The last remaining examples of the type were withdrawn from service following the last runs on 16 March 2012.

They differed visibly from the earlier 0 series in that the nose profile was more pointed.

Some later production sets had powered driving cars and four unpowered bi-level trailers in the middle instead.

[1] Following their removal from front-line service, 100 series sets were later reformed into shorter four- and six-car sets for the slower Kodama services on the Sanyo Shinkansen line.

Originally numbered X0, the pre-series set X1 was delivered in 1985, with test running commencing from 27 March that year.

[4] These units were subsequently renumbered as 16-car sets X2 to X5 with the inclusion of bilevel trailer cars, and were introduced on Hikari services from November 1986.

The adjacent type 149 car provided private compartments for Green class passengers on the lower deck, with open-plan green car accommodation on the upper deck.

From the new timetable change of 2 October 1999, X sets were no longer assigned to regular workings, with the remaining examples subsequently limited to holiday period extra trains.

The last remaining sets owned by JR Central and JR-West were withdrawn in September 2003 before the start of the new Tokaido Shinkansen timetable the following October.

[1] The nine V sets (also referred to as "100N") operated by JR-West included four bilevel trailer cars, which provided 2+2 standard class reserved seating accommodation on the lower decks, and restaurant and Green class accommodation on the upper decks.

These sets originally ran under the marketing name Grand Hikari, but from May 2002 onwards were limited to use on the Sanyo Shinkansen only.

[1] The first of two reformed 4-car P sets was introduced on Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama services from October 2000.

[9] The first six-car K set (K51) was formed in January 2002 for use on Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama services from February 2002.