Ōito Line

In today's world, Ōito Line is a topic that has become increasingly relevant. Over the years, Ōito Line has generated great interest in society, sparking debates, research and different positions around this issue. It is evident that Ōito Line has impacted our lives in some way, whether on a social, cultural, economic or personal level. For this reason, it is important to thoroughly analyze and understand the implications and consequences that Ōito Line brings with it, as well as to be aware of the trends and advances that are developing in relation to this topic. In this article we will explore various perspectives and approaches on Ōito Line, with the aim of providing a complete and enriching overview that allows the reader to delve deeper into this topic.

Ōito Line
A JR East E127 series EMU on the Oito Line in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture
Overview
Native name大糸線
StatusIn operation
OwnerJR East, JR West
LocaleNagano, Niigata Prefectures
Termini
Stations41
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR East, JR West
Rolling stockE127 series EMU, 211 series EMU, E353 series EMU, KiHa 120 series DMU
History
Opened1915
Technical
Line length105.4 km (65.5 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural and scenic
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC (Matsumoto - Minami-Otari)
None (Minami-Otari - Itoigawa)
Operating speed95 km/h (59 mph)
Route map


Legend
0.0
 Matsumoto
East Japan Railway Company (Shinonoi);
Alpico Kōtsū (Kamikōchi)
0.7
 Kita-Matsumoto
2.6
 Shimauchi
3.8
 Shimatakamatsu
5.2
 Azusabashi
6.8
 Hitoichiba
8.4
 Nakagaya
10.4
 Minami-Toyoshina
11.4
 Toyoshina
14.2
 Hakuyachō
16.2
 Hotaka
18.4
 Ariake
19.9
 Azumi-Oiwake
22.8
 Hosono
23.8
 Kita-Hosono
26.0
 Shinano-Matsukawa
28.6
 Azumi-Kutsukake
30.9
 Shinano-Tokiwa
34.0
 Minami-Ōmachi
35.1
 Shinano-Ōmachi
37.2
 Kita-Ōmachi
39.4
 Shinano-Kizaki
41.6
 Inao
42.9
 Uminokuchi
46.3
 Yanaba
47.9
 Yanabaskijōmae
(defunct)
52.8
 Minami-Kamishiro
55.2
 Kamishiro
56.7
 Iimori
59.7
 Hakuba
61.6
 Shinano-Moriue
65.4
 Hakuba-Ōike
68.7
 Chikuni
70.1
 Minami-Otari
East Japan Railway Company JR East
West Japan Railway Company JR West
74.1
 Nakatsuchi
78.5
 Kita-Otari
85.0
 Hiraiwa
91.8
 Kotaki
95.4
 Nechi
100.3
 Kubiki-Ōno
102.2
 Himekawa
105.4
 Itoigawa
This diagram:

The Ōito Line (大糸線, Ōito-sen) is a railway line in Japan which connects Matsumoto Station in Nagano Prefecture with Itoigawa Station in Niigata Prefecture. There are two operators on the line: East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Minami-Otari is the boundary for the two companies. The section of the line operated by JR East, between Minami-Otari and Matsumoto, is electrified and trains are fairly regular along this section. The JR West section from Minami-Otari to Itoigawa, however, is not electrified and sees less use. Trains operate less frequently along this section.

Route data

  • Operators, services:
  • Stations:
    • JR East: 33
    • JR West: 8 including Itoigawa, excluding Minami-Otari
  • Double-tracked section: None
  • Electrification: Matsumoto — Minami-Otari (1,500 V DC)
    Minami-Otari — Itoigawa (None)
  • Railway signalling:
    • Matsumoto — Itoigawa: Automatic Train Stop, S-type

Services

JR East section

Limited express, Rapid

As of March 2025, the following services are operated.

Name Through from/to Start End Service frequency (daily)
Limited Express Azusa Shinjuku Matsumoto Hakuba 1 return trip[1]
Rapid Kami-Suwa Matsumoto Shinano-Ōmachi 1 up trip
- Shinano-Ōmachi Minami-Otari 1 up trip
Local
Matsumoto – Shinano-Ōmachi: every 30-60 minutes
Shinano-Ōmachi – Minami-Otari: every 60-180 minutes

JR West section

Local
Minami-Otari - Itoigawa: every 120-180 minutes

No limited-stop services such as rapids operate on the JR West section. All trains are local services, which stop at every station.

Rolling stock

JR East section

JR West section

Stations

  JR East section

All stations are within Nagano Prefecture.

