Kagayaki

Its maximum speed is 275 km/h between Omiya and Takasaki and 260 km/h between Takasaki and Tsuruga. Every working uses twelve-car E7 series sets from JR East (F sets, based at Nagano Depot) and W7 series sets from JR West (W sets, based at Hakusan Depot), both used on the route since 14 March 2015. Cars 1 to 10 are ordinary-class (2+3 seating), car 11 is a Green car (2+2) and car 12 is a Gran Class car (2+1). As on the Hayabusa and similar services, all seats are reserved, and the whole train is non-smoking. The service colour is purple on the JR East section and, on the JR West section, the same yellow as the Nozomi. The name was chosen through a public call for names, in which Kagayaki placed fifth (Hakutaka was first); the stated reason for the choice was that shining light evokes speed and a bright future stretching ahead.

The name Kagayaki long predates the Shinkansen service. It was first introduced on 13 March 1988 as a limited express between Kanazawa and Nagaoka, connecting to Tokyo via the Joetsu Shinkansen; those trains ran at up to 120 km/h using 485 series electric multiple units. That service was discontinued in March 1997 with the opening of the Hokuhoku Line and new Hakutaka services. The name was then reinstated on 14 March 2015 for limited-stop Shinkansen services between Tokyo and Kanazawa, following the line's opening beyond Nagano; tickets for the inaugural trains from both Tokyo and Kanazawa had sold out within 25 seconds of going on sale. On 12 October 2019, Typhoon No. 19 flooded Nagano Depot, submerging ten E7 and W7 series sets, a third of the Hokuriku Shinkansen fleet. From the revised timetable of 16 March 2024, with the extension to Tsuruga, nine of the ten daily return workings began running through to Tsuruga while one continued to begin and end at Kanazawa.

• 1988The Kagayaki name debuts on 13 March 1988 as a JR West 485 series limited express between Kanazawa and Nagaoka, connecting to Tokyo via the Joetsu Shinkansen and running at up to 120 km/h.
• 1997The Kagayaki limited express is discontinued in March 1997 with the opening of the Hokuhoku Line and the launch of new Hakutaka services connecting with the Joetsu Shinkansen at Echigo-Yuzawa.
• 2013On 10 October 2013, JR East and JR West announce the train names for the Hokuriku Shinkansen's Nagano–Kanazawa extension, with Kagayaki adopted as the fast service.
• 2015On 14 March 2015, the Kagayaki name is reinstated as the fastest Hokuriku Shinkansen service, running Tokyo to Kanazawa with twelve-car E7 and W7 sets following the line's opening beyond Nagano; tickets for the inaugural trains had sold out in 25 seconds on 14 February.
• 2019On 12 October 2019, Typhoon Hagibis (Typhoon No. 19) breaches the Chikuma River levee and floods the Nagano Shinkansen rolling-stock depot, submerging ten E7/W7 trainsets — about one third of the Hokuriku Shinkansen fleet.
• 2021From the 13 March 2021 timetable revision, the maximum speed on the Ueno–Omiya section (within Saitama only) is raised from 110 km/h to 130 km/h, shortening journey times.
• 2024From the revised timetable on 16 March 2024, the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Tsuruga opens and nine of the ten daily return Kagayaki workings begin running through to Tsuruga, with one still terminating at Kanazawa.