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Laurel Prize

{{about|the railway prize|the poetry prize|Laurel Prize (poetry)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Infobox award

| name = Laurel Prize

| image = JRE E721Train headmarkpanel LaurelPrize 2008 of JapanRailfanClub.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Headmark panel commemorating the 48th Laurel Prize of JR East E721 series train

| awarded_for = Best railway-vehicle in terms of production intention, technology and design features, which was newly introduced in the previous year

| date = {{start date|1961|02|18}}

| country = {{flagicon|Japan}}Japan

| presenter = Japan Railfan Club

| reward =

| year = 1961

| year2 = 2025

| holder = {{Plainlist|

}}

| most_awards = JR East

| website = https://www.jrc.gr.jp/e/award/bl

| image2 = Laurel Prize 1973 of Japan Railfan Club.JPG

| image2_size =

| alt2 =

| caption2 = 1973 Laurel Prize plaque inside an Odakyu 9000 series EMU train

| previous = 64th (2024)

| main = 65th (2025)

| next = 66th (2026)

}}

The {{Nihongo|Laurel Prize|ローレル賞|Rōreru Shō}} is an award presented annually in Japan since 1961 by the Japan Railfan Club. It is awarded for railway vehicles that entered service in the previous year and voted by the selection committee as having the most outstanding functional and design features.{{cite web |url= http://www.jrc.gr.jp/e/award/bl|title= Blue Ribbon Prize and Laurel Prize|date= May 2016|publisher= Japan Railfan Club|location= Japan|access-date= 24 May 2016}}

Award winners

The list of award winners since 1961 is as follows.{{cite web |url= http://www.jrc.gr.jp/award/bl|script-title=ja:ブルーリボン賞・ローレル賞|trans-title= Blue Ribbon Award and Laurel Prize|date= May 2016|publisher= Japan Railfan Club|location= Japan|language= Japanese|access-date= 24 May 2015}}

class="wikitable"
AwardYearTrainOperatorImage
rowspan="2" | 1rowspan="2"| 19612000 series EMUrowspan="2" | Hankyu Railway150px
2300 series EMU150px
21962401/421 series EMUJNR150px
319633000 series EMUKeio Corporation150px
419645000 series EMUKeio Corporation150px
519653000 series EMUSanyo Electric Railway150px
61966A830 series tramcarSapporo Streetcar150px
719670 series OS Car EMUNagano Electric Railway150px
81968{{n/a|Not awarded}}{{n/a}}{{n/a
}

|-

| 9 || 1969 || 6000 series EMU || Toei || 150px

|-

| 10 || 1970 || 60 series EMU || Osaka Municipal Subway || 150px

|-

| 11 || 1971 || Mo 600 series tramcar || Nagoya Railroad || 150px

|-

| 12 || 1972 || 6000 series EMU || TRTA (now Tokyo Metro) || 150px

|-

| 13 || 1973 || 9000 series EMU || Odakyu Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 14 || 1974 || 2000 series EMU || Nishi-Nippon Railroad || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 15 || rowspan="2" | 1975 || 24/25 series coach || JNR || 150px

|-

| EH Class electric locomotive || Kurobe Gorge Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 16 || rowspan="3" | 1976 || KiHa 66/67 DMU || JNR || 150px

|-

| 8500 series EMU || Tokyu Corporation || 150px

|-

| 5000 series EMU || Fujikyu || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 17 || rowspan="2" | 1977 || 1000 series EMU || Joshin Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 6000 series EMU || Sapporo Municipal Subway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 18 || rowspan="2" | 1978 || 7000 series tramcar || Toei || 150px

|-

| 1000 series EMU || Kobe Municipal Subway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 19 || rowspan="2" | 1979 || 800 series EMU || Keikyu Corporation || 150px

|-

| 50 series coach || JNR || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 20 || rowspan="3" | 1980 || 100 series EMU || Nagoya Railroad || 150px

|-

| 7000 series EMU || Hokusō Railway || 150px

|-

| 14760 series EMU || Toyama Chihō Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 21 || rowspan="2" | 1981 || 117 series EMU || JNR || 150px

