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Nippō Main Line

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Railway line in Japan
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Nippō Main Line
Kirishima limited express train crossing Ōyodo River, Miyazaki
Overview
OwnerLogo of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). JR Kyushu
LocaleKyushu
Termini
Stations111
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Technical
Line length467.2 km (290.3 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification20 kV AC (60 Hz)
Route map
Nippō Main Line

The Nippō Main Line (日豊本線, Nippō-honsen) is a railway line in Kyushu, in southern Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). Also known as the Fukuhoku Nippo Line, The line connects Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima via the east coast of Kyushu, passing through the prefectural capitals of Ōita and Miyazaki. A number of Limited Express trains operate along the route, including Limited Express Sonic trains between Hakata and Oita.

Stations

●: Stops
▲: Rapid service connecting to Hitahikosan Line non-stop,
｜: Non-stop
Liner services: Sawayaka Liner, Home Liner
Numbering Station Distance
(km) 		Rapid Liner Transfers Location
JF  01  Kokura 小倉 0.0 ● 　 　 Sanyo Shinkansen
■ Kagoshima Main Line
Kitakyushu Monorail 		Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka Prefecture
JF  02  Nishi Kokura 西小倉 0.8 ● 　 　 ■ Kagoshima Main Line
JF  03  Minami Kokura 南小倉 3.5 ▲ 　 　  
JF  04  Jōno 城野 6.1 ● 　 　 ■ Hitahikosan Line Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyushu
JF  05  Abeyama Kōen 安部山公園 8.4 ｜ 　 　  
JF  06  Shimosone 下曽根 11.6 ｜ 　 　  
JF  07  Kusami 朽網 15.0 ｜ 　 　  
JF  08  Kanda 苅田 18.6 ｜ 　 　   Kanda
JF  09  Obase Nishikōdai-mae 小波瀬西工大前 22.2 ｜ 　 　 Kanda Minato Line (freight)
JF  10  Yukuhashi 行橋 25.0 ● 　 　 ■ Heisei Chikuho Railway Tagawa Line Yukuhashi
Minami Yukuhashi 南行橋 26.8 ｜ 　 　  
Shindenbaru 新田原 30.2 ｜ 　 　  
Tsuiki 築城 33.9 ● 　 　   Chikujō
Shiida 椎田 36.9 ● 　 　  
Buzen Shōe 豊前松江 41.8 ｜ 　 　   Buzen
Unoshima 宇島 45.2 ● 　 　  
Mikekado 三毛門 48.0 ｜ 　 　  
Yoshitomi 吉富 50.0 ｜ 　 　   Yoshitomi
Nakatsu 中津 51.8 ● 　 　   Nakatsu Ōita Prefecture
Higashi Nakatsu 東中津 56.7 ● 　 　  
Imazu 今津 60.1 ● 　 　  
Amatsu 天津 62.5 ● 　 　   Usa
Buzen Zenkōji 豊前善光寺 65.5 ● 　 　  
Yanagigaura 柳ケ浦 69.1 ● 　 　  
Buzen Nagasu 豊前長洲 71.0 　 　 　  
Usa 宇佐 75.8 　 　 　  
Nishi Yashiki 西屋敷 79.4 　 　 　  
Tateishi 立石 85.2 　 　 　   Kitsuki
Naka Yamaga 中山香 90.4 　 　 　  
Kitsuki 杵築 99.2 　 　 　  
Ōga 大神 103.3 　 　 　   Hiji
Hiji 日出 107.2 　 　 　  
Yōkoku 暘谷 108.4 　 　 　  
Bungo Toyooka 豊後豊岡 111.3 　 　 　  
Kamegawa 亀川 114.9 　 　 　   Beppu
Beppu Daigaku 別府大学 117.0 　 　 　  
Beppu 別府 120.8 　 　 　  
Higashi Beppu 東別府 122.8 　 　 　  
Nishi Ōita 西大分 130.4 　 　 　   Ōita
Ōita 大分 132.9 　 　 　 ■ Kyūdai Main Line
■ Hōhi Main Line
Maki 牧 136.2 　 　 　  
Takajō 高城 138.0 　 　 　  
Tsurusaki 鶴崎 141.0 　 　 　  
Ōzai 大在 144.3 　 　 　  
Sakanoichi 坂ノ市 147.4 　 　 　  
Kōzaki 幸崎 151.8 　 　 　  
Sashiu 佐志生 159.0 　 　 　   Usuki
Shitanoe 下ノ江 161.0 　 　 　  
Kumasaki 熊崎 164.7 　 　 　  
Kami Usuki 上臼杵 167.6 　 　 　  
Usuki 臼杵 169.2 　 　 　  
Tsukumi 津久見 178.9 　 　 　   Tsukumi
Hishiro 日代 184.4 　 　 　  
Azamui 浅海井 188.2 　 　 　   Saiki
Kariu 狩生 192.0 　 　 　  
Kaizaki 海崎 194.8 　 　 　  
Saiki 佐伯 197.8 　 　 　  
Kamioka 上岡 202.4 　 　 　  
Naomi 直見 208.8 　 　 　  
Naokawa 直川 213.6 　 　 　  
Shigeoka 重岡 224.2 　 　 　  
Sōtarō 宗太郎 231.0 　 　 　  
Ichitana 市棚 238.5 　 　 　   Nobeoka Miyazaki Prefecture
Kitagawa 北川 243.2 　 　 　  
Hyūga Nagai 日向長井 246.7 　 　 　  
Kita Nobeoka 北延岡 251.3 　 　 　  
Nobeoka 延岡 256.2 　 ● 　  
Minami Nobeoka 南延岡 259.6 　 ● 　  
Asahigaoka 旭ケ丘 263.1 　 ｜ 　  
Totoro 土々呂 265.7 　 ｜ 　  
Kadogawa 門川 270.0 　 ● 　   Kadogawa
Hyūgashi 日向市 276.6 　 ● 　   Hyūga
Zaikōji 財光寺 278.9 　 ｜ 　  
Minami Hyūga 南日向 283.1 　 ｜ 　  
Mimitsu 美々津 289.7 　 ｜ 　  
Higashi Tsuno 東都農 294.1 　 ｜ 　   Tsuno
Tsuno 都農 298.7 　 ● 　  
Kawaminami 川南 305.6 　 ｜ 　   Kawaminami
Takanabe 高鍋 313.6 　 ● 　   Takanabe
Hyūga Shintomi 日向新富 320.0 　 ｜ 　   Shintomi
Sadowara 佐土原 326.7 　 ● 　   Miyazaki
Hyūga Sumiyoshi 日向住吉 330.9 　 ● 　  
Hasugaike 蓮ケ池 334.7 　 ｜ 　  
Miyazaki Jingū 宮崎神宮 337.4 　 ｜ 　  
Miyazaki 宮崎 339.9   ● ●  
Minami Miyazaki 南宮崎 342.5   ● ● ■ Nichinan Line
Kanō 加納 345.1     ｜  
Kiyotake 清武 347.8     ●  
Hyūga Kutsukake 日向沓掛 352.5     ●  
Tano 田野 358.0     ●  
Aoidake 青井岳 369.3     ｜   Miyakonojō
Yamanokuchi 山之口 379.1     ●  
Mochibaru 餅原 382.0     ●   Mimata
Mimata 三股 385.6     ●  
Miyakonojō 都城 389.9     ● ■ Kitto Line Miyakonojō
Nishi Miyakonojō 西都城 392.4     ●  
Isoichi 五十市 395.2        
Takarabe 財部 399.4         Soo Kagoshima Prefecture
Kitamata 北俣 403.0        
Ōsumi Ōkawara 大隅大川原 408.1        
Kita Naganoda 北永野田 413.4 　 　 　   Kirishima
Kirishima Jingū 霧島神宮 419.4 　 　 　  
Kokubu 国分 432.1 　 　 　  
Hayato 隼人 434.7 　 　 　 ■ Hisatsu Line
Kajiki 加治木 441.6 　 　 　   Aira
Kinkō 錦江 443.3 　 　 　  
Chōsa 帖佐 445.5 　 　 　  
Aira 姶良 447.1 　 　 　  
Shigetomi 重富 448.7 　 　 　  
Ryūgamizu 竜ケ水 455.7 　 　 　   Kagoshima
Kagoshima 鹿児島 462.6 　 　 　 ■ Kagoshima Main Line
Kagoshima City Tram

