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The Tsugaru Line runs through the eastern part of the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture Originally, it was merely a local line, but with the opening of the Seikan Tunnel in 1988, the southern half of the line became an important route connecting Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido. However the northern half remained a local line, and was damaged in heavy rains in August 2022, leading to the decision to close the line . What does the future hold for the areas along the Tsugaru Line?
What is the Tsugaru Line?
The Tsugaru Line is a railway line operated by JR East that runs from Aomori Station, the central station in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture through Yomogita Village, Sotogahama Town, and Imabetsu Town in Higashitsugaru District , to Minmaya Station in Sotogahama Town. It runs through the eastern part of the Tsugaru Peninsula. The line is 55.8 km long and has 18 stations.
Minamaya Station, the terminus of the Tsugaru Line
Shin-Nakaoguni Signal Station is located between Nakaoguni in Sotogahama Town At this signal station, the Kaikyo Line branches off from the Tsugaru Line. The Kaikyo Line runs through the Seikan Tunnel under the Tsugaru Strait and extends towards Hokkaido.
The number of trains varies at either side of Kanida Station in Sotogahama Town, located 27km from Aomori Station. Nine local trains run between Aomori Station and Kanida Station per day. The trains are mainly electric. In the past, there were also many express trains that crossed over to Hokkaido.
The express train "Shiratori" traveled to Hokkaido via the Tsugaru Line and the Seikan Tunnel
Meanwhile, only five local trains operated between Kanida Station and Minnaya Station per day. The trains were diesel railcars that ran on diesel fuel. The two sentences above are in the past tense passenger trains on this section are currently suspended.
Additionally, more than 20 freight trains travel between Hokkaido and Honshu via the Kaikyo Line between Aomori Station and Shin-Nakaguni Signal Station per day. These freight trains transport, for example, agricultural products harvested in Hokkaido to Honshu. It is no exaggeration to say that the Tsugaru Line's greatest role today is as a freight train route.
A freight train pulled by a locomotive dedicated to the Seikan Tunnel section
Opening of the Tsugaru Line
The law that served as the basis for the construction of the Tsugaru Line was the " Revised Railway Construction Act which described the railway planned for construction on the Tsugaru Peninsula as " a railway from Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, via Minamaya and Kodomari (the northern tip of the Tsugaru Peninsula) to Goshogawara The plan was for a railway to connect the Tsugaru Peninsula in an inverted U shape, and the southwestern part of this plan was opened in 1930 as the private "Tsugaru Railway Line," between Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station and Tsugaru-Nakazato Station.
Tsugaru Railway Line running through the western part of the Tsugaru Peninsula
However, the opening of the southeastern section of the Tsugaru Line was postponed until after the Pacific War. In 1951, the section between Aomori Station and Kanida Station opened as a line of the Japanese National Railways, the predecessor of JR, and seven years later, in 1958, the section between Kanida Station and Minamaya (then called "Miumaya") Station opened. However, the railway from Minamaya Station via Kodomari to Tsugaru-Nakasato Station was never realized.
When the Tsugaru Line opened, the Seikan Tunnel had not yet been built, so the entire line was a local line connecting the eastern part of the Tsugaru Peninsula.Even back then, there was a difference in the number of trains running on either side of Kanida Station.For example, in the timetable from October 1964, there were 10 round trips per day between Aomori Station and Kanida Station, while there were only 6 round trips per day between Kanida Station and Minnaya Station.
Opening of the Seikan Tunnel
In 1987, the Japanese National Railways was split up and privatized, and the Tsugaru Line was taken over by JR East. The following year, in 1988, the Seikan Tunnel was opened, and the new Nakaguni Signal Station was built on the Tsugaru Line between Kanida Station and Minamaya Station, connecting the Kaikyo Line and the Tsugaru Line, which included the Seikan Tunnel section. This marked the beginning of the Tsugaru Line's northern and southern aspects becoming completely different lines.
Trains passing through the Seikan Tunnel need to run on electricity (because using diesel trains would pose a risk of fire inside the tunnel), so the Tsugaru Line's section between Aomori Station and Shin-Nakaguni Signal Station was also electrified, allowing electric trains and electric locomotives to run. Not only are express trains and freight trains connecting Honshu and Hokkaido powered by electricity, but local trains running between Aomori Station and Kanita Station have also been converted to electric power.