|-

| 2000 series tramcar || Nagasaki Tramway || 150px

|-

| 22 || 1982 || 1000 series EMU || Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 23 || rowspan="2" | 1983 || 200 Series Shinkansen || JNR || 150px

|-

| 8200 series || Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| 24 || 1984 || 6000 series EMU || Keihan Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 25 || rowspan="2" | 1985 || 01 series || TRTA (now Tokyo Metro) || 150px

|-

| HaIMo 180 DMU || Tarumi Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 26 || rowspan="2" | 1986 || 10000 series EMU || Nankai Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 100 Series Shinkansen || JNR || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 27 || rowspan="3" | 1987 || 8000 series EMU || Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway || 150px

|-

| 7000 series EMU || Kintetsu || 150px

|-

| KiHa 185 series DMU || JNR || 150px

|-

| 28 || 1988 || 1000 series EMU || Sendai City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| 29 || 1989 || 783 series Hyper Saloon EMU || JR Kyushu || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | 1990 || 221 series EMU || JR West || 150px

|-

| 2000 series "TSE" DMU || JR Shikoku || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 31 || rowspan="2" | 1991 || 251 series EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| 70 series EMU || Osaka Municipal Subway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 32 || rowspan="2" | 1992 || 253 series Narita Express EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| KiHa 200 series DMU || JR Kyushu || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 33 || rowspan="2" | 1993 || 300 Series Shinkansen || JR Central || 150px

|-

| Class EF200 electric locomotive || JR Freight || 150px

|-

| 34 || 1994 || Class DF200 "Eco-Power Red Bear" diesel locomotive || JR Freight || 150px

|-

| 35 || 1995 || KiHa 281 series DMU || JR Hokkaido　|| 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 36 || rowspan="2" | 1996 || 383 series EMU || JR Central || 150px

|-

| KoKi 71 "Car Rack System" freight wagon || JR Freight || 150px

|-

| 37 || 1997 || 731 series EMU || JR Hokkaido || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 38 || rowspan="3" | 1998 || 9700 series tramcar || Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| 900 series Kirara EMU || Eizan Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 5800 series EMU || Kintetsu || 150px

|-

| 39 || 1999 || Skyrail 200 series || Skyrail Service || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 40 || rowspan="3" | 2000 || 5000 series Green Mover tramcar || Hiroden || 150px

|-

| 700 Series Shinkansen || JR Central/JR West || 150px

|-

| 209-950 series (now E231-900 series) EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| rowspan="4" | 41 || rowspan="4" | 2001 || Mo 800 tramcar || Nagoya Railroad || 150px

|-

| 3220 series "Series-21" EMU || rowspan="3" | Kintetsu || 150px

|-

| 5820 series "Series-21" EMU || 150px

|-

| 9020 series "Series-21" EMU || 150px

|-

| 42 || 2002 || KiHa 187 series DMU || JR West || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 43 || rowspan="2" | 2003 || 9200 series "Momo" tramcar || Okayama Electric Tramway || 150px

|-

| 1000 series "U-tram" tramcar || Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| 44 || 2004 || {{n/a|Not awarded}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a|}}

|-

| rowspan="2" | 45 || rowspan="2" | 2005 || 800 Series Shinkansen || JR Kyushu || 150px

|-

| 3000 series tramcar || Nagasaki Electric Tramway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="4" | 46 || rowspan="4" | 2006 || 2000 series μSky EMU || Nagoya Railroad || 150px

|-

| 100 series Linimo || Aichi Rapid Transit || 150px

|-

| 5100 series Green Mover Max tramcar || Hiroshima Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 3000 series EMU || Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 47 || rowspan="2" | 2007 || E233 series EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| 3000 series EMU || Nishi-Nippon Railroad || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 48 || rowspan="2" | 2008 || E721 series/SAT721 EMU || JR East/Sendai Airport Transit || 150px

|-

| KiHa E200 DMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 49 || rowspan="2" | 2009 || T1000 series tramcar || Toyohashi Railroad || 150px

|-

| 3000 series Comfort Saloon EMU || Keihan Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 50 || 2010 || 22600 series Ace EMU || Kintetsu || 150px

|-

| 51 || 2011 || 16000 series EMU || Tokyo Metro || 150px

|-

| 52 || 2012 || Class HD300-900 hybrid locomotive || JR Freight || 150px

|-

| 53 || 2013 || {{n/a|Not awarded}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a|}}

