The Limited Express Shirasagi for Tsuruga

The Shirasagi is a limited express service between Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture and Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture. For travel to Fukui, Kanazawa and other destinations in the Hokuriku region, passengers transfer at Tsuruga to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Shirasagi means “white heron” in Japanese.

This service is jointly run by JR Central and JR West. There are eight round-trip services between Nagoya and Tsuruga every day. All seats on the Shirasagi are reserved. Ordinary-car travel on both the Shirasagi and the connecting Hokuriku Shinkansen is covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

At Nagoya Station, Shirasagi 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 are currently scheduled to depart from Platform 4, while Shirasagi 11, 13 and 15 use Platform 11. Passengers should confirm the platform on the station departure board before boarding.

In addition to the eight round-trip services between Nagoya and Tsuruga, seven round-trip services run between Maibara in Shiga Prefecture and Tsuruga. To find out more about services to and from Maibara, please visit our sister site KanazawaStation.com. In this article, we will look only at services to or from Nagoya Station.

Key Destinations

The Shirasagi makes limited stops at the stations listed below. Stations in brackets are not served by all trains.

Nagoya – Owari-Ichinomiya – Gifu – Ogaki – Maibara – [Nagahama] – Tsuruga

At Tsuruga, passengers traveling farther into the Hokuriku region transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Key onward stations are listed below, although exact stops vary by service.

Tsuruga – Echizen-Takefu – Fukui – Awara-Onsen – Kaga-Onsen – Komatsu – Kanazawa

Below are the key destinations on this route. The fares and times are for one adult using ordinary reserved seats on the 07:51 Shirasagi 1 and, beyond Tsuruga, the connecting Tsurugi 8. Fares and schedules can change, so check the complete itinerary for your travel date.

Gifu Station

Gifu is the capital city of Gifu Prefecture. The city’s attractions include Gifu Castle, the Great Buddha Statue of Shohoji Temple, summertime cormorant fishing in the Nagara River, and many museums.

For this short journey, a Tokaido Main Line rapid train is usually better value. The same search returned a fare of 480 yen and a journey of about 20 minutes without a limited express surcharge.

Ogaki Station

Ogaki City in Gifu Prefecture is closely associated with the haiku poet Matsuo Basho. The Oku no Hosomichi Musubi no Chi Memorial Hall has exhibits on Basho and his journey, and the city also has a reconstructed castle that was first built in 1500.

Rapid trains are also usually better value for this journey. The same search returned a fare of 780 yen and a journey of about 33 minutes without a limited express surcharge.

Tsuruga Station

Tsuruga is a port city in Fukui Prefecture. Its attractions include Kehi Jingu Shrine, the garden of Saifukuji Temple, Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse, Tsuruga City Museum, and the pine trees of Kehi no Matsubara beach.

Passengers continuing to destinations such as Fukui or Kanazawa transfer here to the Hokuriku Shinkansen through the station’s transfer gate.

Echizen-Takefu Station

This Hokuriku Shinkansen station serves the city of Echizen in Fukui Prefecture and is separate from Hapi-Line Takefu Station. The wider Echizen area includes the Echizen Pottery Village, the Echizen Washi Village, and the Echizen Soba Village, where you can enjoy the region’s famous noodles. These attractions are spread across the area, so check onward transport before visiting.

Fukui Station

Fukui is the capital city of Fukui Prefecture. Exit here for the Zen temple complex of Eiheiji Temple, Fukui Fine Arts Museum, and the excavated and partially reconstructed 15th-century castle town of the Asakura clan at Ichijodani.

Awara-Onsen Station

Awara is a popular hot spring resort town in Fukui Prefecture. For a list of recommended hot spring facilities, visit the official Awara City website. The rocky coastline of Tojinbo can also be reached by bus; check the current timetable before traveling.

Kaga-Onsen Station

Kaga is a large city with several hot spring resort towns within its bounds. The official Visit Kaga website has recommendations for hot spring facilities. Natadera Temple is a bus ride from Kaga-Onsen Station and is known for its gardens and views of Mount Hakusan.

Komatsu Station

Komatsu’s attractions include the Motorcar Museum of Japan, Ishikawa Aviation Plaza, the traditional crafts village of Yunokuni no Mori, and the hot spring resort of Awazu Onsen.

Kanazawa Station

Kanazawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture and a popular sightseeing destination. Its major tourist attractions are Kanazawa Castle, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Myoryuji, the “Ninja Temple”, the Higashi Chaya-gai geisha district, and Kenrokuen Garden, which is said to be one of Japan’s three greatest gardens. Hokuriku Shinkansen services continue toward Toyama, and the Limited Express Noto Kagaribi runs toward Nanao and Wakura-Onsen.

The photograph above records the former direct Shirasagi service to Kanazawa, which ended when the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended to Tsuruga on 16-Mar-2024.

Timetables

Below are the current regular train times for Shirasagi services between Nagoya and Tsuruga. Connecting Tsurugi times and stops vary. To look up the complete itinerary, connections and fares for your travel date, use the JR West trip planner. Platforms and times can change, so confirm them before boarding.

Service	Nagoya	Platform	Tsuruga
Shirasagi #1	07:51	4	09:27
Shirasagi #3	08:51	4	10:27
Shirasagi #5	09:48	4	11:26
Shirasagi #7	11:48	4	13:27
Shirasagi #9	13:48	4	15:26
Shirasagi #11	15:48	11	17:26
Shirasagi #13	17:48	11	19:27
Shirasagi #15	19:48	11	21:26

 

Service	Tsuruga	Platform	Nagoya
Shirasagi #2	07:11	34	08:51
Shirasagi #4	09:11	34	10:49
Shirasagi #6	11:10	34	12:48
Shirasagi #8	13:10	34	14:48
Shirasagi #10	15:10	34	16:49
Shirasagi #12	16:09	34	17:49
Shirasagi #14	18:08	34	19:46
Shirasagi #16	20:15	34	21:54

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 15-Jul-2026.