The is a major railway line owned by JR Group companies in western Japan, connecting Kōbe Station and Moji Station, largely paralleling the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, in other words, the southern coast of western Honshu. The San'yō Shinkansen line largely parallels its route. The name San'yō derived from the ancient region and highway San'yōdō, the road on the sunny (south) side of the mountains.
The San'yō Main Line is operated by two JR companies:
West Japan Railway Company (JR West) JR Kobe Line, San'yō Line Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) San'yō Line The Wadamisaki Line, a short section of line in the length of between and stations in Kobe is a branch of the San'yō Main Line. A short section connecting Kitakyushu Freight Terminal also forms part of the San'yō Main Line.
Basic data Operators, distances: . West Japan Railway Company (Category-1, Services and tracks) From Kobe to Shimonoseki: . From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki: . Kyushu Railway Company (Category-1, Services and tracks) From Shimonoseki to Moji: . Japan Freight Railway Company (Category-2, Services) From Kobe to Kitakyushu Freight Terminal: . Gauge: Stations: Passenger stations: 124 Freight terminals: 5 Track: Quadruple-track line: From Kobe to Nishi-Akashi: . From Kaitaichi to Hiroshima: . Double-track line: From Nishi-Akashi to Kaitaichi: . From Hiroshima to Moji: . Single-track line: From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki Electrification: Entire line (1,500 V DC. Excluding inside Moji Station and Kitakyūshū Freight Terminal, which is 20,000 V AC, 60 Hz.) Railway signalling: From Kobe to Moji: Automatic From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki: Special Automatic (); a simplified automatic system. Maximum speed at service: From Kobe to Himeji: From Himeji to Okayama: Tilting trains , others From Okayama to Shimonoseki: From Shimonoseki to Moji: From Hyōgo to Wadamisaki: CTC centers: From Kobe to Kamigōri: Shin-Ōsaka Operation Control Center From Kamigōri to Itozaki: Okayama Transportation Control Room From Itozaki to Shimonoseki: Hiroshima Operation Control Center From Shimonoseki to Moji: Hakata Operation Control Center CTC system: From Kobe to Kamigōri: Safety Urban Network Traffic System ()
Stations
From Kobe to Himeji (JR Kobe Line)
●: Trains stop at all times ｜: Trains pass at all times ▲: Eastbound trains pass in the morning ○: Weekday mornings only
Official line nameNo.StationJapaneseDistance (km)StopTransfersLocationBetween stationsfrom OsakaLocalRapidSpecial RapidWard, CityPrefectureThrough service to/from the JR Kyoto Line Tōkaidō Main Line神戸1.733.1●●● Chuo-ku, KobeHyōgoSan'yō Main Line兵庫1.834.9●●| (San'yō Main Line)Hyogo-ku, Kobe新長田2.337.2●||Nagata-ku, Kobe鷹取1.038.2●||Suma-ku, Kobe須磨海浜公園0.939.1●||須磨1.340.4●▲| Sanyo Railway Main Line (SY 06: Sanyo Suma Station)塩屋2.043.3●|| Sanyo Railway Main Line (SY 08: Sanyo Shioya Station)Tarumi-ku, Kobe垂水2.946.2●▲| Sanyo Railway Main Line (SY 11: Sanyo Tarumi Station)舞子2.048.2●▲| Sanyo Railway Main Line (SY 13: Maiko-koen Station)朝霧1.950.1●||Akashi明石2.452.5●●● Sanyo Railway Main Line (SY 17: Sanyo Akashi Station)西明石3.455.9●●●大久保2.858.7○●|魚住3.562.2○●|土山3.165.3○●|Harima東加古川3.368.6○●|Kakogawa加古川3.672.2○●● 宝殿3.375.5●|Takasago曽根4.079.5●|ひめじ別所2.081.5●|Himeji御着2.183.6●|東姫路2.486.0●|姫路1.987.9●●Through service to/from the San'yō Main Line (below)
From Himeji to Itozaki All trains except Limited Express trains stop at all stations in this section. Rapid trains coming from Osaka/Kobe area become local trains after Akashi and Special Rapid trains stop at all stations west of Himeji, operating up to Kamigōri or through to the Akō Line.
