a Super View Odoriko service between Totsuka and Ofuna stations
Formation
Super View Odoriko trains were operated with 251 series trains, with cars 1, 2 and 10 being double decker cars. Trains were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Izukyū-Shimoda end, and car 10 at the Tokyo and Shinjuku end.
251 series (10 cars)
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Numbering
KuRo 250
SaRo 251
MoHa 250
MoHa 251-100
MoHa 250-100
MoHa 251
MoHa 250
MoHa 251
SaHa 251
KuHa 251
Accommodation
Green, Observation deck
Green
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved, Observation deck
Green Car exclusive lounge
Compartments
Children's play area
Marine Express Odoriko
From 1 December 2012, seasonal Marine Express Odoriko (Japanese: マリンエクスプレス踊り子) services were introduced, running between Tokyo and Izukyū-Shimoda. The service normally consisted of one return journey at weekends only.[9] JR East announced that from the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2020, Marine Express Odoriko services would be discontinued as they were surplus to requirements.[10]
A JR East E259 series 6-car EMU on a special Marine Express Odoriko limited express service, passing Shin-koyasu Station on the Keihin-Tohoku Line
Marine Express Odoriko services operated using E259 series 6-car EMUs normally used on Narita Express services. The formation is shown below, where car 1 at the Izukyū-Shimoda end, and car 6 at the Tokyo end.
E259 series (6 cars)
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Accommodation
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Reserved
Green
History
The limited express service was inaugurated on 1 October 1981 following the introduction of the then-new 185 series EMUs, replacing the earlier Amagi limited express and Izu express services from Tokyo to Izu.[11]
An Odoriko service in 1982 formed of a 183 series EMU
EF58 61 hauling the Limited Express Odoriko at Ofuna station
The Superview Odoriko operated from April 1990[12] until 13 March 2020. The Saphir Odoriko has been operating since 14 March 2020.[13]
Future development
This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2022)
The 185 series which ran in this service has been retired.
The 185 series has been replaced by new E257-2000 series trains that used to operate Azusa and Kaiji limited express services on the Chuo Main Line, and were themselves replaced by E353 series trains. The 185 series trains were completely withdrawn from use on Odoriko services on 12 March 2021.[14]
JR East has also announced changes to the reserved seating on Odoriko services coinciding with the full retirement of 185 series EMUs from the service. Trains will now use LED seat reservation status indicators, rather than having dedicated non-reserved seat cars. This is the same system used by limited express services on the Chūō Line and Jōban Line. There will be two types of such supplementary tickets in the new system, namely the Reserved Seat Ticket (Japanese: 座席指定券, Japanese pronunciation:[Zasekishiteiken]), and the Unreserved Seat Ticket (Japanese: 座席未指定券, Japanese pronunciation:[Zasekimishiteiken]). The Unreserved Seat Ticket will replace Non-reserved Seat tickets (Japanese: 自由席券, Japanese pronunciation:[Jiyūsekiken]), which currently allow use of non-reserved cars.[15]
The Reserved Seat Ticket enables a specified seat to be reserved for the holder. The reserved status for the seat is signified by a green overhead lamp on top of the corresponding seat.
The Unreserved Seat Ticket enables the holder to be seated on any unreserved seat. A red overhead lamp signifies that the seat is unreserved; while a yellow overhead lamp signifies that the seat is reserved for the later part of the journey, implying that one has to give up their seat to the passenger who has reserved the seat, when they board the train later.
Additionally, Tōkaidō Shinkansen passengers used to receive a discount if they transfer to an Odoriko service. This was discontinued in March 2021.
Namesake
The word odoriko means dancing girl in Japanese. The train service was named after the title of novel Izu no Odoriko (The Dancing Girl of Izu) by Yasunari Kawabata. The setting of the novel is the destination of the train, Izu Peninsula.
There are numerous services operating between Tokyo and the Izu Peninsula, which had all been discontinued and became the Odoriko limited express today.
Amagi「あまぎ」, named after Mount Amagi, the mountain at the center of the Izu Peninsula.
Ikoi「いこい」, derived from the Japanese verb "ikou" (憩う, いこう), which literally means to relax and rest (In this case, relax in the local onsens at Izu).
Shonan-Nikko「湘南日光」, as this former service links the Shonan region to Nikko.
Joban-Izu「常磐伊豆」, as this former service links Izu to the Joban region (Japanese: 常磐地域), which refers to the combined region of the former Hitachi Province (Japanese: 常陸国) and the Iwaki Province (Japanese: 磐城国), to Izu.
Tachibana「たちばな」, Japanese for mandarin oranges, which is a major agricultural product at Izu.
Chiyoda「ちよだ」, named after the Chiyoda district, where the Imperial Palace is located.
Hatsushima「はつしま」, named after Hatsushima, an island 10km east of Atami.
Satō, Yoshihiko (June 1990). "スーパー・リゾートトレイン JR東日本251系 "スーパービュー踊り子"" [Super resort train: JR East 251 series Super View Odoriko]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol.30. Japan: Kōyūsha Co., Ltd. p.13.
Ōkuma, Takao (February 2008). "185系電車の登場の背景とそのメカニズム" [Background to the arrival of the 185 series EMU]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol.37. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. pp.12–46.
12JR特急10年の歩み[10 Years of JR Limited Express Trains] (in Japanese). Japan: Kousai Shuppansha. May 1997. pp.49–50. ISBN4-330-45697-4.
↑冬の増発列車のお知らせ[Details of additional winter trains](PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
↑マリンエクスプレス踊り子運転終了[Marine Express Odoriko operation end]. News release (in Japanese). Japan: Japan Railfan Magazine. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
↑Miyake, Toshihiko (December 2011). "伊豆への優等列車のあゆみ" [History of premier trains to Izu]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol.40, no.332. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. pp.24–31.
↑Jēāru zensharyō handobukku: Rail Magazine 2009 JR全車輌ハンドブック2009 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2009]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 2009. ISBN978-4-7770-0836-0.
↑"特急"サフィール踊り子"が運転を開始"[Limited express "Saphir Odoriko" starts operation]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 15 March 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
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