JR East announced that it will begin operating Japan's first freight-only Shinkansen on March 23, 2026. The route will run from Morioka to Tokyo, with freight loaded and unloaded on carts at the rolling stock depot. All seven E3-series cars, formerly used on the Yamagata Shinkansen "Tsubasa," have been converted for freight use by removing the passenger seats. The train will carry a maximum of 17.4 tons (approximately 1,000 boxes of freight). It will be coupled with the "Yamabiko" and operate on