Tōhoku Main Line

Tōhoku Main Line
An E721 series EMU pulling into Nagamachi Station
Overview
Native name	東北本線
Locale	Kantō, Tōhoku
Termini	Tokyo Morioka
Operation
Owner	JR East
Technical
Line length	575.7 km (357.7 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC from Tokyo to Kuroiso 20 kV AC, 50Hz from Kuroiso to Morioka
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph)
Route map Tōhoku Main Line in red

Tōhoku Main Line Route Diagram

Legend Tokyo see Utsunomiya Line Tōhoku Shinkansen 163.3 Kuroiso 167.3 Takaku 171.5 0.0* Kurodahara 3.4* Kurogawasignal-1920 176.7 Toyohara Tochigi Prefecture/Fukushima Prefecture 182.0 Shirasaka 185.4 Shin-Shirakawa Hakuhō Line 188.2 Shirakawa 192.9 Kutano 197.4 Izumizaki 203.4 Yabuki 208.8 Kagamiishi 215.1 Sukagawa Suigun Line 221.8 Asaka-Nagamori 223.4 Kōriyama Freight Terminal 226.7 Kōriyama Miharu Horse Tramway ←Ban'etsu East Line Ban'etsu West Line→ 232.4 Hiwada 236.9 Gohyakugawa 240.7 Motomiya 246.6 Sugita 250.3 Nihonmatsu 254.5 Adachi 259.5 Matsukawa Kawamata Line 264.0 Kanayagawa 269.4 Minami-Fukushima Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka East Line 272.8 Fukushima Yamagata Shinkansen Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka Line Ōu Main Line 277.4 Yanome Signal Box Abukuma Express Line 278.8 Higashi-Fukushima Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka East Line 281.9 Date Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka East Line 285.9 Koori 289.3 Fujita 294.9 Kaida Fukushima Prefecture/Miyagi Prefecture 298.6 Kosugō 303.7 Nakamesignal-1966 Shiroishi-Zaō Station 306.8 Shiroshi 311.0 Higashi-Shiroishi 313.9 Tsudaprovisional signal-1911 315.3 Kita-Shirakawa Sennan Onsen Tramway 320.1 Ōgawara 323.1 Funaoka Abukuma Express Line Kakuda Tramway 327.7 Tsukinoki Jōetsu Line 334.2 Iwanuma 337.9 Tatekoshi Sendai Airport Transit: Sendai Airport Line 341.4 Natori Zōtō Tramway 344.1 Minami-Sendai Natori River 346.3 Tashidō Sennan Kōtsū 347.3 0.0# Nagamachi Sendai Tramway Hirose River Miyagino Freight Line 1.4 3.8# 0.0 Sendai Freight Terminal 348.8 349.9 351.8 Sendai Senseki Line 353.2 Senzan Line 355.8 6.6# Higashi-Sendai 357.5 Higashi-Sendai Signal Box Nanakita River 359.9 0.0* Iwakiri Shin-Rifu Branch Line 362.2 Rikuzen-Sannō Sendai Rinkai Railway Rinkai Main Line 363.5 Kokufu-Tagajō Shiogama Line 365.2 Shiogama Shiogama Tunnel 2.5* Shin-Rifu Sendai Shinkansen Depot 4.2* Rifu 369.1 Kita-Shiogama(signal)-1962 Senseki Line Rikuzen-Hamada 9.9* Akanumasignal-1962 Matsuhima-Kaigan 2015- 375.2 Matsushima(2) 15.8* Matsushima(1) -1962 Matsushima Railroad 377.2 Atago 381.6 21.2* Shinainuma 386.6 Kashimadai 391.5 Matsuyama-Machi Matsuyama Handcar Tramway 395.0 Kogota ←Ishinomaki Line Rikuu East Line→ Yoshikawa Horse Tramway 398.4 401.1 Tajiri Station Senpoku Railway Tōme Line 407.8 Semine Senpoku Railway Tsukidate Line 411.5 Umegasawa 416.2 Nitta 419.6 Kurihara Electric Railway (former route) 423.5 Ishikoshi Kurihara Den'en Railway Line new route Miyagi Prefecture/Iwate Prefecture 427.0 Yushima 431.2 Hanaizumi 434.4 Shimizuhara Iwate Prefecture/Miyagi Prefecture 437.8 0.0* Arikabe Miyagi Prefecture/Iwate Prefecture 5.0* Ōfunato 445.1 Ichinoseki 448.0 Yamanome 452.3 Hiraizumi 456.3 459.9 Maesawa 465.1 Rikuchū 470.1 Mizusawa Tankō Tramway 477.7 Kanegasaki 481.1 Rokuhara 483.7 487.5 Kitakami Waga Light Railway Kitakami Line 492.2 Murasakino 496.9 Hanamaki RailwayHanamaki Line Nishi-Hanamki Station Iwate Light Railway 500.0 Hanamaki Hanamaki Electric Railway Railway Line Kamaishi Line 505.7 Hanamaki Airport 511.4 Ishidoriya 516.8 Hizume 518.6 Shiwachūō 521.5 Furudate 525.1 Yahaba 528.8 Morioka Freight Terminal 529.6 Iwate-Iioka 533.5 Senbokuchō 535.3 Morioka Yamada Line Akita Shinkansen (Tazawako Line) Iwate Galaxy Railway Line

