Kisei Main Line

The Kisei Main Line (紀勢本線, Kisei-honsen) is a railway line that parallels the coastline of the Kii Peninsula in Japan between Mie Prefecture and Wakayama Prefecture. The name takes the kanji characters from the names of the old provinces of Kii (紀伊) and Ise (伊勢).

Kisei Main Line
JR Central (left) and JR West (right) trains meet at the boundary, Shingū Station
Overview
Other name(s)	Kinokuni Line (JR West: Shingū–Wakayama)
Native name	紀勢本線
Status	In operation
Owner	JR Central, JR West, Nankai Electric Railway
Locale	Mie Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture
Termini	Kameyama Wakayamashi
Stations	96
Service
Type	Heavy rail
System	Urban Network (Wakayama–Wakayamashi)
Operator(s)	JR Central, JR West, JR Freight
Rolling stock	JR Central: KiHa 25 series, KiHa 75 series DMU, HC85 series DEMU JR West: 283 series, 287 series, 289 series, 223 series, 225 series, 227 series EMU
History
Opened	21 August 1891
Technical
Line length	384.2 km (238.7 mi)
Number of tracks	Single track and double track sections
Character	Both urban and rural
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	None (Kameyama-Shingū) 1,500 V DC (Shingū–Wakayamashi)
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 mph)
Route map

v t e Kisei Main Line
Legend
km Kansai Main Line ↑JR West ↓JR Central 0.0 Kameyama Kansai Main Line Suzuka River 5.5 Shimonoshō 12.1 Ishinden Nagoya Kintetsu Nagoya Line & Ise Line 15.5 Tsu Tsu-Shimmachi Kintetsu Nagoya Line 19.3 Akogi Chūsei Railway 23.4 Takachaya 29.1 Rokken Kintetsu Yamada Line Ise Electric Railway Meishō Line 34.6 Matsusaka Mie Electric Railway Kintetsu Yamada Line 37.6 Tokuwa Ise Electric Railway 42.5 Taki Sangū Line 46.4 Ōka 49.6 Sana 55.1 Tochihara 60.8 Kawazoe 67.9 Misedani 73.0 Takihara 77.1 Aso 82.2 Ise-Kashiwazaki 86.9 Ōuchiyama 89.5 Umegadani Nisaka Tunnel 98.4 Kii-Nagashima 105.9 Minose 112.2 Funatsu 116.6 Aiga 123.3 Owase 127.4 Ōsoneura 134.4 Kuki 138.5 Mikisato 142.6 Kata 146.8 Nigishima 150.8 Atashika 153.2 Hadasu 155.2 Ōdomari 157.6 Kumanoshi 159.6 Arii 164.1 Kōshiyama 165.6 Kii-Ichigi 168.4 Atawa 173.8 Kii-Ida 176.6 Udono Kumano River 180.2 Shingū ↑JR Central ↓JR West Kumanoji ( closed 1982 ) Hirosumi ( closed 1938 ) 184.9 Miwasaki 186.6 Kii-Sano 188.7 Ukui 379.1 Kushinokawa ( closed 1967 ) 193.0 Nachi 193.9 Kii-Temma 195.1 Kii-Katsuura 197.8 Yukawa 199.9 Taiji 201.1 Shimosato 205.0 Kii-Uragami 209.9 Kii-Tahara 215.0 Koza 218.9 Kii-Hime 221.8 Kushimoto 227.6 Kii-Arita 229.4 Tanami 233.7 Tako 236.4 Wabuka 242.0 Esumi 245.0 Mirozu 250.7 Futagoyama signal box 254.0 Susami 261.2 Kii-Hiki 267.3 Tsubaki 272.5 Kii-Tonda 275.4 Shirahama 279.7 Asso 283.2 Kii-Shinjō 285.4 Kii-Tanabe 289.5 Haya 294.5 Minabe 299.6 Iwashiro 305.5 Kirime 309.3 Inami 313.6 Inahara 320.4 Wasa 324.7 Dōjōji 326.3 Gobō Kishū Railway 329.2 Kii-Uchihara   2.0 Yurauchi ( closed 1968 ) 334.5 0.0 Kii-Yura 341.3 Hirokawa Beach 343.9 Yuasa 347.3 Fujinami Arida Railway 351.2 Kii-Miyahara 355.6 Minoshima 358.1 Hatsushima 361.1 Shimotsu 363.8 Kamogō 367.7 Shimizuura Nogami Electric Railway 370.5 Kainan Hikata 372.3 Kuroe 375.9 Kimiidera 378.8 Miyamae 379.1 Tebira ( closed 1941 ) 379.5 Wakayamasō Yard ( closed 1986 ) Kishigawa Line 380.9 Wakayama Wakayama Line Kii-Nakanoshima Tennōji Hanwa Line 382.7 Kiwa 383.2 Nankai Main Line 384.2 Wakayamashi Nankai Kada Line Nankai Wakayamakō Line km

The line is operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) from Kameyama, the eastern terminus, to Shingū, and by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) from Shingū to Wakayamashi, the western terminus. The segment between Shingū and Wakayama is nicknamed as the Kinokuni Line (きのくに線), after the alternate name of the Kii Province.

The line has connections with through service, to the Kansai Main Line for Nagoya via the Ise Railway, and to the Hanwa Line at Wakayama for Osaka.

Line data

• Operators, distances:
  • Total: 384.2 km
  • Central Japan Railway Company (category 1)
    • Kameyama - Shingū: 180.2 km
  • West Japan Railway Company (category 1)
    • Shingū - Wakayamashi: 204.0 km
    • 1.0 km is property of Nankai Electric Railway shortly from Wakayamashi Station.
  • Japan Freight Railway Company (category 2)
    • Kameyama - Shingū: 180.2 km
    • Shingū - Kii-Sano: 6.4 km
• Railway signalling:
  • Kameyama - Shingū: Special Automatic (ja:閉塞方式#特殊自動閉塞式), a simplified automatic system
  • Shingū - Wakayama: Automatic
• Centralized traffic control (CTC) center:
  • Kameyama - Shingū: Tōkai Operation Control Center
  • Shingū - Wakayamashi: Tennōji Operation Control Center

Services

The Nanki limited express runs between Nagoya and Shingū or Kii-Katsuura with 4 return workings a day via the Ise Railway. The Kuroshio limited express runs between Kyoto/Shin-Ōsaka/Tennōji and Shingū with 15 return workings a day.

The line is generally divided to four parts for local services, by Shingū, Kii-Tanabe, Gobō, and Wakayama.

Stations

Kameyama to Shingū (JR Central)

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Kameyama	亀山	0.0	Kansai Main Line	Kameyama	Mie
Shimonoshō	下庄	5.5
Ishinden	一身田	12.1		Tsu
Tsu	津	15.5	■ Ise Railway Ise Line (12, some through service from Nagoya)  E  Kintetsu Nagoya Line (E39)
Akogi	阿漕	19.3
Takachaya	高茶屋	23.4
Rokken	六軒	29.1		Matsusaka
Matsusaka	松阪	34.6	Meishō Line (some through service from Ise-Okitsu)  M  Kintetsu Yamada Line (M64)
Tokuwa	徳和	37.6
Taki	多気	42.5	Sangū Line (some through service to Iseshi and Toba)	Taki, Taki
Ōka	相可	46.4
Sana	佐奈	49.6
Tochihara	栃原	55.1		Ōdai, Taki
Kawazoe	川添	60.8
Misedani	三瀬谷	67.9
Takihara	滝原	73.0
Aso	阿曽	77.1		Taiki, Watarai
Ise-Kashiwazaki	伊勢柏崎	82.2
Ōuchiyama	大内山	86.9
Umegadani	梅ヶ谷	89.5
Kii-Nagashima	紀伊長島	98.4		Kihoku, Kitamuro
Minose	三野瀬	105.9
Funatsu	船津	112.2
Aiga	相賀	116.6
Owase	尾鷲	123.3		Owase
Ōsoneura	大曽根浦	127.4
Kuki	九鬼	134.4
Mikisato	三木里	138.5
Kata	賀田	142.6
Nigishima	二木島	146.8		Kumano
Atashika	新鹿	150.8
Hadasu	波田須	153.2
Ōdomari	大泊	155.2
Kumanoshi	熊野市	157.6
Arii	有井	159.6
Kōshiyama	神志山	164.1		Mihama, Minamimuro
Kii-Ichigi	紀伊市木	165.6
Atawa	阿田和	168.4
Kii-Ida	紀伊井田	173.8		Kihō, Minamimuro
Udono	鵜殿	176.6
Shingū	新宮	180.2		Shingū	Wakayama