A variety of trains, including express trains, local trains, and freight trains, began to run between Aomori Station and Kanida Station/Shin-Nakaguni Signal Station. However, the section between Kanida Station and Minmaya Station is not included in the route connecting Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido (except for the section between Kanida Station and Shin-Nakaguni Signal Station), so this section continues to be considered a local line.
In 2016, the Hokkaido Shinkansen opened between Shin-Aomori Station and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, and passenger trains passing through the Seikan Tunnel were switched from conventional express trains to Shinkansen trains. The conventional express trains that ran between Aomori Station and Shin-Nakaguni Signal Station on the Tsugaru Line, connecting Honshu and Hokkaido, were discontinued, so passenger trains are now limited to local trains. However, the Tsugaru Line continues to play an important role as a freight train route.
Heavy rain in August 2022
In contrast to the southern section of the Tsugaru Line, which plays an important role in freight transport, the northern section has suffered a tragic fate. Due to damage to Tsugaru Line facilities caused by heavy rains that hit the Tohoku region and other areas in August 2022passenger trains between Kanida Station and Minnai Station have been suspended for an extended period of time.
While it would be ideal to restore the damaged line and resume train service, the problem here was the extremely low number of passengers on the Tsugaru Line. The average number of passengers (number of train passengers per kilometer per day) between Kanida Station and Minmaya Station was only 107 The usage situation was so low that it was impossible to break even by train, let alone bus, and the deficit for this section amounted to 700 million yen per year.
Furthermore, the Tsugaru Line north of Shin-Nakaguni Signal Station is a dead-end line that does not connect to any other lines, and no freight trains run on it, so it does not play a significant role in the railway network.
JR East, which operates the Tsugaru Line, is reluctant to spend a huge amount of money to restore such a line and continue to operate it while bearing the prospect of future losses. Therefore, JR East and local governments along the Tsugaru Line have decided to hold discussions regarding the future of the affected section of the line, with the possibility of abolishing it.
Proposals for the future of the affected section included restoring the line but keeping the tracks and other facilities in the hands of the local government, and converting it to automobile traffic. Furthermore, among the local governments along the line, there were those that were not adamant about restoring the Tsugaru Line as a railway, and those that advocated its restoration. However, if the railway is to remain in any form, someone will have to continue to cover the annual deficit of several hundred million yen for the approximately 100 users per day. It is clear that the benefits of keeping the railway do not justify the costs, and it is clear that this burden cannot be continued indefinitely.
In the end, it was approved to close the affected section, and discussions were held on whether to switch to buses or taxis . Passenger trains between Kanida Station and Minmaya Station have been suspended for two years, but the line will remain closed without trains running (except for the section where freight trains run). The specific date of closure has not yet been announced.
Alternative transportation after a disaster
In fact, the Tsugaru Line does not extend all the way to Cape Tappi at the northern tip of the Tsugaru Peninsula, and facilities such as supermarkets, town halls, and hospitals are located far from the station. Trains are also infrequent, especially north of Kanida Station, making the line difficult to use for both daily life and sightseeing. Therefore, starting in July 2022, JR East began operating a shared taxi called "Wantaku" during the daytime on a route parallel to the Tsugaru Line's Kanida Station and Minmaya Station as a demonstration experiment. While this Wantaku was only intended as an experiment, the Tsugaru Line was damaged in a disaster one month after the experiment began, and it has continued to operate as an alternative transportation service to the Tsugaru Line to this day, becoming a well-established option.
Wantaku operates two types of buses: "Free Buses" that allow you to get on and off anywhere within the service area by making a reservation and can specify boarding times in 30-minute increments, and "Scheduled Buses" that operate four round trips per day with set times like trains. Scheduled buses also stop at Hotel Tappi and Tappizaki Lighthouse, which are inaccessible by train, and you can get on and off anywhere along the route, and you can even make reservations in advance for facilities outside the route, such as Sotogahama Central Hospital and the Seikan Tunnel Memorial Museum. Wantaku offers a high degree of freedom in where you can get on and off, and the fare is a reasonable 500 yen per person per ride, so passengers have praised it as more convenient than the train
In addition to the Wantaku buses, replacement buses for the Tsugaru Line also operate four round trips per day on weekdays and three round trips per day on weekends and holidays. Since there were five round trips per day before the disaster, the combined number of replacement buses and scheduled Wantaku buses is greater. Given that residents and tourists can clearly see that alternative transportation is more convenient than the Tsugaru Line, it's not surprising that local governments along the line have accepted the Tsugaru Line's closure. Furthermore, JR East has offered to cooperate, including financially, in developing a transportation network after the Tsugaru Line's disaster. This suggests that the decision to close the line is not a unilateral attempt by the railway company to abandon the local area.
