UK Design Consultancy tangerine Oversees the Design Development of JR East’s E927 Next-Generation Shinkansen Inspection Train

LONDON, 14.07.2026 – East Japan Railway Company (JR East) has revealed the first images and animation of its next-generation E927 Shinkansen inspection train.

tangerine, the UK-based design consultancy, is pleased to announce its role in overseeing the design development of the E927 Shinkansen inspection train.

As part of the project, JR East invited employees across the JR East Group to submit original design concepts for the livery of the E927. From this internal design competition, a winning design was selected by JR East and tangerine, and this livery will be refined during the upcoming train manufacturing phase.

tangerine joined this project from its earliest stages, involving deep collaboration throughout with the JR East project team. The consultancy helped establish the design evaluation criteria and managed the entire review process, through to selecting the final design proposal.

Congratulations to Mr. Hori, whose proposal was selected as the winning design. Together with Mr. Hori and the JR East project team, tangerine will continue to refine and develop the design, working toward the completion of the vehicle’s detailed exterior design by around Autumn 2026.

The E927 is being developed as the successor to the current East-i Shinkansen inspection train and is scheduled to enter inspection service in Japan’s 2029 fiscal year.

 

Press pack available on request. For media inquiries, please contact:

Laurie Bushe
Associate Director – Marketing and Comms, tangerine
laurie@tangerine.net

 

About tangerine

tangerine is a strategic design consultancy that helps companies make creative leaps to design innovative products, services, and experiences. The consultancy has studios in London and Seoul and has been working with globally renowned brands such as Apple, JAL, Nikon, LG, and Toyota for over three decades.

tangerine is internationally recognised as a leader in transportation design and has worked extensively with major Japanese brands, including retailers, manufacturers, and service providers. The studio’s creative output has led to dozens of patents and game-changing designs that have delivered extraordinary benefits to both consumers and businesses.

 

About East Japan Railway Company (JR East)

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) was established on April 1, 1987, following the privatisation and division of Japanese National Railways (JNR). It is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies.

JR East operates a vast network in Japan’s eastern region, including Tokyo and the scenic Tohoku and Shinetsu regions. The company is renowned for its innovative services, including the development of the Shinkansen (bullet train) lines.