No.Station nameJapaneseTotal distance (km)Transfers Location JR West 姫路 54.8 Himeji Hyōgo 手柄山平和公園 56.6 英賀保 59.4 はりま勝原 62.2 網干 65.1 竜野 71 Tatsuno 相生 75.5 Aioi 有年 83.1 Akō 上郡 89.6 Chizu Express Chizu Line Kamigōri, Akō 三石 102.4 Bizen Okayama 吉永 109.5 和気 114.8 Wake, Wake 熊山 119.4 Akaiwa 万富 123.5 Higashi-ku, Okayama 瀬戸 128.0 上道 132.7 東岡山 136.1 Naka-ku, Okayama 高島 138.9 西川原 140.8 岡山 143.4 Kita-ku, Okayama Nishi-Okayama Freight Terminal 西岡山(貨) 145.9 北長瀬 146.8 庭瀬 149.9 中庄 154.6 Kurashiki 倉敷 159.3 Mizushima Main Line () 西阿知 163.3 新倉敷 168.6 San'yō Shinkansen 金光 174.9 Asakuchi 鴨方 178.4 里庄 182.4 Satoshō, Asakuchi 笠岡 187.1 Kasaoka 大門 194.2 Fukuyama Hiroshima 東福山 197.5 福山 201.7 備後赤坂 207.5 松永 212.4 東尾道 215.3 Onomichi 尾道 221.8 糸崎 230.9 Mihara
From Itozaki to Iwakuni (Hiroshima City Network) A: Akiji liner rapid service (through to the Kure Line) C: City liner rapid service (limited weekend service only) ●: All trains stop ｜: Trains pass at all times ○: All trains stop, limited service No.Station nameJapaneseTotal distance (km)ACTransfers Location JR West Itozaki 糸崎 230.9 Mihara Hiroshima 三原 233.3 本郷 242.8 河内 255.1 Higashihiroshima 入野 259.5 白市 263.9 西高屋 268.3 西条 272.9 寺家 275.2 八本松 278.9 瀬野 289.5 Aki-ku, Hiroshima 中野東 292.4 安芸中野 294.4 海田市 298.3 ● Kure Line Kaita, Aki 向洋 300.6 ｜ Fuchū, Aki 天神川 302.4 ｜ Minami-ku, Hiroshima Hiroshima Freight Terminal 広島貨物ターミナル 303.1 ｜ 広島 304.7 ● ● 新白島 306.5 ○ ｜ (Hiroshima Rapid Transit) Nishi-ku, Hiroshima 横川 307.7 ○ ● Kabe Line Hiroden Streetcar Route 7 Hiroden Streetcar Route 8Hiroden Yokogawa Line 西広島 310.2 ○ ｜ Route 2 Route 3Main Line and Hiroden Miyajima Line () 新井口 314.4 ○ ｜ Route 2Hiroden Miyajima Line () 五日市 316.8 ○ ● Route 2Miyajima Line () Saeki-ku, Hiroshima 廿日市 320.2 ○ ｜ Route 2Miyajima Line () Hatsukaichi 宮内串戸 321.8 ○ ｜ Route 2Miyajima Line () 阿品 324.8 ○ ｜ Route 2Miyajima Line () 宮島口 326.5 ○ ● Route 2Miyajima Line () JR Miyajima Ferry 前空 328.3 ○ ｜ 大野浦 331.4 ○ ● 玖波 336.4 ○ ● Ōtake 大竹 340.8 ○ ● 和木 342.3 ○ ● Waki, Kuga Yamaguchi 岩国 346.1 ○ ● Iwakuni
Iwakuni to Moji All trains stop at all stations in this section
Station name Japanese Total distance (km) Transfers Location JR WestIwakuni岩国346.1IwakuniYamaguchi南岩国350.7藤生353.4通津358.6由宇361.6神代366.8大畠371.9Yanai柳井港376.4柳井379.2田布施385.4Tabuse, Kumage岩田390.9Hikari島田395.9光400.7下松406.9Kudamatsu櫛ヶ浜411.5Shūnan徳山414.9 新南陽 419.0 福川 421.9 戸田 425.7 富海 434.2 Hōfu Hōfu Freight Terminal 防府(貨) 437.2 防府 441.4 大道 449.2 四辻 454.0 Yamaguchi 新山口 459.2 嘉川 463.2 本由良 467.7 厚東 478.0 Ube 宇部 484.5 Ube Line 小野田 488.0 Sanyōonoda 厚狭 494.3 San'yō Shinkansen 埴生 502.6 小月 508.8 Shimonoseki 長府 515.0 新下関 520.9 San'yō Shinkansen 幡生 524.6 下関 528.1 JR Kyushu Shimonoseki 下関 Shimonoseki Yamaguchi 門司 534.4 Moji-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka
Rolling stock
JR West
Limited Express 285 series EMUs (Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto service) 273 series EMUs (Yakumo service) KiHa 187 series DMUs (Super Inaba service) Chizu Express HOT7000 series (Super Hakuto service)
Local trains 105 series EMUs 113 series EMUs 115 series EMUs 117 series EMUs 123 series EMUs 207 series EMUs 213 series EMUs 221 series EMUs 223-1000/2000/6000 series EMUs 225-0/100 series EMUs 321 series EMUs 227-0/500 series EMUs
JR Kyushu 415-1500 series EMUs
History
The entire line between Kobe Station and Shimonoseki Station was originally opened by the private Sanyō Railway company. The section between Hyōgo Station (in Kobe) and Akashi Station (in Akashi, Hyōgo) opened first in 1888. In 1889 the line was extended to the east to Kobe Station (as a dual track section) and Tatsuno Station (in Tatsuno, Hyōgo Prefecture) to the west. The Sanyō Railway was progressively extended to the west, reaching Okayama and then Fukuyama in 1891, Hiroshima in 1894 and in 1901 it reached Bakan (now Shimonoseki) Station. Under the Railway Nationalization Act of 1906 it was purchased by the Japanese government and renamed Sanyō Main Line.
