The premium first-class service introduced on E5 Series Shinkansen trains was Gran Class.
Gran Class is the highest accommodation tier on the E5 Series, above Green Class and ordinary class. It occupies car 10 and was created as a luxury offering for JR East’s new high-speed services, initially associated with the Hayabusa trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen.
A Gran Class car has 18 wide power-reclining seats arranged three across in a 2+1 layout. The seats have leather covers, generous legroom, and a maximum recline of 45 degrees. The class was originally discussed under the provisional name “Super Green Car.”
Green Class is the regular first-class-equivalent accommodation found on many Japanese trains, but it is not the premium tier introduced for the E5. Club Class and Royal Class are not the names used for this Shinkansen accommodation.