On March 14, the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line will open as an extension of the Nagano Shinkansen Line, directly connecting Tokyo with Kanazawa and shortening the travel time to the scenic capital of Ishikawa Prefecture to 2½ hours from four.

Public excitement is mounting. Tickets for the debut run sold out in just 25 seconds when they went on sale Feb. 14, and the tourism industry and local governments are anticipating a significant boost in visitor volumes to the Hokuriku region.

Following are questions and answers about the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line: