Railway version of EV? ACCUM battery train running through the Oga Peninsula [Akita Prefecture]

Many "trains" run on Japanese railways today, but trains are basically vehicles that continue to take in electricity from outside, so they cannot be driven on routes that do not have electricity facilities.
However, on such lines, there are few
vehicles, like electric vehicles, that run on the power of storage batteries installed in vehicles One of the routes on which battery trains run the Oga Line in Akita Prefecture .

What is the Oga Line?

The Oga Line is a JR East railway line that connects Oiwake Station in Akita City, Akita Prefecture to Oga Station in Oga City.
Its total length is 26.4km and has nine stations.
As the route name suggests, it is a route running along the Oga Peninsula.

The final stop, Oga Station, is located in the centre of Oga City.
From Oga Station, the Namahage Shuttle, an Ainori taxi that requires advance reservations , and you can visit Oga spots such as Namahagekan, Oga Mayama Legend Museum, Mayama Shrine, Oga Onsenkyo, and Oga Aquarium GAO.

Oga Peninsula Ainori Taxi Namahage Shuttle

Oga Peninsula Ainori Taxi Namahage Shuttle

https://oganavi.com/namahage_shuttle/ja

The Oga Peninsula Ainori Taxi Namahage Shuttle is a recommended means of transportation for sightseeing in the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture! This is a reasonable regular taxi that connects Oga Station, Oga Onsenkyo, Namahagekan, Oga Aquarium GAO, Iridozaki, Goshado, and other major tourist spots in Oga.

As of the revision in March 2025, there are 15 round-trip local trains (trains that stop at all stations) per day on both weekday and holidays.
Not a single train has started or ended at Oiwake Station, the starting point of the Oga Line, and all trains run between Akita Station and Oiwake Station on the Ou Main Line.
The sections between Akita Station and Oga Station, including the Ou Main Line, are nicknamed Oga Namahage Line

Oga night express train that ran from the metropolitan area took the Oga Line and ran to Oga Station.
For more information, please see the explanatory article for "Oga".

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

The trail of the express train "Oga" that was connected to Ueno and Akita, which had a strong demand [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/36627

When traveling by train from Ueno Station in Tokyo to Akita Station in Akita Prefecture, most people will take the Akita Shinkansen "Komachi". In an era before the Shinkansen, people would have used limited express trains on conventional lines, but the limited express trains up until the 1970s were truly special, unlike today's trains, and anyone could easily use them. It was not a train that could do that. The express train ``Oga,'' which we will introduce here, was one of the trains that accessed Akita in the days when limited express trains were not common. Birth of the Express ``Oga'' The ``Oga'' express was first set up in October 1961. Ueno station...

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The Oga Line is a non-electrified line that does not have the power equipment necessary for a train to run (such as electric wires that are stretched above the tracks).
Therefore, it is not possible for a typical train to run , and it is necessary to use diesel vehicles that run using diesel fuel.
The Oga Line also operated a diesel vehicle called the Kiha 40 series until the timetable revision in March 2021.

What is ACCUM for the storage battery train EV-E801 series?

The Kiha 40 series diesel cars have been aging since about 40 years since they were manufactured, so new cars began to be launched on the Oga Line in 2017.
The new car the EV-E801 series battery train .
It is nicknamed ACCUM

It is a two-car set and operates in two or four-car formations.
Currently, are
rare vehicles only operated on the Oga Line and the Ou Main Line (there are routes that operate different types of storage battery trains, but there are no doubt that the routes that operate these storage battery trains are limited).

Namahage, an important intangible folk cultural property in the Oga region , and Namahage is also painted next to the boarding and disembarking doors.

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

Why do Nama balds take knives to tempt people - Oga Peninsula and the Legend of the Demon (1) [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/34981

When you hear the word Oga, the first thing that comes to mind is Namahage. Every year on New Year's Eve, demon-like people wearing masks with scary faces and costumes made of straw visit people's homes shouting, ``No lazy people, no crying children!'' In his hands, he holds a Deba knife and a bucket. Namahage descends to the village from Mt. Kamiyama to pray for the villagers not to be lazy in the winter and for good health and a good harvest in the new year (at the Namahage Chaito Festival) ©Akita PrefectureThe Namahage is scary at first glance, but... In fact, we are trying to punish the lazy people who spend all their time at the kotatsu and the irori hearth during the winter agricultural off-season, so that they will not get sick.

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On the electrified Ou Main Line (between Akita Station and Oiwake Station), ACCUM runs in the same way as a regular train by raising the pantograph (current collector) on the roof.
On the other hand, since trains cannot be driven on the non-electric Oga Line, they use the power charged to the in-vehicle storage batteries.
It's the same as an electric car.

When you arrive at the final stop, Oga Station, the pantograph is raised to the overhead wires (electric wires) only located on the platform, and charge them during the stop.
Then, the battery is run again and heads back towards Oiwake Station.
The electricity used for charging at Oga Station is produced at a wind farm operated by JR East.

ACCUM was introduced in 2017 with one two-car train, and five were added in March 2021.
As a result, the Kiha 40 series has retired, and the only vehicle that runs on the Oga Line is ACCUM.
Of the retired Kiha 40 series, some of the vehicles have been transferred to Kominato Railway, a private railway in Chiba Prefecture.

Tourist spots to visit by Oga Line or the Namahage Shuttle

Generally, travelling in rural areas is inconvenient without a car (private car or rental car), but without a driver's license you cannot drive yourself, and even if you can drive it yourself, there are probably some people who find that renting a car is a heavy burden.

