The Aichi Loop Line (愛知環状鉄道線, Aichi Kanjō Tetsudō-sen; "Aichi Loop Railway Line") is a Japanese railway line connecting Okazaki Station in Okazaki and Kōzōji Station in Kasugai. It is the sole line operated by Aichi Loop Railway (愛知環状鉄道, Aichi Kanjō Tetsudō). The line and operating company are both abbreviated as Aikan (愛環). Despite its name, the line is a not a true loop; however, it can be said to form a loop with the JR Tokaido Line and Chuo Line serving as other portions of the circle.
| Aichi Loop Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
 Local train approaching Mutsuna Station | |||
| Overview | |||
| Locale | Aichi Prefecture | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 23 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Commuter rail | ||
| Operator(s) | Aichi Loop Railway | ||
| Rolling stock | Aichi Loop Railway 2000 series | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 31 January 1988 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Track length | 45.3 km[1] | ||
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)[1] | ||
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC[1] | ||
| Operating speed | 110[1] km/h (68 mph) | ||
| |||
The Aichi Loop Railway is a third-sector company, with shares held by public sector such as Aichi Prefecture, the city of Toyota, and also by private companies. Unlike typical third-sector lines in Japan, the Aichi Loop Line makes a profit, as it functions as commuter rail for nearby Toyota Motor factories and offices.
History
editThe line's construction was proposed by the amended Railway Construction Act on 30 March 1927. The line was described as a railway line starting from Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, passing through Koromo and terminating at Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture.[2] The Ministry of Railways considered establishing bus routes before constructing railway lines for some of the proposed lines that were considered hard to sustain. Out of the seven candidates, this route was selected as the first bus route of this plan. The bus route opened as the Okata Line (岡多線) on 20 December 1930 with seven buses and ten trucks. This bus line has since been abolished in 2002.[3]
Construction of the Okata Line by the Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation[4] commenced on 13 August 1965. Freight operations on the line between Okazaki and Kitano-Masuzuka began on 1 October 1970.[5]
The first section of the line between Okazaki and Kitano-Masuzuka opened for passengers in 1970, as a railway line of the Japanese National Railways (JNR). The section between Kitano-Masuzuka and Shin-Toyota was extended and the whole line started a passenger service in 1976. Another part of the line, between Setoshi and Kōzōji, was originally part of a freight line planned as the JNR Seto Line. The line did not do well financially under JNR ownership, and it was later designated for closure.[6]
The newly founded third-sector Aichi Loop Line Company took over the line, now renamed to the Aichi Loop Line, from Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), with services starting on 31 January 1988. Beginning on 1 March 2005, through service began with the JR Chuo Main Line to Nagoya Station, initially to carry visitors to the Expo 2005.[6][5]
The line became compatible with TOICA, a contactless smart card, on 2 March 2019.[7]
Network and operations