The Tōhoku Main Line (東北本線 Tōhoku-honsen) is a 575.7 km long railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Although officially the line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, most of the long-distance trains actually begin at Ueno Station in Taitō, Tokyo, and pass through such cities as Saitama, Utsunomiya, Fukushima, and Sendai, before reaching the end of the line in Morioka. The line originally extended to Aomori, but was truncated upon the extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen beyond Morioka, which mostly parallels the Tōhoku Main Line.

The 159.9 km long portion of the line between Ueno Station and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi is often referred to as the (JR) Utsunomiya Line. A portion of the Tōhoku Main Line is also shared with the Keihin-Tōhoku Line (29.6 km between Tokyo Station and Ōmiya Station in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama) and the Saikyō Line (18.0 km between Akabane Station in the Kita ward of Tokyo and Ōmiya Station).

Station list

Utsunomiya Line

(Ueno to Kuroiso)

Station	Japanese	Distance (km) (from Tokyo Station)	Transfers	Location
Ueno	上野	3.6	Tohoku Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen, Jōban Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Takasaki Line, Yamanote Line Tokyo Metro Ginza Line (G-16), Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (H-17) Keisei Main Line (at Keisei Ueno Station)	Taitō-ku	Tokyo
Oku	尾久	8.4		Kita-ku
Akabane	赤羽	13.2	Takasaki Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Saikyō Line
Urawa	浦和	24.2	Takasaki Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line	Urawa-ku, Saitama	Saitama Prefecture
Saitama-Shintoshin	さいたま新都心	28.7	Takasaki Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line	Ōmiya-ku, Saitama
Ōmiya	大宮	30.3	Tōhoku Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Takasaki Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Saikyō Line, Kawagoe Line Tobu Noda Line Saitama New Urban Transit Ina Line
Toro	土呂	33.3		Kita-ku, Saitama
Higashi-Ōmiya	東大宮	35.4		Minuma-ku, Saitama
Hasuda	蓮田	39.2		Hasuda
Shiraoka	白岡	43.5		Shiraoka
Shin-Shiraoka	新白岡	45.9
Kuki	久喜	48.9	Tobu Isesaki Line	Kuki
Higashi-Washinomiya	東鷲宮	51.6
Kurihashi	栗橋	57.2	Tōbu Nikkō Line
Koga	古河	64.7		Koga	Ibaraki Prefecture
Nogi	野木	69.4		Nogi	Tochigi Prefecture
Mamada	間々田	73.3		Oyama
Oyama	小山	80.6	Tohoku Shinkansen, Mito Line, Ryōmō Line
Koganei	小金井	88.1		Shimotsuke
Jichi-idai	自治医大	90.7
Ishibashi	石橋	95.4
Suzumenomiya	雀宮	101.8		Utsunomiya
Utsunomiya	宇都宮	109.5	Tōhoku Shinkansen, Nikkō Line
Okamoto	岡本	115.7
Hōshakuji	宝積寺	121.2	Karasuyama Line	Takanezawa
Ujiie	氏家	127.1		Sakura
Kamasusaka	蒲須坂	131.6
Kataoka	片岡	135.5		Yaita
Yaita	矢板	141.8
Nozaki	野崎	146.6		Otawara
Nishi-Nasuno	西那須野	151.8		Nasushiobara
Nasushiobara	那須塩原	157.8	Tohoku Shinkansen
Kuroiso	黒磯	163.3