Shingū to Wakayama (Kinokuni Line) (JR West)

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Shingū	新宮	180.2		Shingū	Wakayama
Miwasaki	三輪崎	184.9
Kii-Sano	紀伊佐野	186.6
Ukui	宇久井	188.7		Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro
Nachi	那智	193.0
Kii-Temma	紀伊天満	193.9
Kii-Katsuura	紀伊勝浦	195.1
Yukawa	湯川	197.8
Taiji	太地	199.9		Taiji, Higashimuro
Shimosato	下里	201.1		Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro
Kii-Uragami	紀伊浦神	205.0
Kii-Tahara	紀伊田原	209.9		Kushimoto, Higashimuro
Koza	古座	215.0
Kii-Hime	紀伊姫	218.9
Kushimoto	串本	221.8
Kii-Arita	紀伊有田	227.6
Tanami	田並	229.4
Tako	田子	233.7
Wabuka	和深	236.4
Esumi	江住	242.0		Susami, Nishimuro
Mirozu	見老津	245.0
Susami	周参見	254.0
Kii-Hiki	紀伊日置	261.2		Shirahama, Nishimuro
Tsubaki	椿	267.3
Kii-Tonda	紀伊富田	272.5
Shirahama	白浜	275.4
Asso	朝来	279.7		Kamitonda, Nishimuro
Kii-Shinjō	紀伊新庄	283.2		Tanabe
Kii-Tanabe	紀伊田辺	285.4
Haya	芳養	289.5
Minabe	南部	294.5		Minabe, Hidaka
Iwashiro	岩代	299.6
Kirime	切目	305.5		Inami, Hidaka
Inami	印南	309.3
Inahara	稲原	313.6
Wasa	和佐	320.4		Hidakagawa, Hidaka
Dōjōji	道成寺	324.7		Gobō
Gobō	御坊	326.3	Kishū Railway Line
Kii-Uchihara	紀伊内原	329.2		Hidaka, Hidaka
Kii-Yura	紀伊由良	334.5		Yura, Hidaka
Hirokawa Beach	広川ビーチ	341.3		Hirogawa, Arida
Yuasa	湯浅	343.9		Yuasa, Arida
Fujinami	藤並	347.3		Aridagawa, Arida
Kii-Miyahara	紀伊宮原	351.2		Arida
Minoshima	箕島	355.6
Hatsushima	初島	358.1
Shimotsu	下津	361.1		Kainan
Kamogō	加茂郷	363.8
Shimizuura	冷水浦	367.7
Kainan	海南	370.5
Kuroe	黒江	372.3
Kimiidera	紀三井寺	375.9		Wakayama
Miyamae	宮前	378.8
Wakayama	和歌山	380.9	Hanwa Line (R54, through service to Tennōji), Wakayama Line Kishigawa Line (01), Kisei Main Line

Wakayama to Wakayamashi (JR West)

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Wakayama	和歌山	380.9	Hanwa Line (R54, through service to Tennōji), Wakayama Line Kishigawa Line (01), Kinokuni Line	Wakayama	Wakayama
Kiwa	紀和	382.7
Wakayamashi	和歌山市	384.2	Nankai Kada Line (Kada Sakana Line), Nankai Main Line, Nankai Wakayamako Line (NK45)

Rolling stock

JR Central

• KiHa 25 (since 1 August 2015)^[1]
• KiHa 75 (Mie rapid service)
• HC85 (Nanki limited express)

JR West

• 103 series
• 105 series
• 113 series
• 117 series
• 223 series (0 and 2500 subseries)
• 225-5000 series
• 227 series (from Spring 2019)
• 283 series (Kuroshio limited express)
• 287 series (Kuroshio limited express)
• 289 series (Kuroshio limited express)

Former

Passenger

• 165 series
• 221 series (until March 2011)
• 381 series (until 30 October 2015)
• 485 series
• KiHa 10 series
• KiHa 11 (until July 2015)^[1]
• KiHa 20 series
• KiHa 30 series
• KiHa 40 series
• KiHa 45 series
• KiHa 55 series
• KiHa 58 series
• KiHa 65
• KiHa 81 series
• KiHa 82 series
• KiHa 85 series
• Nankai Electric Railway KiHa 5501, KiHa 5505

Freight

• EF15
• DF50
• C58
• D60

History

The line is composed of sections opened by four different railway companies, which were then nationalised and linked by the JGR/JNR.