Tsugaru Line spots
Following on from our introduction to the Tsugaru Line, here we will introduce some spots near the line. If you are visiting by public transport, the convenient option is Wantaku, which was also introduced in this article.
Tsugaru Quasi-National Park, Takanosaki Coast
Horozuki Coast Takanosaki located in Tsugaru Quasi-National Park, is considered the Tsugaru Peninsula's most picturesque spot. It offers a spectacular view of Hokkaido, Cape Tappi, and the Shimokita Peninsula. The two red bridges in the photo are Shiosai Bridge Nagisa Bridge . Crossing the bridges takes you to the rocky edge, where you can enjoy the ocean breeze and take in the spectacular views to your heart's content. Since the spot is not on the route of the regular Wantaku buses, you can either book a free Wantaku bus or take a bus from Okutsugaru-Imabetsu Station on the Hokkaido Shinkansen line.
The Seikan Tunnel Memorial Museum is a memorial museum dedicated to the Seikan Tunnel (53.85 km long), which opened in 1988 and runs under the Tsugaru Strait. The Seikan Tunnel's history, from conception to construction and completion, is explained using sound, video, and 3D models. A ride on the Mogura cable car on the Seikan Tunnel Tappi Incline Line takes you 140 meters below sea level in seven minutes. Here, the tunnel excavation site has been recreated in a corner of the underground tunnel. This facility is a reminder of this monumental undertaking that should remain in the history of civil engineering not only in Japan but around the world. While the Seikan Tunnel Memorial Museum is not on the route of the regular Wantaku (Japanese Taxi) service, you can board and disembark here by making a reservation in advance.
National Route 339 runs through Cape Tappi on the Tsugaru Peninsula , features Japan's only national highway with a section of stairs. Naturally, because it's a staircase, it's not accessible to automobiles. There are various theories about the origins of this national highway. Some say that the road was designated a national highway, but the slope was too steep to be built like a sloping road, while others say that officials designated it without checking the site. Whatever the circumstances, the unusualness of a national highway with stairs has become a tourist attraction, making it a popular tourist spot in Tsugaru. With 362 steps, a total length of 388.2 meters, and an elevation change of approximately 70 meters, the climb is quite strenuous. However, the views of the Tsugaru Strait and other sights from the staircase national highway are spectacular. Access is a short walk from Cape Tappi Lighthouse, the terminus of the Wantaku regular bus service.
Inquiry number: 0174-31-1228 (Togahama Town Industry and Tourism Division)
Note: Closed during winter
Google Map
Tsugaru Strait Winter Scenery Song Monument
Sayuri Ishikawa's famous song " Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki " (Winter Scenery of the Tsugaru Straits) describes the journey from Ueno to Aomori on an overnight train, then boarding the Seikan Ferry, which was in operation at the time, across to Hokkaido. A monument commemorating this song has been erected at Tappizaki (a similar monument has also been erected in Aomori City). Pressing the button on the monument plays the second verse of the song, which sings about Tappizaki. It truly gives you a sense of having traveled to the very edge of Honshu. Located near the upper entrance to the Stairway National Highway, the most convenient access is from Tappizaki Lighthouse, the terminus of the regular Wantaku service.
The Tsugaru Line, which opened as a local line, has had a contrasting history: its southern section was later given the role of a route connecting Honshu and Hokkaido, while its northern section remained a local line until it was decided to close it down following a heavy rain disaster. It's sad to see a railway being closed, and I fully agree. However, what's important for the areas along the line isn't to preserve the railway at all costs, but to create an environment in which residents can continue to use public transportation . The outcome of the efforts of JR East and local governments along the Tsugaru Line, which have begun steps toward maintaining sustainable public transportation, will likely be a focus of attention for other regions across the country that are struggling with the problem of unprofitable local railways.
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