Express Kitaguni(Northland) appeared in 1961 as a diesel express operated between Kanazawa and Niigata and later turned into an express train of mixed passenger cars connecting Osaka and Aomori. For some period after this change, it was operated as a train consisting of old type passenger cars only. In October, 1973, the normal passenger cars were replaced by series 12 passenger cars, making the first case that series 12 was used in a regular express train. Although part of passenger cars (luggage cars and 1stclass green cars were added or removed, the express was in service until it was replaced by series 14 passenger cars in 1982.

Features:

• Prototype is the train which produced from 1975～1978s, and belonged to Miyahara Passenger car depot.

• Include series 12 seated passenger cars + Series 10 Sleeper cars + Luggage/ mail car

• Boards of destinations, train types, nicknames, Car numbers are printed on