Tōhoku Main Line

The Tōhoku Main Line(Japanese: 東北本線, Hepburn: Tōhoku-honsen) is a 575.7-kilometre-long (357.7 mi) railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line runs from Ueno Station in Ueno, Tokyo through major cities including Saitama, Utsunomiya, Fukushima, and Sendai, terminating at Morioka in Iwate Prefecture. The line originally extended to Aomori, but was truncated following the extension of the Tōhoku Shinkansen beyond Morioka, which largely parallels the former route.

A portion of the Tōhoku Main Line is shared with the Keihin–Tōhoku Line (between Ueno and Ōmiya Station in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama) and the Saikyō Line (between Akabane Station in the Kita ward of Tokyo and Ōmiya Station).

In regular service, JR East applies different service names to sections of the Tōhoku Main Line. The 163.5-kilometre-long (101.6 mi) section between Tokyo Station and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture is referred to as the Utsunomiya Line, while the remaining northern portion is referred to as the Tōhoku Line. This distinction reflects a change in electrification from 1,500 V DC south of Kuroiso to 20 kV 50 Hz AC north of the station; as a result, there are no regularly scheduled passenger services operating through Kuroiso Station.

Station list

These lists are separated by service patterns provided on the Tōhoku Main Line.

Ueno – Kuroiso

The section between Tokyo and Kuroiso is known as the Utsunomiya Line.

Kuroiso – Shin-Shirakawa

Shin-Shirakawa – Fukushima

All stations are located in Fukushima Prefecture.

Fukushima – Sendai

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

Sendai – Ichinoseki

Legends:

• ●: All rapid trains stop
• |: All rapid trains pass
• ‖: Senseki-Tōhoku Line trains do not travel on this section

Ichinoseki – Morioka

All stations are located in Iwate Prefecture.

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

Rolling stock

Tokyo – Utsunomiya

• E231-1000 series EMUs
• E233-3000 series EMUs

Utsunomiya - Kuroiso

• E131-600/-680 series EMUs

Previously

• 205-600 series EMUs

From March 2013, a fleet of eight refurbished 4-car 205-600 series EMUs was phased in on Utsunomiya Line services between Koganei and Kuroiso, replacing 211 series sets.

• An E231-1000 series EMU
• An E233-3000 series EMU
• A 205-600 series EMU

Kuroiso – Shin-Shirakawa

• E531-3000 series EMUs

Shin-Shirakawa – Ichinoseki

• 701 series EMUs
• 719 series EMUs
• E721 series/ SAT721 series EMUs
• HB-E210 series DMUs - Senseki-Tōhoku Line

Ichinoseki – Morioka

• 701 series EMUs

• 701 series (Sendai-based)
• 701 series (Morioka-based)
• 719 series
• E721 series (right) and SAT721 series (left)
• 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 1 November 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 Tōhoku 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 Tōhoku Main Line. However, when the Tōhoku Shinkansen opened, it occupied land previously used for the tracks of mid and long-distance Tōhoku Main Line trains. As a result, only a small number of commuter lines (such as the Keihin–Tōhoku Line) operated from Ueno to Tokyo, making Tokyo Station's status as part of the Tōhoku Main Line somewhat circumspect, until the Ueno–Tokyo Line opened in 2015, connecting the two stations (with the exception of the occasional train that terminates at Ueno Station).

In 2002, the Tōhoku 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. 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 Koga in 1908, Oyama 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 (11 mi) realigned section between Iwakiri and Atago in 1962.

Electrification

The 7 km (4.3 mi) 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

Saitama Prefecture

• Hasuda Station: The Bushu Railway operated a 17 km (11 mi) line to Kamine from 1924 until 1938.

Tochigi Prefecture

• Mamada Station: A 2 km (1.2 mi) 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line to Omoigawa operated between 1899 and 1917.
• Hoshakuji Station: A 12 km (7.5 mi) line servicing the Utsunomiya Army Airfield operated between 1942 and 1945.
• Ujiie Station: An 8 km (5.0 mi) 610 mm (2 ft) gauge handcar line operated to Kitsuregawa between 1902 and 1918.
• Yaita Station: The Tobu Railway opened the 24 km (15 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge Tobu Yaita Line to Shin Takatoku (on the Tobu Kinugawa Line) on 1 March 1924. The line was converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge in 1929, and closed on 30 June 1959.
• Nishi-Nasuno Station: A 15 km (9.3 mi) 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 (15 mi) 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 (3.1 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) 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 (14 mi) line to Iwaki Tanakura (on the Suigun Line) was opened by the Shirotana Railway in 1916. The line was nationalized 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 (8.1 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge line to Miharu between 1891 and 1914.
• Matsukawa Station: A 12 km (7.5 mi) 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 (17 mi) line to Toogatta opened between 1917 and 1922, and closed in 1937. Tsukinoki Station: a 19 km (12 mi) 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 (3.7 mi) line to Yurage, operated from 1926 until 1939.
• Nagamachi Station: A 16 km (9.9 mi) 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 Tōhoku 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 (2.5 mi), 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge line to Matsushima Kaigan, electrified at 550 V DC, between 1922 and 1944.
• Matsushima-Machi Station: A 2 km (1.2 mi) 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 (6.2 mi) 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 (25 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) 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 (11 mi) 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) 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 (7.5 mi) 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 (13 mi) line to Shichinohe in 1962. Freight services ceased in 1984, and the line closed in 1997.

See also

• Utsunomiya Line
• Takasaki Line
• Shōnan–Shinjuku Line
• Ueno–Tokyo Line