Nemuro Main Line (根室本線, Nemuro Honsen) is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), connecting Takikawa Station in Takikawa and Nemuro Station in Nemuro, including Obihiro and Kushiro. Higashi-Nemuro is the most easterly situated station on the Japanese rail system.
Local trains operate between Takikawa and Furano 9 times per day, and between Furano and Higashi-Shikagoe 4 times per day. Due to typhoon damage sustained in August 2016, the line is closed between Higashi-Shikagoe and Shintoku, and passengers must transfer to a bus.[2]
The segment east of Shintoku forms part of the trunk route between Sapporo (via the Sekisho Line) and eastern Hokkaido, and has more frequent service, although with decreasing frequencies as the line goes east. The limited express train Ōzora runs between Sapporo and Kushiro six times a day, while the Tokachi runs five times a day between Sapporo and Obihiro.[3] There are 11 daily local services between Shintoku and Ikeda, 8 daily local services between Ikeda and Urahoro, and 6 daily local services between Urahoro and Kushiro.[4]
The segment between Kushiro and Nemuro has the official nickname Hanasaki Line (花咲線, Hanasaki-sen). There are two rapid trains Nosappu (ノサップ) and Hanasaki (はなさき) which run once a day each. Six daily local services operate between Kushiro and Attoko, and four or five operate to the eastern terminus at Nemuro.[4] As of late 2022, this segment of the line saw frequent delays and cancellations due to deer incursions causing trains to make emergency stops.[5]
Nemuro can be reached in a continuous 1,559.2 km train journey from Tokyo Station, which takes a total of just over 15 hours on four trains, departing Tokyo at 6:32 am and arriving in Nemuro at 9:39 pm.[6]
The line was built as a link line between central and eastern Hokkaido, by Hokkaido Government Railway (北海道官設鉄道, Hokkaidō Kansetsu Tetsudō). The first section of the current Nemuro Line was opened between Kushiro - Shiranuka in 1901. The line was extended westward, reaching Furano in 1907. In 1913 the Furano - Takikawa section opened, shortening the route by 53.5 km. The first section, originally included as part of the Nemuro Line, become classified as the Furano Line in 1913.
In 1911, 1st class sleeping accommodation was included on the Hakodate to Kushiro train, and a dining car was added from 1916.
The first section of the line east of Kushiro opened in 1917, reaching Nemuro in 1921.
In 1966, two major deviations opened, the first, east of Kanayama, associated with the construction of the Kanayama Dam, and the second between Ochiai and Shintoku, including the 5,790 m Shinkarikachi tunnel allowing the line to bypass the 1907 Karikachi tunnel and associated 1 in 40 (2.5%) grades.
In 1971, a refrigerated container train was introduced between Kushiro and Tokyo.
In 1990, a new tunnel and associated alignment opened near Atsunai, and a deviation near Shimanoshita associated with the construction of the Takisato Dam was opened in 1991.
In 1981, the Sekishō Line opened between Shin-Yubari and Shintoku, becoming the main route between central and southeastern Hokkaido and shortening the distance for stations east of Shintoku to Sapporo. This led to a rapid decline in ridership on the Furano-Shintoku segment of the Nemuro Main Line, from 4,664 a day in 1980 to 654 a day in 1985. Population decline in the area also contributed to a decline in ridership. By 2015, only 152 people per day were using this segment of the line, most of whom were commuting senior high school students.[7]
On 31 August 2016, torrential rainfall damaged the 17.4 km section between Higashi-Shikagoe and Kami-Ochiai Junction resulting in the passenger service from Higashi-Shikagoe to Shintoku being replaced by a bus.[7] Thereafter, on 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's president announced plans to rationalise the network by up to 1,237 km, or ~50% of the current network,[8] including closure of the Nemuro Line between Furano and Kami-Ochiai Junction. In January 2022, the four local governments between Furano and Shintoku gave up on maintaining this segment of the line, and in December the president of JR Hokkaido announced a goal to convert this portion to bus service in 2023 or thereafter.[9] A notice of abolition was submitted on March 31, 2023.[1][JR Hokkaido 1]
The section between Kushiro and Nemuro was also proposed for conversion to Third Sector operation, but if local governments were not agreeable, such sections would also face closure. In April 2021, Nemuro City raised over 50 million yen through crowdfunding to keep the eastern Hanasaki Line portion open, after JR Hokkaido stated that the line was difficult to maintain on its own.[10] As of mid-2021, this portion of the line saw only about 200 passengers per day.[11]
On 4 March 2017, 3 more stations were closed - Shimanoshita Station (T29), Kami-Atsunai Station (K41) and Inashibetsu Station (K33).[12] On 17 March the following year, Haobi Station (K25) was closed.[13]
On 16 March 2019, Chokubetsu Station (K43), Shakubetsu Station (K44) and Hattaushi Station were closed, two of these becoming signal points: Chokubetsu and Shakubetsu.[14]
On 14 March 2020, Furuse Station (K46) was closed, reducing the number of stations on the Nemuro Main Line to 60.
In June 2023, it was revealed that effective 1 April 2024, the section of the line between Furano and Shintoku will be closed, splitting the line in two.[1] In addition, five stations (Higashi-Takikawa (T22), Atsunai (K42), Oboro, Bettoga, Kombumori) will be closed owing to low ridership.[15]
The Mitsubishi Mining Co. opened an 8 km line to Penke Sanko in 1949, and a 1 km branch to the Yuya mine in 1954. Both closed with the mine in 1964.
A 762 mm (2'6") gauge logging tramway was operated from Kamiashibetsu commencing 1934. By 1954 it had a 31 km 'main line' and 5 branches totalling 44 km. The lines closed in 1961 when log trucks replaced the tramway.
The 78 km Shihoro Line to Tokachi Mitsuma opened in sections between 1925 and 1939. An 18 km deviation built in association with the Nukabira Dam opened in 1955. The line closed in 1987.
The 84 km Hiroo Line opened between 1929 & 1932 and was closed in 1987. A proposal to extend the line to Samani and connect to the Hidaka Main Line did not eventuate.
A 4 km private 1067mm (3'6") line connected a sugar beet factory to Obihiro. The sugar beets were transported to the factory by a 3 line 762mm gauge network totalling 59 km, which operated 1924–77.
