Hōhi Main Line Explained

Hōhi Main Line
Color:	b96f30
Stations:	37
Electrification:	20 kV AC (60 Hz)

The is a railway line in Kyushu, southern Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects the west and east coasts of the island. The line originates at Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto and ends at terminal of Ōita Station in Ōita.

Data

• Gauge

• Length: 148.0 km
• Stations: 37 (including terminals)
• Track: Single track
• Electrification

• • Kumamoto - Higo Ōzu: 20 kV AC (60 Hz)
  • Higo Ōzu - Ōita: None

• Maximum service speed: 95 km/h (59 mph)

Stations

•: Stops, |

Passes through

Stations		Distance (km)	Rapid Hōhi Liner	Transfers	Location
Kumamoto	熊本	0.0	•	Kagoshima Main Line, Kyushu Shinkansen Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau: Trunk Line・Tasaki Line (Kumamoto-Ekimae Station)	Nishi-ku, Kumamoto	Kumamoto
Heisei	平成	2.7	|| |rowspan="4"|Chūō-ku, Kumamoto|-|Minami Kumamoto| 南熊本| align="right"|3.6| align="center"||
Shin Suizenji	新水前寺	5.2	•	Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau Trunk Line (Suizenji-Ekidori Station)
Suizenji	水前寺	5.8	•
Tōkai Gakuen-mae	東海学園前	7.8	|| | Higashi-ku, Kumamoto|-|Tatsutaguchi| 竜田口| align="right"|8.9| align="center"||		Kita-ku, Kumamoto
Musashizuka	武蔵塚	12.9	•
Hikari no Mori	光の森	14.8	•
Sanrigi	三里木	15.8	|| | rowspan="2"|Kikuyō|-|Haramizu| 原水| align="right"|18.9| align="center"||| |-|Higo Ōzu| 肥後大津| align="right"|22.6|align="center"|•| | rowspan="2"|Ōzu|-|Seta| 瀬田| align="right"|27.2| | |-|Tateno| 立野| align="right"|32.3| |Minami Aso Railway Takamori Line|Minamiaso|-|Akamizu| 赤水| align="right"|40.2| | | rowspan="8"|Aso|-|Ichinokawa| 市ノ川| align="right"|42.6| | |-|Uchinomaki| 内牧| align="right"|46.4| | |-|Aso| 阿蘇| align="right"|49.9| | |-|Ikoi no Mura| いこいの村| align="right"|51.2| | |-|Miyaji| 宮地| align="right"|53.4| | |-|Namino| 波野| align="right"|64.1| | |-|Takimizu| 滝水| align="right"|69.0| | |-|Bungo-Ogi| 豊後荻| align="right"|75.2| | | rowspan="3"|Taketa| rowspan="15"|Ōita|-|Tamarai| 玉来| align="right"|84.9| | |-|Bungo-Taketa| 豊後竹田| align="right"|88.0| | |-|Asaji| 朝地| align="right"|93.9| | | rowspan="6"|Bungo Ōno|-|Ogata| 緒方| align="right"|100.3| | |-|Bungo-Kiyokawa| 豊後清川| align="right"|105.4| | |-|Miemachi| 三重町| align="right"|111.9| | |-|Sugao| 菅尾| align="right"|117.3| | |-|Inukai| 犬飼| align="right"|125.2| | |-|Takenaka| 竹中| align="right"|130.8| | | rowspan="6"|Ōita|-|Nakahanda| 中判田| align="right"|136.3| | |-|Ōita-Daigaku-mae| 大分大学前| align="right"|138.8| | |-|Shikido| 敷戸| align="right"|140.2| | |-|Takio| 滝尾| align="right"|142.9| |  |-|Ōita | 大分| align="right"|148.0| |Nippō Main Line, Kyudai Main Line|} History Construction of the line commenced from both Oita and Kumamoto in 1914, with connection being achieved with the opening of the Miyaji - Tamarai section in 1928. Steam locomotives were withdrawn from the line in 1973, and CTC signalling was commissioned on the entire line in 1983. The 22.5 km Kumamoto - Higoozu section was electrified in 1999. Damages by natural disasters In 1990-91, the line was severed for a year by landslides caused by torrential rain, with a further eight-month period of disruption occurring in 1993-94. A three-month period of disruption occurred in 2004, and the line was severed from July 2012 until August 2013 due to further landslides induced by torrential rainfall. In 2016, the Kumamoto Earthquakes damage resulted in the closure of the section between Higo Ozu and Aso. The line has been restored since 8 August 2020. Former connecting lines Minami Kumamoto Station: the 29 km Yūen Railway to Tomochi opened in sections between 1915 and 1932, and closed in 1964. Kamikumamoto Station: the 22 km gauge Kumamoto Light Railway to Otsu opened 1907 and 1914, with a 2.4 km branch to Suizenji. Despite proposals to regauge the line to gauge and electrify it, the anticipated development of the area did not occur at an acceptable rate and the line was closed in 1921. References