| Native name | 越美南線 |
|---|---|
| Color | ff1493 |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Gifu Prefecture, Japan |
| Stations | 38 |
| Open | 5 October 1923 |
| Lastextension | 1934 |
| Owner | Nagaragawa Railway |
| Operator | Nagaragawa Railway |
| Character | Rural |
| Stock | Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 2 Series DMU, Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 3 Series DMU, Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 500 Series DMU |
| Linelength | 72.1 km (44.8 mi) |
| Tracks | Entire line single tracked |
| Electrification | Not electrified |
| Speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
The Etsumi-Nan Line (越美南線, Etsumi Nan-sen, "Etsumi South Line") is a railway line in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, operated by the third-sector operator Nagaragawa Railway (長良川鉄道, Nagaragawa Tetsudō). The line connects Mino-Ōta Station in Minokamo with Hokunō Station in Gujō. It is the only railway line operated by Nagaragawa Railway, and was originally operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR).
History
Under JNR ownership
The original goal of Japanese National Railways (JNR) was to build a railway line to the Sea of Japan northward through the Nagara River valley. However, due to the resource requirements of the First World War and the Pacific War, this objective was never achieved and only 72.1 km (44.8 mi) was ever built. The first section to open was between Mino-Ōta and Minoshi on 5 October 1923. The JNR then proceeded to extend the line progressively northwards until it reached Hokunō in 1934. Although a ¼-mile section of track was laid beyond Hokunō, no further construction on the line was ever undertaken. Infill stations were constructed and opened, such as Yasaka, Fukuno, Akaike, Kamono and Sekiguchi in 1952. Manba, Tokunaga, Ōshima and Shirotori-kōgen stations opened in 1955. Suhara station opened in 1957.[1] Freight services ceased in 1974. JNR planned to connect the Etsumi-Nan Line and Etsumi-Hoku Line ("Etsumi North Line"), but the plan was never realized.[2] The line was listed for closure as one of the Specified local lines in 1984, but it was decided that the line be transferred to a third-sector company instead of being closed in 1986. The line was transferred to the Nagaragawa Railway on December 11 of that year.[3]
Under Nagaragawa Railway ownership
Upon the transferring of the line to the Nagaragawa Railway, many stations were renamed or newly opened.[4]
- Maehira-Koen, Seki-Tomioka, Sekiterasu-mae, Seki-shimouchi, Konno, Shizenen-mae station were opened on December 11, 1986.
- Kamono, Tomika, Seki, Yonoharaonsenguchi, Suhara, Hanno, Ōya, Fukuno, Minami-Kariyasu, Akaike, Aioi, Yamada, Gujyō-Yamato station were renamed to their current name on the same date.
Infill stations continued to open, with Kami-mamba and Umeyama stations opening on 21 September 1987, Hakusan-nagataki station opening on 6 August 1988, Sekishiyakusho-mae and Matsumori opening on 1 April 1999, and Minami-kodakara-onsen station opening on 4 April 2002. Trolley cars ran from 1992 to 2003, when an accident occurred forcing the service to be abolished.[3]
Beginning in spring 2016, two of the line's Nagara 300 series diesel cars were rebuilt as the Nagara sightseeing train. The rebuilding work on the two cars was overseen Don Design Associates, headed by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka.[5]
The picturesque line is now popular with visitors and tourists. Beginning in April 2016, a two-car sightseeing train (ながら, Nagara), which was created by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, runs weekly services between Mino-Ota and Hokunō. Passengers are served a selection of bento dishes created from locally sourced seasonal ingredients from Gifu Prefecture.[6]
Infrastructure
Rolling stock
The line uses Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 300 series, Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 500 series, and Nagaragawa Railway Nagara 600 series. All three series are diesel multiple units. The 300 series were manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries, while the 500 series and the 600 series were manufactured by Niigata Transys. The 300 series trains are assigned a number from 301 to 307, although the train assigned the number 303 and 305 no longer exists.[7]
Stations
All stations are located in Gifu Prefecture. Seki Station used to connect with Meitetsu Minomachi Line before its closure.
