A transportation IC card can be the gate credential only after a Shinkansen e-ticket has been purchased and linked; IC stored value alone is insufficient.
Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen
Hayabusa: ticket, seat and baggage rules
Tokyo · Sendai · Morioka · Shin-Aomori · Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto
30-second answer
What you need before boarding Hayabusa
Both the basic fare and Shinkansen limited-express portion are required; the JR East Shinkansen e-ticket includes them.
Hayabusa operates with reserved seats only.
Reservations for luggage storage are not required on the Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen; storage is first-come, first-served.
No Nozomi-style baggage booking
Hayabusa does not use the 160–250 cm advance-reservation system. Its fitted luggage area cannot be reserved and is first-come, first-served.
Baggage storage
Where your bag can go
Overhead rack, foot space or a designated luggage storage area when fitted to the train.
Dedicated space cannot be reserved separately and is first-come, first-served; use foot space if no suitable space is available.
Carry-on boundary: JR East carry-on limit: up to 250 cm total dimensions, up to 2 m long and up to 30 kg per item.
Do not want to carry it?
Check storage at your station
If the bag is impractical to take onboard, use the separate station guide to check lockers and verified luggage-storage alternatives.
In one paragraph
Hayabusa rule summary
Hayabusa cannot be boarded with IC stored value alone. Purchase a JR East Shinkansen e-ticket covering the fare and express portion, link the IC card, and use the reserved seat shown in the booking; Hayabusa is reserved-only. Oversized-luggage reservations are not required on this route. Use an overhead rack, foot space or a fitted luggage area, which is available first-come, first-served.
Special items: Sports equipment and musical instruments may exceed the length limit if they can be stored upright in a dedicated bag or case.