Railwa Railway Operators Railway Operators in Japan 10 Cities in Kinki Region Masafumi Miki 589.5 km), and the Tokaido Shinkansen of Private Railways.’ However, during the Overview of Kinki Region (Tokyo–Shin Osaka, 552.6 km) runs last few years, JR West has improved its through the middle of the country to join urban network, and now competes so The Kinki region includes six prefectures: the two largest metropolitan regions of successfully with private operators that Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Shiga and Tokyo and Osaka. The Tokaido main some are losing passengers to JR West. Wakayama. On the Pacific Ocean side, line connects to the San’yo main line Most rural lines suffer from low passenger the regional climate is mild and the (Kobe–Shimonoseki, 506.4 km), and levels, posing an economic burden to population density is high. Kinki has the Tokaido Shinkansen connects to the their operators, but various management y many industries and is an important San’yo Shinkansen (Shin Osaka– strategies have been devised to keep the transportation corridor—it was also the Hakata, 622.3 km). Trains on both lines lines in operation so far. first region in Japan to develop culturally continue on to the Chugoku region and This first article on railways in the Kinki and politically. Yamato (present-day Kyushu in western Japan. The region focuses only on urban railways in Operators Nara Prefecture) was the nation’s political shinkansen carry long-distance the three metropolitan centres of Osaka, centre from the 4th to the 8th centuries. passengers while the main lines carry Kyoto and Kobe. Two more later articles Around the end of the 8th century, the mainly shorter-distance passengers and will cover the other area. capital was moved to Heiankyo (present- freight. Within the Kinki region, the day Kyoto City) where almost every Tokaido and San’yo main lines and the Metropolitan Loop Line and emperor lived until the capital was San’yo Shinkansen are operated by JR Urban Transit Lines moved to Edo (Tokyo) in 1868 during the West while the Tokaido Shinkansen is Meiji Restoration. operated by JR Central. JR West’s Osaka Kanjo (Loop) Osaka sprang up where the large Yodo Other narrow-gauge lines link the Kinki Line and Sakurajima Line and Yamato rivers flow into Osaka Bay, region with other parts of Japan. For Of the three metropolitan centres of facilitating its subsequent development example, the San’in main line (Kyoto– Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, only Osaka has into a major economic centre and port. Hatabu, 673.8 km) follows the Sea of a loop line. Neither Kobe, which extends Kobe, which has long been known as the Japan westwards to the Chugoku region; lengthwise on a thin strip of land port of Hyogo, has a history of about the Kansai main line (Nagoya–JR Namba, hemmed-in between the Rokko 1000 years, and became an international 174.9 km) links the Kinki region to points Mountains and Osaka Bay, nor Kyoto, port after the Meiji Restoration. Today, further east; and the Kisei main line which lies in a relatively small basin and the Kinki region is dominated by the three (Kameyama–Wakayama-shi, 384.2 km) has been a crowded urban centre for large cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. runs through southern Kinki. All these many centuries, have a topography They extend in a fairly straight line, lines extend over considerable distances, suiting a loop line. forming a metropolitan region with a but they serve mostly local, short- The Osaka Kanjo Line is a full metropolitan shape that is rarely seen elsewhere. distance passenger traffic. loop line in a similar sense to Tokyo’s The northern part of the Kinki region, Private railways other than the JRs are Yamanote Line but it is much newer. (It facing the Sea of Japan, is covered in more developed in the Kinki region than opened in 1961 while the Yamanote Line deep winter snows. The Kii Peninsula anywhere else in Japan. There are five began operations as a complete loop in in the southernmost part of Kinki has major non-JR private operators serving the 1925.) Although there was some track mountains extending to the Pacific coast Kyoto–Osaka–Kobe metropolitan region: over much of the current circular right- and the lack of a flat coastal plain has Hanshin Electric Railway (Hanshin), of-way before 1961, it was insufficient kept population levels low. Both Hankyu Corporation (Hankyu), Keihan to form a complete loop. The eastern northern and southern Kinki are known Electric Railway (Keihan), Nankai Electric part of the present loop, between Tennoji for their natural beauty and attract many Railway (Nankai), and Kinki Nippon and Osaka stations, was called the Joto tourists to national parks. Railway (Kintetsu). While these Line. It was constructed to permit trains companies play a leading role in carrying from the Kansai main line to extend passengers in Kinki, they have also services to Osaka Station. The north-west Overview of Rail Network developed