Hakuhō Line

Hakuhō Line (Japanese: 白棚線) is a JR Bus Kanto bus route. It connects Shirakawa Station in Shirakawa, Fukushima, with Iwaki-Tanakura Station, Higashishirakawa District. The route was originally a private railway, taken over by Japanese Government Railways in 1941. It was then transferred to The Ministry of Transport and Communications in 1943. Rail service was suspended in 1944, being replaced by buses. In 1957 the Japan National Railway (JNR) bus department converted the (transportation) to an exclusive bus road. After the JNR break-up in 1987, the bus route was transferred to JR East and JR Bus.

Ministry of Transport and Communications 白棚線
Overview
Other name(s)Hakuhō Line
Statusconverted to busway
OwnerHakuhō Railway (1914–1941)
Japanese Government Railways (1941–1943)
Ministry of Transport and Communications (1943–1957)
Termini
Stations11
History
Opened8 October 1916 (1916-10-08)
withdrawal of service11 December 1944 (1944-12-11)
Technical
Line length23.3 km (14.5 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrificationnone
Hakuhō Line
km
0.0
 Shirakawa
 Nobori-machi
4.6
 Nanko
7.5
 Sekisanguchi
9.6
 Koseki
12.5
 Bansawa
14.2
 Iwaki-Kaneyama
15.8
 Yanamori
18.0
 Mimori
19.6
 Kanasawauchi
23.3
 Iwaki-Tanakura
A September 2009 view of the bus-only roadway near Bansawa-Onsenguch

History

Construction

During the Edo era, there was a Tanakura Domain jōkamachi (castle town) in Higashishirakawa District, Fukushima. By the time of the Meiji era there was a municipal hall, police station, and tax office. Following the opening of the Nippon Railway in 1897, the economy of the district declined. However，many wealthy people tried to revive the town and proposed constructing a railway line to serve the many coal mines in Kaneyama and Takano. However, the plan was abandoned in 1898.[1][2]

After the plan failed, Keijirō Amenomiya (雨宮敬次郎, Amenomiya Keijirō), known as the "Railway King" (鉄道王, Tetsudō-ō), began building the line as a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) narrow gauge railway,[3] but the line wasn't completed. After years of deadlock the Tanakura Railway was permitted to construct the railway in 1908. However, three other companies were also authorized in 1912.

In 1914, the Hakuhō Railway started to construct the Hakuhō Line. At the same time the gauge was changed to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) to allow direct connection to the Japan National Railway.[4][5] The corporate name was also changed from Hakuhō Narrow Gauge Railway (Japanese:白棚軽便鉄道) to Hakuhō Railway (Japanese:白棚鉄道).

Nationalization

When the Suigun Line was extended to Iwaki-Tanakura Station in 1932, the Hakuhō Railway began losing money because rates for freight were lower on the Japan National Railway. The Hakuhō Railway applied for abandonment, and the JNR tried acquiring it.[6] However, the plan was not approved at the time due to finances.[7] In 1936 the Japan National Railway finally authorized debt to acquire the Hakuhō Railway. Two years later JNR took over the line.[8] As World War II progressed, service was suspended in 1944 when the railway was designated as a nonessential and nonurgent line (Japanese: 不要不急線).

After World War II it was proposed that the railway be rebuilt and operated with Galloping Goose railbuses.[9] Instead, the line was abandoned and converted to bus.