A: Limited Express Azusa
R: Rapid
Trains stop at stations marked "O", skip at stations marked "|".
No. Station Japanese Distance(km) A R Transfers Location
Between
stations 		Total
42 Matsumoto 松本 - 0.0 O O
Matsumoto
41 Kita-Matsumoto 北松本 0.7 0.7 | O  
40 Shimauchi 島内 1.9 2.6 | O  
39 Shimatakamatsu 島高松 1.2 3.8 | O  
38 Azusabashi 梓橋 1.4 5.2 | O   Azumino
37 Hitoichiba 一日市場 1.6 6.8 | O  
36 Nakagaya 中萱 1.6 8.4 | O  
35 Minami-Toyoshina 南豊科 2.0 10.4 | O  
34 Toyoshina 豊科 1.0 11.4 O O  
33 Hakuyachō 柏矢町 2.8 14.2 | O  
32 Hotaka 穂高 2.0 16.2 O O  
31 Ariake 有明 2.2 18.4 | O  
30 Azumi-Oiwake 安曇追分 1.5 19.9 | O  
29 Hosono 細野 2.9 22.8 | ↑   Matsukawa, Kitaazumi District
28 Kita-Hosono 北細野 1.0 23.8 | ↑  
27 Shinano-Matsukawa 信濃松川 2.2 26.0 | O  
26 Azumi-Kutsukake 安曇沓掛 1.6 28.6 | ↑   Ōmachi
25 Shinano-Tokiwa 信濃常盤 2.3 30.9 | O  
24 Minami-Ōmachi 南大町 3.1 34.0 | ↑  
23 Shinano-Ōmachi 信濃大町 1.1 35.1 O O  
O Rapid terminus / transfer
22 Kita-Ōmachi 北大町 2.1 37.2 | ↑  
21 Shinano-Kizaki 信濃木崎 2.2 39.4 | O  
20 Inao 稲尾 2.2 41.6 | ↑  
19 Uminokuchi 海ノ口 1.3 42.9 | ↑  
18 Yanaba 簗場 3.4 46.3 | O  
16 Minami-Kamishiro 南神城 4.9 52.8 | ↑   Hakuba, Kitaazumi District
15 Kamishiro 神城 2.4 55.2 | O  
14 Iimori 飯森 1.5 56.7 | ↑  
13 Hakuba 白馬 3.0 59.7 O O  
12 Shinano-Moriue 信濃森上 1.9 61.6 O  
11 Hakuba-Ōike 白馬大池 3.8 65.4 ↑   Otari, Kitaazumi District
10 Chikuni 千国 3.4 68.7 ↑  
9 Minami-Otari 南小谷 1.4 70.1 O

Closed Stations Yanabaskijōmae Station closed on 16 March 2019

  JR West section

Station Japanese Distance(km) Transfers Location
Between
stations 		Total
Minami-Otari 南小谷 - 70.1 Otari, Nagano
Nakatsuchi 中土 4.0 74.1  
Kita-Otari 北小谷 4.4 78.5  
Hiraiwa 平岩 5.5 85.0   Itoigawa, Niigata
Kotaki 小滝 6.8 91.8  
Nechi 根知 3.6 95.4  
Kubiki-Ōno 頸城大野 4.9 100.3  
Himekawa 姫川 1.9 102.2  
Itoigawa 糸魚川 3.2 105.4

History

The section between Matsumoto and Shinano-Ōmachi was built between 1915 and 1916 by the Shinano Railway (信濃鉄道, Shinano Tetsudō), which electrified the line in 1926. The company was nationalised in 1937 and was not the same entity as the present Shinano Railway.[citation needed]

The rest of the line was built by the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) and the Japanese National Railways (JNR) between 1929 and 1957. The Shinano-Ōmachi to Minami Otari section was electrified between 1959 and 1967. CTC signalling was commissioned in 1983, and freight services ceased in 1987.[citation needed]

Following privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the line was divided and assigned to JR East and JR West.

Station numbering was introduced on the line by JR East from 12 December 2016, with stations numbered in sequence from 9 (Minami-Otari) to 42 (Matsumoto).[2]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ōito Line.
  1. ^ "2025年3月ダイヤ改正について" [About the March 2025 timetable revision] (PDF). East Japan Railway Company (in Japanese). 13 December 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  2. ^ 大糸線に「駅ナンバー」を導入します [Station numbering to be introduced on Oito Line] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company, Nagano Division. 7 December 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.