Duplication The Hyogo – Himeji section was duplicated in 1899, and the Hiroshima – Kaitaichi section in 1903. After the line was nationalised, further duplications occurred between Kamigori – Yoshinaga in 1910/11, Hatabu – Shimonoseki in 1915 and Himeji – Agaho in 1917. Work to duplicate the remainder of the line commenced in 1921, and opened in stages until completed in 1930, with the exception of the section between Iwakuni and Kushigahama, where construction of a new direct line had commenced. This direct line, which bypassed the coastal section via Yanai involved significant tunnelling, and unexpected geological instability delayed completion of the line until 1934, and then as a single track. Although the new line became the Sanyo Main Line at that time, in 1944 the original coastal alignment was duplicated and returned to the formal Sanyo Main Line, with the former bypass line becoming the Gantoku Line.
Electrification The Kobe – Akashi section was electrified in 1934, extended to Himeji in 1958, Hiroshima in 1962 and (except for the Wadamisaki Line, which was electrified in 2001) the entire line was electrified in 1964, to coincide with the opening of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka the same year.
Deviation/extension The San'yō Main Line approximately parallels the Inland Sea but some sections could be shortened by tunnels. In 1934, the Gantoku Line between Iwakuni and Tokuyama was opened and replaced the former line which traverses Yanai adjacent to the Inland Sea. In 1944, this new alignment was replaced again by the previous coastal alignment because the coastal line was upgraded to dual tracks.
The San'yō Main Line was connected to Kyushu by ferry from Shimonoseki and Shimonosekiko Station (Port Shimonoseki). In 1942, the Kanmon Tunnel under the Kanmon Straits was completed and the San'yō Main Line was extended to Moji Station. A second tunnel duplicating the section opened in 1944.
Service variations Prior to the opening of the San'yō Shinkansen, many expresses operated on the San'yō Main Line as it served as a major transport corridor through Western Honshu and connecting to Kyushu. The Shinkansen was extended as the San'yō Shinkansen line, first to Okayama Station in 1972, and then to Hakata Station in 1975. On both occasions, many express services on the San'yō Main Line were withdrawn, and since 1972, the line has been mainly used by local and freight services. CTC signalling was commissioned between Mihara and Shimonoseki in 1984.
Service disruptions The section between Kobe and Nishi Akashi was severely damaged by the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, and took ten weeks to repair.
The 2018 Japan floods resulted in the Okayama – Shimonoseki section closing on 6 July 2018. The majority of services were restored between 8 July – 18 July of that year, but the Yanai – Tokuyama section remained out of service until 9 September of that year.
Former connecting lines
Hyogo station – A 5 km lne to the Hyogo Port operated between 1911 and 1984. Tsuchiyama station – A 4 km line to Befu-Ko operated between 1923 and 1984. It is connected to the Sanyo Electric Railway Main Line at Befu. Kakogawa station – The Banshu Railway Co. opened an line to Takasago-Minato in 1913/1914. The line was nationalised in 1943, and closed in 1984. Himeji station – The Bantan Railway Co. built a line east to Shikama-Kou (near Kakogawa), opened in 1895 and closed in 1986. Aboshi station – The Tatsuno Electric Railway Co. opened a gauge line electrified at 600 VDC from Shingu-Cho to Aboshiko between 1909 and 1915 which connected at this station. The line closed in 1934.
A 6 km line to Hamadako operated between 1943 and 1989.
Une station – The Ako Railway operated a gauge line to Banshu-Ako on the Ako Line between 1921 and 1951. Wake station – The Dowa Mining Co. opened a line between Nishi-Katakamito on the Ako Line and Yanahara, to haul iron sulphide ore, between 1923 and 1931. Passenger services commenced in 1931, freight services ceased in 1988 and the line closed in 1991. Takashima station – The Saidaiji Railway Company operated a gauge line between its namesake town and Korakuen between 1911 and 1962. Kasaoka station – The Ikasa Railway Co. operated a gauge line to Ihara between 1913 and 1971. It had a 6 km branch from Kitagawa to Yakage that operated between 1921 and 1967. At Ihara it connected to the company's line to Kannabe on the Fukuen Line.