Southern Tōhoku Main Line

(Kuroiso to Sendai)

• ●: All rapid trains stop
• *: Some rapid trains stop
• |: All rapid trains pass

Station	Japanese	Distance (km) (from Tokyo Station)	Rapid	Transfers	Location
Kuroiso	黒磯	163.3			Nasushiobara	Tochigi Prefecture
Takaku	高久	167.3			Nasu
Kurodahara	黒田原	171.5
Toyohara	豊原	176.7
Shirasaka	白坂	182.0			Shirakawa	Fukushima Prefecture
Shin-Shirakawa	新白河	185.4		Tohoku Shinkansen	Nishigo
Shirakawa	白河	188.2			Shirakawa
Kutano	久田野	192.9
Izumizaki	泉崎	197.4			Izumizaki
Yabuki	矢吹	203.4			Yabuki
Kagamiishi	鏡石	208.8			Kagamiishi
Sukagawa	須賀川	215.1			Sukagawa
Asaka-Nagamori	安積永盛	221.8		Suigun Line	Kōriyama
Kōriyama	郡山	226.7		Tohoku Shinkansen, Banetsu West Line, Banetsu East Line, Suigun Line (through from Asaka-Nagamori to Kōriyama)
Hiwada	日和田	232.4
Gohyakugawa	五百川	236.9			Motomiya
Motomiya	本宮	240.7
Sugita	杉田	246.6			Nihonmatsu
Nihonmatsu	二本松	250.3
Adachi	安達	254.5
Matsukawa	松川	259.5			Fukushima
Kanayagawa	金谷川	264.0
Minami-Fukushima	南福島	269.4
Fukushima	福島	272.8	●	Tohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen, Ōu Main Line Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka Line, Abukuma Express Line
Higashi-Fukushima	東福島	278.8	*
Date	伊達	281.9	*		Date
Koori	桑折	285.9	*		Koori
Fujita	藤田	289.3	*		Kunimi
Kaida	貝田	294.9	|
Kosugō	越河	298.6	|		Shiroishi	Miyagi Prefecture
Shiroishi	白石	306.8	●
Higashi-Shiroishi	東白石	311.0	|
Kita-Shirakawa	北白川	315.3	|
Ōgawara	大河原	320.1	●		Ōgawara
Funaoka	船岡	323.1	*		Shibata
Tsukinoki	槻木	327.7	*	Abukuma Express Line
Iwanuma	岩沼	334.2	●	Jōban Line	Iwanuma
Tatekoshi	館腰	337.9	|	Jōban Line	Natori
Natori	名取	341.4	●	Jōban Line Sendai Airport Line
Minami-Sendai	南仙台	344.1	|	Jōban Line	Taihaku-ku, Sendai
Taishidō	太子堂	346.3	|	Jōban Line
Nagamachi	長町	347.3	|	Jōban Line Sendai Subway Nanboku Line
Sendai	仙台	351.8	●	Akita Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Senzan Line, Senseki Line, Jōban Line (through from Iwanuma to Sendai) Sendai Subway Namboku Line, Sendai Subway Tōzai Line, Sendai Airport Line (through from Natori)	Aoba-ku, Sendai