| No. | Image | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | "Nagara" service | Transfers | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations | Total | ||||||||
| 0 | 美濃太田 | - | 0.0 | ● | Minokamo | ||||
| 1 | 前平公園 | 1.7 | 1.7 | ||||||
| 2 | 加茂野 | 2.0 | 3.7 | ||||||
| 3 | 富加 | 2.2 | 5.9 | ● | Tomika, Kamo District | ||||
| 4 | 関富岡 | 2.3 | 8.2 | Seki | |||||
| 5 | 関口 | 1.5 | 9.7 | ||||||
| 6 | せきてらす前 | 1.5 | 11.2 | ||||||
| 7 | 関 | 0.8 | 12.0 | ● | |||||
| 8 | 関市役所前 | 1.0 | 13.0 | ||||||
| 9 | 関下有知 | 1.6 | 14.6 | ||||||
| 10 | 松森 | 1.5 | 16.1 | Mino | |||||
| 11 | 美濃市 | 1.6 | 17.7 | ● | |||||
| 12 | 梅山 | 1.1 | 18.8 | ||||||
| 13 | 湯の洞温泉口 | 3.5 | 22.3 | ||||||
| 14 | 洲原 | 2.4 | 24.7 | ||||||
| 15 | 母野 | 1.4 | 26.1 | Gujō | |||||
| 16 | 木尾 | 1.2 | 27.3 | ||||||
| 17 | 八坂 | 2.1 | 29.4 | ||||||
| 18 | みなみ子宝温泉 | 1.2 | 30.6 | ||||||
| 19 | 大矢 | 1.2 | 31.8 | ||||||
| 20 | 福野 | 1.1 | 32.9 | ||||||
| 21 | 美並苅安 | 1.9 | 34.8 | ||||||
| 22 | 赤池 | 1.5 | 36.3 | ||||||
| 23 | 深戸 | 2.2 | 38.5 | ||||||
| 24 | 相生 | 4.5 | 43.0 | ||||||
| 25 | 郡上八幡 | 3.9 | 46.9 | ● | |||||
| 26 | 自然園前 | 4.0 | 50.9 | ||||||
| 27 | 山田 | 3.1 | 54.0 | ||||||
| 28 | 徳永 | 1.9 | 55.9 | ||||||
| 29 | 郡上大和 | 1.4 | 57.3 | ● | |||||
| 30 | 万場 | 2.4 | 59.7 | ||||||
| 31 | 上万場 | 1.4 | 61.1 | ||||||
| 32 | 大中 | 1.3 | 62.4 | ||||||
| 33 | 大島 | 1.9 | 64.3 | ||||||
| 34 | 美濃白鳥 | 1.8 | 66.1 | ● | |||||
| 35 | 白鳥高原 | 3.5 | 69.6 | ||||||
| 36 | 白山長滝 | 1.3 | 70.9 | ● | |||||
| 37 | 北濃 | 1.2 | 72.1 | ● | |||||
See also
References
- ^ Sone 2011, pp. 10.
- ^ 【鉄道の旅】長良川鉄道の「ながら」大河の清流 間近にたどる/地元食材ランチ付きも『日本経済新聞』土曜朝刊別刷り日経+1（2019年12月7日13面）
- ^ Sone 2011, p. 11.
- ^ 『鉄道ジャーナル』第21巻第5号、鉄道ジャーナル社、1987年5月、66頁。
- ^ "ja: 長良川鉄道，観光列車「ながら」を導入" [Nagaragawa Railway to introduced "Nagara" sightseeing train] (in Japanese). Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 27 November 2015. Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "長良川鉄道 ながら 川風号 運転". www.tetsudo.com. 20 March 2018. Archived 26 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "車両のご紹介 | 【公式】長良川鉄道株式会社（ながてつ）". www.nagatetsu.co.jp. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
- Sone, Satoru (18 September 2011). 週刊 歴史でめぐる鉄道全路線 公営鉄道・私鉄. Asahi Shibun Publishing.
External links
- Nagaragawa Railway official website (in Japanese)