|-

| rowspan="2" | 54 || rowspan="2" | 2014 || E6 Series Shinkansen || JR East || 150px

|-

| F1000 series "Fukuram" tramcar || Fukui Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 55 || rowspan="2" | 2015 || EV-E301 series battery EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| 3000 series EMU || Hakone Tozan Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 56 || rowspan="2" | 2016 || HB-E210 series hybrid DMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| New 260 series EMU || Yokkaichi Asunarou Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 57 || rowspan="3" | 2017 || E235 series EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| ET122-1000 "Setsugekka" DMU || Echigo Tokimeki Railway || 150px

|-

| A3000 series EMU || Shizuoka Railway || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 58 || rowspan="3" | 2018 || E353 series EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| 500 series "Revaty" EMU || Tobu Railway || 150px

|-

| 7500 series "U-Tram III" EMU || Kagoshima City Tram || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 59 || rowspan="2" | 2019 || 20000 series EMU || Sagami Railway || 150px

|-

| Eizan Deo-730 railcar || Eizan Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 60 || 2020 || 2700 series DMU || JR Shikoku || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 61 || rowspan="2" | 2021 || E261 series EMU || JR East || 150px

|-

| N700S Series Shinkansen || JR Central || 150px

|-

| rowspan="3" | 62 || rowspan="3" | 2022{{Cite web |date=2022-05-26 |title=2022年ブルーリボン賞・ローレル賞決定 |trans-title=2022 Blue Ribbon Award / Laurel Prize recipients decided |url=https://railf.jp/news/2022/05/26/173000.html |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Japan Railfan Magazine Online |publisher=Koyusha Co., Ltd. |location=Japan |language=ja}} || 17000 series EMU || rowspan="2" | Tokyo Metro || 150px

|-

| 18000 series EMU || 150px

|-

| 3000 series "Premium Car" || Keihan Electric Railway || 150px

|-

| 63 || 2023 || 20 series EMU || Kyoto Municipal Subway{{Cite web |date=2023-05-25 |title= |script-title=ja:2023年ブルーリボン賞・ローレル賞決定 |trans-title=2023 Blue Ribbon Award and Laurel Prize recipients announced |url=https://railf.jp/news/2023/05/25/150000.html |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Japan Railfan Magazine Online |publisher=Koyusha Co., Ltd. |language=ja |publication-place=Japan}} || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 64 || rowspan="2" | 2024 || 400 series EMU || Osaka Metro{{Cite web |date=2024-05-23 |title= |script-title=ja:「大阪メトロ」400系ローレル賞、デザイン性や多様な設備など評価 |trans-title="Osaka Metro" 400 series receives Laurel Prize for outstanding design and facilities |url=https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20240523-2951306/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Mynavi News |language=ja}} || 150px

|-

| HU300 series tramcar || Utsunomiya Light Rail{{Cite web |date=2024-05-23 |title= |script-title=ja:宇都宮ライトレールHU300形がローレル賞、「次世代のLRT」へ指摘も |trans-title="Next-generation LRT" Utsunomiya Light Rail HU300 series receives Laurel Prize |url=https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20240523-2951351/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Mynavi News |language=ja}} || 150px

|-

| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | 2025{{cite web|url=https://railf.jp/news/2025/05/22/160000.html |title=2025年ブルーリボン賞・ローレル賞決定 |trans-title=2025 Blue Ribbon Award and Laurel Prize winners announced |website=Japan Railfan Magazine Online |publisher=Koyusha |location=Japan |language=ja |date=22 May 2025 |access-date=22 May 2025}} || 4000 series EMU || Fukuoka City Transportation Bureau || 150px

|-

| 8A series EMU || Kintetsu || 150px

|}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{Official|http://www.jrc.gr.jp/award/bl/index.htm}} {{in lang|ja}}
  • [https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/2049087/ The Blue Ribbon & Laurel Prize: Japan's Best New Trains, Japan Railway Journal on NHK World-Japan]

Category:Awards established in 1961

Category:Railway culture in Japan

Category:Commercial vehicle awards

Category:Japanese awards

Category:Rail transport industry awards