East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) ran a test drive of their new E series bullet train  dubbed as “Hayabusa” between Shichinohe-Towada Station and Shin-Aomori Station on June 17. Capable of reaching a max. speed of 320km/hr, it covered this distance in 20 minutes riding at an average speed of 140km/hr.

Hayabusa means “Pelegrine Falcon” in Japanese and it is curiously the very same name (just coincidence or on intention) given to the unmanned spacecraft developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched on May 9, 2003 and returned to Earth on June 13.

The new long-nose, green bullet train will be operating on the extended route of the  JR East Tohoku Shinkansen which currently runs between Tokyo to Hachinohe station in the Northeast.  The extended route will be from Hachinohe to the Northermost station of Shin-Aomori and with Hayabusa running on this route, the passengers will be able to travel between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori in 3 hours and 20 minutes this year starting from December 4.  And of course, something new can never be imaginable without a mascot of its own hence we already have “Hayabusa Sho” for the “Hayabusa”.