DMU train on Kisei main line in 1979

In 1891, the Kansai Railway opened the Kameyama to Tsu section, with the Sangu Railway opening the Tsu to Shoka section in 1893. At the western end, the Kiwa Railway opened the Wakayamashi to Wakayama section in 1903, and was acquired by the Kansai Railway the following year. The Kansai Railway and the Sangu Railway were nationalised in 1907. In 1912, the Shingu Railway opened the Kii-Katsuura to Miwasaki section, extending the line to Shingu the following year. The company was nationalised in 1934. On the eastern side of the Kii Peninsula, the Japanese Government Railway (JGR) extended the line from Shoka to Owase in sections between 1923 and 1934, whilst on the western side, it extended the line from Wakayama to Esumi in sections between 1924 and 1938. In 1935, the Kii-Katsuura to Taiji section was opened by JGR, extended to Kushimoto the following year, and to Esumi in 1940, providing a link to Wakayama and Osaka. The successor to JGR, the Japanese National Railways (JNR), opened the Owase to Shingu section in stages between 1956 and 1959, completing the line.

Double-tracking

The Akogi to Takajaya section was double-tracked in 1909, with the Matsusaka to Tokuwa section double-tracked two years later. In 1944, both sections were returned to single track and the recovered materials recycled for the Japanese war effort. The Wakayama to Kii-Tanabe section was double-tracked in stages between 1964 and 1978.

Electrification

The line was electrified between Wakayama and Shingu in 1978, with the Wakayama to Wakayamashi section being commissioned in 1984.

Other notable dates

CTC signalling was commissioned between Wakayama and Shingu in 1978, and extended to Kameyama in 1983.

Freight services ceased in 1986.

Former connecting lines

Arita Railway train, 2002

Nogami Electric Railway at Kainan

• Akogi Station: The Chusei Railway operated a 6 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line between Iwatahashi and Hisai between 1909 and 1942. At Hisai, it connected to the Dainippon Railway 15 km 762 mm gauge line to Ise-Kawaguchi on the Meisho Line between 1925 and 1942.
• Matsusaka Station: Mie Kotsu operated 20 km 762 mm line to Oishi between 1912 and 1964. The line was electrified at 600 V DC in 1927, although steam locomotives continued to be used until 1938.
• Tokuwa Station: The Ise Electric Railway "main line" connected here between 1930 and 1941.
• Funatsu Station: The Osugidani forest railway connected here to haul cedar. It was opened between 1929 and 1952 utilising 762 mm gauge, and featured a 17 km "main line" and nine branches of between 1 km and 11 km in length, as well as two cable-hauled inclines. The last line closed in 1974.
• Fujinami Station: The 9 km Arita Railway line between Yuasa and Kanaya which operated between 1915 and 2003 connected at this station.
• Kainan Station: The Nogami Electric Railway operated an 11 km line, electrified at 600 V DC, to Noburu-Yamaguchi between 1916 and 1994. Freight services operated between 1951 and 1971.
• Wakayama station - A 3 km line to Higashi-Matsue on the Nankai Kada Line opened in 1912. The line was electrified at 600 VDC in 1930, and closed in 1955.
• Kiwa Station: The Kishigawa Line commenced from this station from 1917 until the terminus was truncated 3 km to Wakayama in 1924.

See also

• List of railway lines in Japan

References

1. 紀勢本線・参宮線でキハ11形からキハ25形へ置換え [Switch from KiHa 11 to KiHa 25 on Kisei Main Line and Sangu Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.

External links

• JR Central official website (in English)
• JR West official website (in English)