editThree to five trains run in each direction per hour, while one or two train run in each direction instead during the first and last hours of service. Trains in two-car or four-car formations are operated. Some services operate with reduced cars, or are not operated at all during weekends.[8]
The line does not form a loop line by itself, although it connects to the Chūō Main Line or the Tōkaidō Main Line on each side of the terminus. Toyota factories and offices, along with various schools, are located alongside the line,[9] and the line transports commuters to those locations, allowing it to turn a profit unlike other formerly JNR-owned third-sector companies.[10]
Infrastructure
editStation list
edit| Station No. |
Station | Japanese | Distance (km)[1] | Transfers | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations |
Total | |||||
| 01 | Okazaki | 岡崎 | - | 0.0 | Tōkaidō Main Line | Okazaki |
| 02 | Mutsuna | 六名 | 1.7 | 1.7 | ||
| 03 | Naka-Okazaki | 中岡崎 | 1.7 | 3.4 | Meitetsu Nagoya Line (Okazaki-Kōen-Mae) | |
| 04 | Kita-Okazaki | 北岡崎 | 1.9 | 5.3 | ||
| 05 | Daimon | 大門 | 1.2 | 6.5 | ||
| 06 | Kitano-Masuzuka | 北野桝塚 | 2.2 | 8.7 | ||
| 07 | Mikawa-Kamigō | 三河上郷 | 2.0 | 10.7 | Toyota | |
| 08 | Ekaku | 永覚 | 1.7 | 12.4 | ||
| 09 | Suenohara | 末野原 | 1.6 | 14.0 | ||
| 10 | Mikawa-Toyota | 三河豊田 | 1.9 | 15.9 | ||
| 11 | Shin-Uwagoromo | 新上挙母 | 1.7 | 17.6 | Meitetsu Mikawa Line (Uwagoromo) | |
| 12 | Shin-Toyota | 新豊田 | 1.9 | 19.5 | Meitetsu Mikawa (Toyota) Line (Toyotashi) | |
| 13 | Aikan-Umetsubo | 愛環梅坪 | 2.0 | 21.5 | ||
| 14 | Shigō | 四郷 | 2.0 | 23.5 | ||
| 15 | Kaizu | 貝津 | 2.0 | 25.5 | ||
| 16 | Homi | 保見 | 1.3 | 26.8 | ||
| 17 | Sasabara | 篠原 | 2.4 | 29.2 | ||
| 18 | Yakusa | 八草 | 2.8 | 32.0 | Linimo (L09) | |
| 19 | Yamaguchi | 山口 | 2.6 | 34.6 | Seto | |
| 20 | Setoguchi | 瀬戸口 | 2.1 | 36.7 | ||
| 21 | Setoshi | 瀬戸市 | 2.4 | 39.1 | Meitetsu Seto Line (Shin-Seto) | |
| 22 | Nakamizuno | 中水野 | 2.8 | 41.9 | ||
| 23 | Kōzōji | 高蔵寺 | 3.4 | 45.3 | Chūō Main Line | Kasugai |
| ↓Through service to Nagoya Station via the Chūō Main Line↓ | ||||||
See also
edit- List of railway lines in Japan
- Tōkai Transport Service Jōhoku Line
- Musashino Line, semi-closed outer loop around Tokyo
- Osaka Higashi Line
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Makino 2017, p. 102.
- ^ "鉄道敷設法中改正・御署名原本・昭和二年・法律第三七号". www.digital.archives.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-10-24.
愛知県岡崎ヨリ挙母ヲ経テ岐阜県多治見ニ至ル鉄道
- ^ "国鉄が開設した「最初のバス路線」とは？ "自動車駅"も存在 当時に近いルートをたどって乗り継いでみた". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). 2025-06-21. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
- ^ "愛知環状鉄道が開業した日 岡多線を継ぎ高蔵寺まで延伸 -1988.1.31". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). 2022-01-31. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
- ^ a b Makino 2017, p. 103.
- ^ a b "名鉄以外も個性派ぞろい､愛知ご当地鉄道事情". 東洋経済オンライン (in Japanese). 2021-02-10. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
- ^ "「TOICA」エリア、JR東海3路線で拡大 愛知環状鉄道も新たに対応へ | 乗りものニュース". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2025-04-25. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ "高蔵寺駅の時刻表｜愛知環状鉄道株式会社". www.aikanrailway.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-10-24.
- ^ "愛知環状鉄道は、名古屋圏つなぐ通勤・通学の足…車窓からは岡崎城を望めます". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
- ^ "愛知環状鉄道、三セクなのに絶好調 実は沿線に…：朝日新聞". 朝日新聞 (in Japanese). 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
Bibliography
edit- Makino, Kazuto (5 August 2017). 愛知県の鉄道 昭和~平成の全路線 [Railway in Aichi Prefecture; All lines from Showa~Heisei era] (in Japanese). AlphaBeta Books. ISBN 978-4-86598-828-4.
External links
edit
- Official website (in Japanese)