[1] The Hatsukari was first introduced on 1 October 1958 as a long-distance steam-hauled limited express service operating between Ueno in Tokyo and Aomori via the Jōban Line.

[2] From 1960, new KiHa 81 series diesel multiple units were introduced on the service,[3] reducing the journey time to 10 hours 25 minutes.

From 1 October 1968, the train was amended via the more direct Tōhoku Main Line using 583 series electric multiple units.

[1] The Super Hatsukari and Hatsukari services were discontinued from the start of the revised timetable on 1 December 2002, with the opening of the Tōhoku Shinkansen extension to Hachinohe, and were superseded by new Hakuchō and Super Hakuchō services operating from Hachinohe to Hakodate.

The E751 series EMUs were transferred to new Tsugaru limited express services operating between Hachinohe and Hirosaki.