Central Tohoku Main Line

(Sendai to Morioka)

Station	Japanese	Distance (km) (from Tokyo Station)	Rapid			Transfers	Location
			"Minami Sanriku"	"Aterui"	"Hamayuri"
Sendai	仙台	351.8	●			Akita Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Senzan Line, Senseki Line, Jōban Line (through from Iwanuma to Sendai) Sendai Subway Namboku Line, Sendai Subway Tōzai Line Sendai Airport Line (through from Natori)	Aoba-ku, Sendai	Miyagi Prefecture
Higashi-Sendai	東仙台	355.8	|				Miyagino-ku, Sendai
Iwakiri	岩切	359.9	|
Shin-Rifu	新利府	2.5 (from Iwakiri)	Branch line from Iwakiri				Rifu
Rifu	利府	4.2 (from Iwakiri)
Rikuzen-Sannō	陸前山王	362.2	|				Tagajō, Miyagi
Kokufu-Tagajō	国府多賀城	363.5	|
Shiogama	塩釜	365.2	|			Senseki-Tōhoku Line	Shiogama
Matsushima	松島	375.2	|				Matsushima
Atago	愛宕	377.2	|
Shinainuma	品井沼	381.6	|
Kashimadai	鹿島台	386.6	|				Ōsaki
Matsuyama-Machi	松山町	391.5	|
Kogota	小牛田	395.0	●			Rikuu East Line, Ishinomaki Line	Misato
Tajiri	田尻	401.1					Ōsaki
Semine	瀬峰	407.8					Kurihara
Umegasawa	梅ヶ沢	411.5					Tome
Nitta	新田	416.2
Ishikoshi	石越	423.5
Yushima	油島	427.0					Ichinoseki	Iwate Prefecture
Hanaizumi	花泉	431.2
Shimizuhara	清水原	434.4
Arikabe	有壁	437.8					Kurihara	Miyagi Prefecture
Ichinoseki	一ノ関	445.1				Tōhoku Shinkansen, Ōfunato Line	Ichinoseki	Iwate Prefecture
Yamanome	山ノ目	448.0
Hiraizumi	平泉	452.3					Hiraizumi
Maesawa	前沢	459.9					Ōshū
Rikuchū-Orii	陸中折居	465.1
Mizusawa	水沢	470.1		●
Kanegasaki	金ヶ崎	477.7		|			Kanegasaki
Rokuhara	六原	481.1		|
Kitakami	北上	487.5		●		Tōhoku Shinkansen, Kitakami Line	Kitakami
Murasakino	村崎野	492.2		|
Hanamaki	花巻	500.0		●	●	Kamaishi Line	Hanamaki
Hanamaki Airport	花巻空港	505.7		|	|
Ishidoriya	石鳥谷	511.4		|	|
Hizume	日詰	516.8		|	|		Shiwa
Shiwachūō	紫波中央	518.6		|	|
Furudate	古館	521.5		|	|
Yahaba	矢幅	525.1		●	●		Yahaba
Iwate-Iioka	岩手飯岡	529.6		|	|		Morioka
Senbokuchō	仙北町	533.5		●	|
Morioka	盛岡	535.3		●	●	Tohoku Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Yamada Line, Tazawako Line Iwate Galaxy Railway Line

Rolling stock

New HB-E210 series 2-car hybrid diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains are scheduled to be introduced on the line from 2015 between Sendai and Shiogama following the opening of a new link connecting with the Senseki Line at Takagimachi.^[1]

• 

  An HB-E210 series hybrid DMU

History

The construction of the Tōhoku Main Line began in the Kantō region and extended to the north end of Honshu, and the city of Aomori. It is one of oldest railway lines in Japan, with construction beginning in the late 19th century. Until November 1, 1906, the current Tōhoku Main Line was run by a private company Nippon Railway.

