10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Series Kiha281 Hokuto-2: MaedaAkihiko· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2. JRH Kiha281-2: MaedaAkihiko· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 3. JRH Kiha281-901: MaedaAkihiko· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 4. JR hokkaido kiha281 super hokuto sapporo: Spaceaero2· CC BY 3.0
- 5. KiHa 281-902 Sapporo 20080426: 出々 吾壱 at Japanese Wikipedia· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 6. JR Hokkaido 281 series DMU 001: Tennen-Gas· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 7. JR Hokkaido 281 series DMU 002: Tennen-Gas· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 8. JR Hokkaido Kiha 281 "Super Hokuto" 2008-11-07: Kinden Kuo· CC BY-SA 2.0
- 9. JR Hokkaido Kiha 281 at Hakodate Station 01: Cheng-en Cheng· CC BY-SA 2.0
- 10. JR Hokkaido Kiha 281 at Hakodate Station 02: Cheng-en Cheng· CC BY-SA 2.0
what is it?
The KiHa 281 series (キハ281系) was a tilting diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) on Super Hokuto limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan, from 1994 until 2022. They were the first tilting trains to be operated by JR Hokkaido. The "KiHa" designation derives from the classification system used by JNR. "Ki" indicates a diesel-powered vehicle, while "Ha" indicates an ordinary passenger car, as opposed to a green car.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 32 years ago, in 1994.
- 21.3 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 28 years (1994–2022).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1994
- in service from
- 1994
- retired
- 2022
- status
- retired
- number built
- 27
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Subaru Corporation
- operators
- Hokkaido Railway Company
- top speed
- 130 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- formation
- 7–8 cars per trainset
- length
- 21.3 m
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q6403568, Wikipedia: KiHa 281 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.