Timeline
  • 23 June 1913 - authorized construction of the Hakuhō Narrow Gauge Railway[10]
  • 17 June 1914 - name changed to Hakuhō Railway[11][12]
  • 8 October 1916 - 19.6 kilometres (12.2 miles) of line opened between Shirakawamachi and Kanasawauchi[13][14]
  • 29 November 1916 - remaining 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) opened from Kanasawauchi to Iwaki-Tanakura[15]
  • 28 April 1917 - Yanamori Station opened[16]
  • 19 May 1926 - Sekisanguchi Station opened[17]
  • 1 April 1929 - Nobori-machi, Bansawa, and Mimori station opened[18]
  • 11 November 1931 - Suigun Line and Iwaki-Tanakura Station opened
  • 30 May 1933 - freight service discontinued[19]
  • 4 December 1934 - Suigun Line completed
  • 1 October 1938 - became JNR Hakuhō Line[20]
  • 1 May 1941 - line nationalized[21]
  • 11 December 1944 - passenger service suspended and replaced by buses[22]

JR Bus Kanto Hakuhō Line

JR Bus Kanto operates the Hakuhō Line. Starting at Sobooka, the route serves Iwaki-Tanakura Station, Mimori, Yanamori, Matsunoue, Sekibe, and Nanko Park, ending either at Shin-Shirakawa Station via Shirakawa Station or reverse.[23] Between Sekibe and Matsunoue, and Yanamori and Mimori buses use the former railway right of way which has been paved and converted to an exclusive bus-only road. Two commuter trips from Asahi-machi 2 chome operate inbound in the morning, and two are scheduled in the evening.

Fares

It costs ¥740 for an adult to ride from Iwaki-Tanakura to Shin-Shirakawa; ¥800 if going via Shirakawa Station. Travelers who have a Japan Rail Pass are allowed unlimited rides on the Hakuhō Line.

References
  1. 『棚倉町史』第1巻、792頁
  2. 『鉄道局年報. 明治31年度』（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  3. Amenomiya, Keijirō (1907). "Keibentetsudō no hokki" 軽便鉄道の発起 [Started to construct narrow gauge railway]. Kako 60 nen jiseki 過去六十年事蹟 [Past 60 years]. Tokyo: 桜内幸雄. pp. 312–321. doi:10.11501/2385822. JPNO 48012709. p. 321: Kumamoto, Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, Ise, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Kōfu, Aidzu, Shirakawa (Shirakawa), Chiba-tō he mo sorezore-te o tsukete iru 熊本、山口、広島、伊勢、静岡、浜松、甲府、会津、白川（白河）、千葉等へも其れ其れ手を着けて居る [Kumamoto, Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, Ise, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Kofu, Aizu, Shirakawa (Shirakawa), Chiba, etc. are each happening.]
  4. 「愛国生命創立の由来と其特色」『日本新聞』1912年8月27日（神戸大学附属図書館新聞記事文庫）
  5. 『人事興信録. 4版』（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  6. 「特別報告第222号」『官報』1933年3月20日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  7. 第65回帝国議会「特別報告第51号」『官報』1934年3月12日、第67回帝国議会「特別報告第105号」『官報』1935年3月14日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  8. 「富士身延鉄道株式会社及白棚鉄道株式会社所属鉄道買収ニ関スル件」『官報』1941年3月7日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  9. 「新しい乗りものレールバス」『読売新聞』夕刊1954年2月27日 - ヨミダス歴史館にて閲覧
  10. 「軽便鉄道免許状下付」『官報』1913年6月26日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  11. 『日本全国諸会社役員録. 第25回』（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  12. 『地方鉄道及軌道一覧. 昭和15年11月1日現在』（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  13. 「軽便鉄道運輸開始」『官報』1916年10月12日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  14. 「軽便鉄道停車場名改称」『官報』1916年11月22日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  15. 『鉄道院鉄道統計資料. 大正5年度』（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  16. 「軽便鉄道停車場設置」『官報』1917年5月3日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  17. 「地方鉄道駅設置」『官報』1926年6月4日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  18. 湯口徹『内燃動車発達史』上巻、52頁
  19. 『日本国有鉄道百年史』第11巻、888頁
  20. 「鉄道省告示第236号」『官報』1938年9月29日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  21. 「鉄道省告示第85号」『官報』1941年4月30日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  22. 「運輸通信省告示第568号」『官報』1944年11月21日（国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション）
  23. Timetable
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