In 1883, the first segment between Ueno and Kumagaya opened. In 1885, it was extended to Utsunomiya, but the Tone River had to be crossed by boat. Following construction of the Tone River Bridge in 1886, Utsunomiya and Ueno were directly connected. The line gradually extended further to the north; to Kōriyama, Sendai, Ichinoseki and Morioka. In 1891, the segment between Morioka and Aomori opened, creating the longest continuous railway line in Japan.

After 1906, the line was nationalized and became the Tohoku Main Line operated by the Ministry of Railways. When Tokyo Station opened in 1925, the Tōhoku Main Line was extended from Ueno to the new station. Until the 1950s, this segment was used and many trains ran through both the Tōkaidō Main Line and Tohoku Main Line. However, when the Tohoku Shinkansen opened, it occupied land previously used for the tracks of mid and long-distance Tohoku Main Line trains. As a result, only a small number of commuter lines such as the Keihin-Tohoku Line now operate to Tokyo from the north, making Tokyo Station's status as part of the Tōhoku Main Line somewhat circumspect. This is set to change in March 2015 when the under-construction Ueno-Tokyo Line is completed, facilitating through service between the Tōkaidō Line and the Utsunomiya and Joban Lines.

In 2002, the Tohoku Shinkansen was extended from Morioka to Hachinohe and the operations of the local track segment between those two cities was turned over to Iwate Ginga Railway (IGR) and Aoimori Railway.^[2] With the extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen to Shin-Aomori station in 2010, the segment between Hachinohe and Aomori was delegated to the Aoimori Railway Company. The shortened Tōhoku Main Line is now the second-longest line in Japan, after the Sanin Main Line.

Double-tracking

The Tokyo to Omiya section was double-tracked between 1892 and 1896, extended to Furukawa in 1908, Koyama the following year, and to Utsunomiya in 1913.

The Iwanuma - Sendai - Iwakiri section was double-tracked between 1920 & 1923 and the Utsunomiya - Iwanuma section between 1959 and 1964. The Iwakiri - Morioka - Aomori section was double-tracked between 1951 and 1968, including the 17 km realigned section between Iwakiri and Atago in 1962.

Electrification

The 7 km Tokyo to Tabata section was electrified at 1,500 V DC in 1909, extended to Akabane in 1928, Omiya in 1932 and Kuroiso in 1959. Electrification was then continued north at 20 kV AC, reaching Fukushima in 1960, Sendai in 1961, Morioka in 1965, and Aomori in 1968.

Former connecting lines

The staff of the Bushu Railway in 1927

The railcar used on the Tsukinoki to Tateyama line

The Matsushima-Machi handcar tramway

A train on the Kurihara Railway in April 2006

Saitama Prefecture

• Hasuda Station: The Bushu Railway operated a 17 km line to Kamine from 1924 until 1938.

Tochigi Prefecture

• Mamada Station: A 2 km 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line to Omoigawa operated between 1899 and 1917.
• Hoshakuji Station: A 12 km line servicing the Utsunomiya Army Airfield operated between 1942 and 1945.
• Ujiie Station: An 8 km 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line operated to Kitsuregawa between 1902 and 1918.
• Yaita Station: The Tobu Railway opened the 24 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Tobu Yaita Line to Shin Takatoku (on the Tobu Kinugawa Line) on 1 March 1924.^[3] The line was converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1929, and closed on 30 June 1959.^[3]
• Nishi-Nasuno Station: A 15 km line was opened by the Shiobara Railway to Shiobara in 1912. The line was electrified at 550 V DC in 1921, and closed in 1936. The Higashino Railway opened a 24 km line to Nasu Ogawa between 1918 and 1924, the line closing in 1968. At Otawara Station, it connected with the 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) horse-drawn tramway mentioned below for the three years they were both open. A 5 km 762 mm gauge handcar line to Otawara opened in 1908. In 1917, it was converted to a horse-drawn tramway, but closed in 1921. At Otawara Station, it connected with the Higashino Railway line mentioned above.