Though Kagoshima is the southern terminus for the line, some trains continue via the Kagoshima Main Line to the adjacent Kagoshima-Chūō station.

History

The Kyushu Railway Co. opened the 6 km Kokura - Jono section in 1895, and the Hōshū Railway Co. opened the 46 km Yukuhashi - Buzen Nagasu section in 1897. The former company acquired the latter in 1901, and was nationalised in 1907. The lines were connected in 1909, and extended south to Usa in the same year, the line reaching Beppu and Oita in 1911, Usuki in 1915 and Shigeoka in 1922.

The section from Kagoshima - Hayato opened as part of the Hisatsu line in 1901.

The original rail connection to Miyazaki (via the Kitto Line) opened in 1916, and the line was extended north to Takanabe in 1920, Bibi Tsu in 1921 and connected to the line from Kokura in 1923. The line west of Miyakonojo opened in sections from 1929, connecting to Hayato in 1932.

The 2.8 km Obase - Yukuhashi section was the first to be duplicated in 1956, and the Kokura - Jono section was double-tracked by 1958, continued to Obase by 1965 and extended south to Tateishi by 1983. The Naka Yamaga - Kisuki section was double-tracked between 1977 and 1978, and the Hiji - Oita section between 1966 and 1987.

The 152 km Kokura - Saizaki section was electrified in 1967, extended 191 km to Minami Miyazaki in 1974, and a further 120 km to Kagoshima in 1979.