real estate and promoted social part, between Osaka Station and the facilities, such as theme parks, alongside coastal industrial zone, was called the Japan’s key rail corridor containing their tracks. Indeed, their position is so Nishinari Line, and was used mainly for the Tokaido main line (Tokyo–Kobe, strong that Kinki is nicknamed the ‘Empire freight. The western end of this line is 56 Japan Railway & Transport Review 36 • September 2003 Copyright © 2003 EJRCF. All rights reserved. now called the Sakurajima Line. opened in 1994, a new rail service was Construction of the loop line was delayed launched. The Haruka limited express by the network of old canals dating from trains offer through services from the the late 16th century. The canals were airport to Shin Osaka and Kyoto stations, important for freight transport and large following the route taken by limited barges came right into the inner city. As a expresses coming from the Kisei main line consequence, the Osaka municipal and boosting connections to the Tokaido Series 221 Yamatoji rapid train at Bentencho Station government was opposed to the construction and San’yo shinkansen. on Osaka Kanjo Line (JR West) of bridges—even railway bridges—in the western, coastal part of Osaka. Railway Lines in Osaka Area The loop opened in 1961 ran on the tracks of the Joto Line, the Nishinari Line, the to Shin Senda to Kyoto Kansai main line section between Tennoji Kita Senri Handai Byoin-mae and Imamiya, part of the Osaka Rinko Line (a freight line), and a newly constructed Minami Ibaraki section that closed the loop. In the early Yamada Senri Chuo Bampaku days, only loop traffic used the line. Kinen Koen Stations on the eastern section (former Joto Shibahara Hotarugaike Hankyu Line) offered connections to private Senri Line Kita railway lines (Kintetsu’s Nara and Osaka OOsaka-kukosaka-kuko Osaka Hankyu Tokaido (Osaka(Osaka Airport)Airport) Kyuko Kyoto Shinkansen lines at Tsuruhashi, and Keihan’s main line Line at Kyobashi), so passengers levels were Fukuchiyama Esaka Line Dainichi high and this part of the city developed Hankyu Takarazuka quickly. But the western part of the loop Line Shin Tanimachi (including the former Nishinari Line) Osaka Line passed through an industrial zone with to Kobe San'yo Keihan main line low passenger levels. However, after the Shinkansen Kansai main line was electrified between Tenjimbashisuji Kadoma-shi 6-chome Amagasaki NNakatsuakatsu Nara and Minato-machi (now JR Namba) Kadoma-minami OOsakasaka Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line in 1973, JNR began running direct express Noda HHigashiigashi UmedaUmeda Katamachi Line JR Tozai Line Hanshin services on Sundays and holidays from NishiNishi UUmedameda Kyobashi UmedaUmeda to Kizu Nara via this western section to Osaka Station. The service was so popular that Sakurajima Awaza HommachiHommachi NNagahoriagahori Line Chuo Line Nagata Kintetsu Higashi YYotsubashiotsubashi Osaka Line it was introduced on weekdays in 1974. UniversalUniversal CCityity ShinsaibashiShinsaibashi After JNR was divided and privatized in Sakurajima NNambaamba JR Kintetsu Osaka/Nara lines 1987, JR West set out to improve its Namba Tsuruhashi Taisho inherited urban network. One such effort OkunichoOkunicho SakaisujiSakaisuji LineLine Sennichimae Line was the introduction of more direct Minami Tatsumi Osaka-ko Imamiya services from the suburbs to the inner city (Osaka Port) Ten'nojiTen'noji OTS Kansai to Nara using the loop line. In 1989, JR West laid TengachayaTengachaya main line Technoport Yotsubashi a short section of track at Tennoji Station Line Line Hanwa Line Shinkansen lines where the Hanwa and Kansai lines meet, Cosmo Midosuji JR Lines Square Line permitting through limited express services Private lines from the Kisei main line onto the loop. Suminoe- Osaka Municipal OTS New Tram koen Abiko Transportation The through services were extended to Technoport Line Bureau subways Nankai main Shin Osaka Station via a freight line from line a location near Fukushima Station and Nakamozu Yao-minami to Kansai International Airport/Wakayama then further again to Kyoto. When Kansai International Airport Copyright © 2003 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Japan Railway & Transport Review 36 • September 2003 57 Railway Operators Kanku rapid express services offer direct The Universal Studios Japan theme park JR West’s Tozai Line connections from the airport to Osaka was opened in 2001 next to the For many years, the Osaka municipal and Kyobashi stations, following the Sakurajima Line. As a result, JR West government maintained tight control over same loop line route as rapid trains improved through services to the line and transport within the city limits, making it coming from the Kansai main line. Since also introduced a direct limited express difficult for private railways and even JNR 1999, carriages of some trains from the service from the Hokuriku main line to to lay new track in the central district.