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Meishō Line

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Meishō Line
KiHa 11 series DMU on the line in 2023
Overview
Native name名松線
StatusIn operation
OwnerJR Central
LocaleMie Prefecture
Termini
Stations15
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR Central
Rolling stockKiHa 11 series DMU
History
Opened25 August 1929
Last extension5 December 1935
Technical
Line length43.5 km (27.0 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed65 km/h (40 mph)
Route map

Legend
km
Kintetsu Yamada Line
& JR-C Kisei Main Line
0.0
 Matsusaka
Kintetsu Yamada Line
& JR-C Kisei Main Line
4.2
 Kaminoshō
7.0
 Gongemmae
11.7
 Ise-Hata
Kintetsu Osaka Line
13.0
 Ichishi
Kawai-Takaoka
Kintetsu Osaka Line
15.6
 Isegi
18.5
 Ise-Ōi
Chūsei Railway
21.3
 Ise-Kawaguchi
23.3
 Sekinomiya
25.8
 Ieki
29.5
 Ise-Takehara
33.8
 Ise-Kamakura
36.6
 Ise-Yachi
39.7
 Hitsu
43.5
 Ise-Okitsu
This diagram:

The Meishō Line (名松線, Meishō-sen) is a rural, regional railway line of Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) in Mie Prefecture, Japan, connecting Matsusaka station in Matsusaka and Ise-Okitsu station in Tsu.

The line takes its name from the kanji characters of the cities of Nabari (名張) and Matsusaka (松阪). Although this line was planned to connect them, the section from Ise-Okitsu to Nabari was never built, due to the prior completion of the present Kintetsu Osaka Line.[1]

History

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The line was mentioned in the Railway Construction Act in 1922, which was a list of proposed railway lines to be constructed in the future. The line was a part of the proposed line that would have connected Sakurai, Nara, Nabari, and Matsusaka.[2] The section between Matsusaka and Ieki opened in stages between 1929 and 1931. The first section to Gongemmae opened on 25 August 1929, then to Isegi in 1930, and to Ieki in 1931. The line was eventually extended to Ise-Okitsu in 1935.[3] In 1930, the Sankyu Rapid Electric Railway opened a different railway route connecting Nabari and Matsusaka, resulting in the line not being extended any further. Because the line failed to connect the two cities, it suffered from ridership decline.[4] Diesel multiple units began running on the line in 1934.[5] Freight services ceased in 1965.[3] An unmanned train descended down the line twice in 2006[6] and 2009. This resulted in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism issuing a warning against JR Central.[7] In response, the company limited the number of drivers in the line to 20, and instructed them to use an additional brake for safety.[8]

The closure of the line has been discussed multiple times, with the first taking place during the Deficit 83 lines movement in 1968 and the second specified local lines selection of lines, but was never closed due to the poor road conditions in the area. The closure was discussed again in October 2009, when Typhoon Melor struck the area and washed out over 40 sections between Ieki and Ise-Okitsu, but the line reopened on March 26, 2016 with help from passing municipalities.[4] A Mie Kotsu bus service directly connected Nabari Station and Ise-Okitsu, although this service was abolished in 2021.[9]

Service

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The Meishō Line is a rural line in the inland of Mie Prefecture.[4] There are eight return workings a day. All trains are Local driver-only services and stop at every station. There are no limited-stop services such as rapids.[10] Services are nearly always formed of single-car KiHa 11 series DMUs, though two cars may occasionally be used during events or busy seasons.[11]

Infrastructure

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Stations list

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Station Date opened[12][13] Distance (km) Transfers Location
English Japanese Between
Stations 		Total
Matsusaka 松阪 31 December 1893 - 0.0 Kisei Main Line
Kintetsu: Yamada Line 		Matsusaka
Kaminoshō 上ノ庄 1 August 1960 4.2 4.2  
Gongemmae 権現前 25 August 1929 2.8 7.0  
Ise-Hata 伊勢八太 30 March 1930 4.7 11.7   Tsu
Ichishi 一志 20 January 1938
As Ise-Tajiri 		1.3 13.0
Isegi 井関 30 March 1930 2.6 15.6  
Ise-Ōi 伊勢大井 20 January 1938 2.9 18.5  
Ise-Kawaguchi 伊勢川口 11 September 1931 2.8 21.3  
Sekinomiya 関ノ宮 20 January 1938 2.0 23.3  
Ieki 家城 11 September 1931 2.5 25.8  
Ise-Takehara 伊勢竹原 5 December 1935 3.7 29.5  
Ise-Kamakura 伊勢鎌倉 4.3 33.8  
Ise-Yachi 伊勢八知 2.8 36.6  
Hitsu 比津 3.1 39.7  
Ise-Okitsu 伊勢奥津 3.8 43.5  

Rolling stock

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References

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  1. ^ "鉄道トリビア(338) 6年半の不通から復旧する名松線、路線名に隠された建設計画". マイナビニュース (in Japanese). 23 January 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  2. ^ "鉄道敷設法・御署名原本・大正十一年・法律第三十七号". www.digital.archives.go.jp. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 (in Japanese). JTB. 1998. p. 189. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
  4. ^ a b c "JR東海が｢不通路線｣を復旧した本当の理由" (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  5. ^ "国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション". dl.ndl.go.jp. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  6. ^ "asahi.com：無人列車８．５キロ走る、車止め忘れ　ＪＲ東海 - 社会". www.asahi.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  7. ^ "鉄道輸送の安全確保について（警告書発出）" (PDF). Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  8. ^ "ニュースリリース - ＪＲ東海 Central Japan Railway Company". jr-central.co.jp. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  9. ^ "伊勢奥津駅～名張駅 直行バス廃止 JR名松線の夢継ぐ路線 4月から乗り継ぎ必須に". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). 31 March 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  10. ^ "松阪駅(ＪＲ名松線 伊勢奥津方面)の時刻表 - 駅探". ekitan.com (in Japanese). 20 December 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  11. ^ "名松線にキハ25形が入線｜鉄道ニュース｜2016年4月30日掲載｜鉄道ファン・railf.jp". 鉄道ファン・railf.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  12. ^ Ishino I, p. 189.
  13. ^ Ishino II, p. 383, 384.

Bibliography

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  • Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 189. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
  • Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory – JNR/JR] (in Japanese). Vol. II. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. pp. 383, 384. ISBN 4-533-02980-9.
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