Former connecting lines

The Beppu Daigaku - Sumiyoshi Shrine 'human' powered line, appears to be ~915mm (~3') gauge

A 3 km 'Kokura Bypass' line (junctioning 2 km north of Kokura on the Kagoshima Main Line) to the Nippo Main Line was opened in 1903, together with another line linking back to the Kagoshima Main Line south of Kokura. The 'Bypass' was built due to the Japanese army expressing concern at the vulnerability of Kokura to enemy naval gunfire. However, following Japan's success in the 1904 Russo-Japanese War, this concern diminished and the Kokura Bypass sections closed in 1911.

  • Jono station - The 4 km Nishitetsu Northern Line was built as a 1067mm (3'6") gauge line to Kawaraguchi between 1906/07. It was regauged to 1435mm and electrified at 600 VDC in 1920, and extended from Kawaraguchi to Uomachi (on the Kagoshima Main Line) in 1932. The line closed in 1980.
  • Unoshima station - The Yabakei Railway Co. opened the 762mm (2'6") gauge 17 km line to Yabakei in sections between 1914 and 1918 and was replaced by a bus service in 1936.
Yabakei Railway train at Nakatsu, ~1975
Tablet exchange on the Yabakei Railway, ~1975
  • Nakatsu station - The Yabakei Railway Co. also opened the 36 km 762mm gauge line to Morizane Onsen in sections between 1913 and 1924. The line was regauged to 1067mm in 1929. In 1944 the line commenced servicing the Nakatsu Steel works, until it closed in 1966. The 26 km section beyond Noji closed in 1971, with the remainder closing in 1975.
  • Buzen Zenkoji station - The 16 km 762mm gauge line to Buzen Futsukaichi opened in 1914/15, and closed in 1951 as a result of bridge damage caused by Typhoon Ruth.
  • Usa station - The 9 km line from Bungotakada to Usa Hachiman, including a connection to and overpass of the Nippo Main line at Usa, opened in 1916, closing in 1965.
  • Kitsuki station - The 30 km line to Kunisaki line was opened in sections between 1922 and 1935. A planned extension to Bungotakada was not built. Typhoon damage to bridges in 1961 saw the line formally closed in 1965.
  • Beppu Daigaku station - the Miyazaki Prefectural government built a human powered 1.7 km line of unknown gauge to the Sumiyoshi shrine in 1914. It closed in 1929.
  • Nishi Oita station - The 2 km freight line to Oita Minato operated 1911–1984.
  • Saizaki station - The Nippon Mining Co. opened a 9 km 762mm gauge line to Nikko Saganoseki in 1946. Passenger services commenced in 1948, freight service ceased in 1960 and the line closed in 1963.
Segawa bridge on the Takachiho line
Kuzuhara tunnel at Takachiho on the uncompleted line to Takamori
Kuzuhara tunnel now being used as a sake storage area
  • Nobeoka station - The 50 km line to Takachiho was opened to Hinokage (38 km) between 1935 and 1939, and to Takachiho in 1972. Construction of the 27 km section to the Takamori line continued until 1977, when flooding 2050m into the 6500m Takamori tunnel (16 km north of Takachiho) resulted in work being suspended. Construction was formally abandoned in 1980, after 30% of the line had been constructed. Freight service ceased in 1974, and in 1982 all service was suspended for four months due to Typhoon damage. In 1989 the line was transferred to the Third Sector Takachiho Railway, which operated until the line was extensively damaged by a typhoon in 2005, formal closure occurring in 2008.
  • Hyuga station - The 3.5 km line to Hoso-to Port opened in 1921. Passenger services ceased in 1972 and the line closed in 1993.
  • Sadowara station - The 19 km line to Hokita opened in 1922. Freight services ceased in 1972 and the line closed in 1984.
  • Nishi Miyakonojo station - The 39 km line to Shibushi opened between 1923 and 1925, connecting to the Nichinan Line. Freight service ended in 1983 and the line closed in 1987.
  • Kokubo station - The 98 km line to Shibushi, also connecting to the Nichinan Line, was not completed until 1972. The first section was opened by the Osumi Light Railway Co. as a 762mm gauge line from Funama to Kushira, via a reversing station at Kanoya, between 1915 and 1923. The line was nationalised in 1935, the same year the Shibushi - Higashikushira line was opened by JR. The 1 km connection to Kushira opened the following year, and in 1938 the Kushira - Funama section was regauged, with a new station at Kanoya removing the need to reverse direction there. The Funama - Kaigata section opened in 1961 as a passenger only line, and the Kaigata - Kokubu section also opened without freight service. The rest of the line lost freight service in 1982, and the entire line closed in 1987.

Accidents

On September 17, 2006, at 14:05, the Nichirin Number 9 train on the Nippo Line derailed near Minami-Nobeoka Station, causing some injuries.

References

  1. "TrainReview". trainreview.com. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
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