However, by using the Oga Line and the Namahage Shuttle, which requires advance reservations, you can tour Oga without having to drive your own car
(please note that reservations must be made by 9pm the day before, and that if there are other users you can carry the carpool).
Here we will introduce some spots you can access on the Oga Line and Namahage Shuttle.

Roadside Station Oga Namahage no Sato Ogare

Roadside Eki Oga Namahage no Sato Ogare is a roadside station that is only a 3-minute walk south of Oga Station, the final stop of the Oga Line.
Oga City's seafood and agricultural products are sold, and interacting with Akita dogs (mainly on holidays).

Information<Road Station Oga>

• Name: Roadside Station Oga Namahage no Sato Ogare
• Address: 1-19 Shinhamacho, Funakawa Port, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number 0185-47-7515
• Closed on January 1st and January 2nd. Temporary closures are available during winter.
• URL Roadside Station Oga | Namahage no Sato Ogare

Google Map

Mayama area

The Mayama area is lined with Namahagekan, Oga Mayama Legend Museum, and Mayama Shrine.
At Namhagekan, over 150 Namhage masks and costumes are displayed, as well as screening the film "Namahage One Night" on a large screen.
In addition, Oga Mayama Denshokan, which uses an ancient house of magaraya, offers a learning course that allows you to experience Namahage with demonstrations.

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

[Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture] Meet the authentic Namahage! I went to Namahage Museum and Oga Shinzan Tradition Museum

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/21905

What impression do you have of "Namahage"? I had the image of a scary demon who went around each house on New Year's Eve and threatened their children by saying, "No bad kids, aren't they?" I've heard that there's a place where you can meet real Namahage on the Oga Peninsula in Akita, so I'd love to have my children meet Namahage! So I went to Oga Mayama Denshokan where you can experience Namahage. Is the real namahage really exactly as you imagined? Was the child safe? The conclusion is that we have had a very valuable experience that completely changes the image of Namahage. The origin of namahage is the origin of namahage. The origin of namahage is "real body stripping." ...

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Information<Namahagekan>

• Name: Namhagekan
• Location: Mizukurozawa, Kitaura Mayama, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
• Opening hours: 8:30-17:00 (open all year round)
• Phone number 0185-22-5050
• Official URL: Namahagekan | Why not go out? On a journey to meet Namahage

Google Map

Oga Onsen Village

According to legend, Oga Onsen Village was the place where Sakaue Tamuramaro, the Seii Taishogun, discovered the hot springs and allowed the soldiers to rest during his east campaign.
It is said that the head of the Satake family, who served as the lord of the Akita Domain during the Edo period, also liked to take a bath.

Oga Onsen's hot water contains salt, and the salt that gets on your skin after bathing prevents sweat from evaporating, making it popular as a hot water for beautiful skin with a high moisturizing effect.
As of April 2025, six hotels are open.

Information<Oga Onsen Village>

• Name: Oga Onsen
• Location: Kitaura Yumoto Kusakihara, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
• Official URL: Namahage Legend and Effective Yuno Sato Akita Prefecture Oga Onsen Province

Google Map

Oga Aquarium GAO

The Oga Aquarium GAO ​​exhibits around 400 species of creatures, including Akita Prefecture's prefectural fish, polar bears, and penguins.
The large aquarium recreates the Oga sea from spring to summer is a spectacular sight.
This is a representative aquarium in Akita Prefecture, with an exhibition area specializing in the sea bream and distinctive exhibits such as fish that live in the rivers and fields of Akita Forest.

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

[Oga City, Akita Prefecture] Oga Aquarium GAO ​​is a sacred place for "Fishing Idiot Diaries"! Be impressed by the giant aquarium and get original goods!

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/3810

This aquarium was originally attracting attention as the filming location for the famous film "Tsuribaka Diary." It has become even more popular since its reopening in 2004. It is characterized by the fact that there are many river creatures, including sea lions and penguins. The view is also impressive, with a huge aquarium and underwater tunnels. This time, we will introduce Oga Aquarium GAO, the most representative aquarium in Akita. The highlights of Oga Aquarium GAO ​​are the giant aquarium and the underwater tunnel, and you will immediately notice them. This is a recreation of the Oga sea. The next one will appear is an underwater tunnel. Inside...

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Information<Oga Aquarium GAO>

• Name: Oga Aquarium GAO
• Location: Toga Shiohama, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
• Opening time: 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:00) From November to February of the following year, 9:00-16:00 (last entry 15:00)
• Closed on the third Thursday, etc. (Please check)
• Phone number 0185-32-2221
• Official URL: Oga Aquarium GAO

Google Map

others

By using the Namakage Shuttle, depending on the season, you can visit the scenic spots such as Iridozaki, the scenic spot, Unshoji Temple, a famous hydrangea spot, and Kankazeyama Revolving Observatory.
For these spots, there are limited periods when the Namakage Shuttle operates, so please check carefully before making a plan for your visit.

Oga Peninsula Ainori Taxi Namahage Shuttle

Timetable, prices and route map | Oga Peninsula Ainori Taxi Namahage Shuttle

https://oganavi.com/namahage_shuttle/ja/cource

Timetable, prices and route map for the Oga Peninsula Ainori Taxi & Unlimited Drive Bus Namahage Shuttle. We offer a diagram that allows you to travel to the major tourist spots of the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture at a reasonable price.

in conclusion

The Oga Line not only serves as a foot for local residents, but also vehicles that only run here, invite tourists to Oga.
Take the Oga Line and try a tourist spot where you can only experience in Oga.