Introduced in 1961 on the Kanto railway in Japan, the KIHA 30 series Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) was an answer to increased demand for suburban transportation in areas that lacked electric lines. Today, a majority of these cars have been retired since most suburban transit systems in Japan are electrified, but in their time they served many lines in the Tokyo and Kansai areas. The KIHA 30 series cars were originally delivered in a two-part cream and orange color scheme with grey roofs. Later iterations of the KIHA 30 series's bore the numbers KIHA 35 and KIHA 36, with the KIHA35 being the most well known of the KIHA 30 Diesel Multiple Unit series.

Differences between the KIHA 30, 35, and 36 Units: The KIHA30 has an enginees's control unit on both ends of the car, allowing it to be controlled from either side. The KIHA35 DMU has an engineer station at only one side of the car, but has an onboard washroom facility. The KIHA36, by comparison, has only one engineer station and also lacks a washroom.