Fukushima Prefecture

• Shirakawa Station: A 23 km line to Iwaki Tanakura (on the Suigun Line) was opened by the Shirotana Railway in 1916. The line was nationalised in 1941, and closed in 1944. Plans to reopen the line in 1953 resulted in a decision to convert the line to a dedicated busway, which opened in 1957.
• Koriyama Station: The Fukushima Prefectural Government operated a 13 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Miharu between 1891 and 1914.
• Matsukawa Station: A 12 km line to Iwashiro Kawamata operated from 1926 until 1972.

Miyagi Prefecture

• The Miyagi Prefectural Government operated the following three lines, all utilising 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge track:
  • Ogawara Station: a 27 km line to Toogatta opened between 1917 and 1922, and closed in 1937.
  • Tsukinoki Station: a 19 km line to Tateyama, opened in 1899 as a horse-drawn tramway. Steam locomotion was introduced in 1917, and the line closed in 1929.
  • Natori Station: a 6 km line to Yurage, operated from 1926 until 1939.
• Nagamachi Station: A 16 km 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge horse-drawn tramway was opened to Akiu Onsen in 1912. In 1925, the Akiho Electric Railway converted the line to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge and electrified it at 600 V DC. The line closed in 1961.
• Kofuku-Tagajo Station: When the Tohoku Main Line was realigned in 1956, the original line to Shiogama Wharf (on the Senseki Line) remained in place as a freight-only line, closing in 1997.
• Matsushima Station: The Miyagi Prefectural Government operated a 4 km, 1,067 mm gauge line to Matsushima Kaigan, electrified at 550 V DC, between 1922 and 1944.
• Matsushima-Machi Station: A 2 km 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line operated between 1923 and 1930.
• Kogota Station: Prior to the opening of the Rikuu East Line, a 10 km 2 ft 5 in (737 mm) gauge horse-drawn tramway operated to Furukawa between 1900 and 1913.
• Semine Station: The Senpoku Railway operated a 41 km 762 mm gauge line from Tome to Tsukidate between 1921 and 1968.
• Ishikoshi Station: The Kurihara Den'en Railway Line operated between 1921 and 2007.

Iwate Prefecture

• Hanamaki Station: An 18 km 762 mm gauge line to Nishinamari Onsen was opened in 1915 by the Hanamaki Electric Railway, which then opened a second line, 8 km to Hanamaki Onsen in 1925. Both lines were electrified at 600 V DC. The latter closed in 1972, and the former in 1976.

Aomori Prefecture

• Hachinohe Station: The Gonohe Electric Railway operated a 12 km line (not electrified, despite the company name) to Gonohe between 1929 and 1969.
• Misawa Station: The Towada Kanko Electric Railway Line operated between 1922 and 2012.
• Noheji Station: The Nanbu Jūkan Railway opened a 21 km line to Shichinohe in 1962. Freight services ceased in 1984, and the line closed in 1997.

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

1. "JR東日本に新型車両2形式 - E129系とディーゼルハイブリッド車両HB-E210系" [Two new train types for JR East: E129 series and diesel hybrid HB-210 series]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). Japan: Mynavi Corporation. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
2. Tetsudo Hobidas: "JR東日本 東北本線八戸―青森間の廃止を届出 " (27 November 2009). Retrieved 27 November 2009. (Japanese)
3. Hanai, Masahiro (April 1998). "東北本線沿線に失われた私鉄の接続駅を訪ねる1 東武鉄道矢板線" [Visiting Lost Private Railway Interchange Stations on the Tohoku Main Line (1): Tobu Yaita Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 38 no. 444 (Japan: Kōyūsha Co., Ltd.). pp. 76–81.