| Nishi-Kyushu Line | |
| Type: | Regional rail |
| Status: | In operation |
| Locale: | Kyushu (Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures) |
| End: | Sasebo |
| Stations: | 57 |
| Open: | 1 March 1945 (fully) |
| Owner: | Matsuura Railway |
| Operator: | Matsuura Railway |
| Character: | Urban and rural |
| Stock: | MR-400 series DMU, MR-500 series DMU, MR-600 series DMU |
| Linelength: | 93.9km (58.3miles) |
| Speed: | 85 km/h (53 mph) |
| Electrification: | None |
| Tracks: | Entire line single tracked |
The is a Japanese railway line operated by the private railway operator Matsuura Railway, which connects Arita in Saga Prefecture with Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture.[1] This is the westernmost railway line in Japan, with Tabira-Hiradoguchi Station being the westernmost station.
The Kansai Coal Mining Co. opened a 12km (07miles), gauge line from Saza to Sechibaru via Yoshii in 1896.
The Arita - Imari section of the line was opened on 7 August 1898 by the, which merged with the Kyushu Railway in December of the same year.[1] In 1907, the line was nationalised, becoming the .[1] The line was extended to Imabuku in 1930, Matsuura in 1933, Tabira-Hiradoguchi in 1935, and Senryūgataki in 1939.
The then isolated Hidariishi - Ainoura section was opened as a gauge line by the for coal transportation on 27 March 1920,[1] and extended to Kami-Sasebo the following year. In 1931, it was extended to Saza, with the company acquiring the Kansai Coal line to Sechibaru in 1933 and passenger services to Yoshii commencing in 1934. A connection to Sasebo opened in 1935, and the company was nationalised in October 1936.[1] Between 1943 and 1944, the line was regauged to,[1] with a new alignment opened in March 1945, linking the two sections.[1]
From 1 April 1988, the line between Arita and Sasebo was transferred from JNR operation to the privately owned Matsuura Railway.[1]
●: Stops |: Does not stopRapid Service: Down trains (to Sasebo) operate between Saza and Sasebo. Up trains (from Sasebo) operate between Sasebo and Tabira-Hiradoguchi.
| Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Rapid service | Transfers | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arita | Japanese: 有田 | 0.0 | ||||
| Midaibashi | Japanese: 三代橋 | 1.7 | ||||
| Kurogō | Japanese: 黒川 | 2.8 | ||||
| Zōshuku | Japanese: 蔵宿 | 3.8 | ||||
| Nishi-Arita | Japanese: 西有田 | 4.8 | ||||
| Ōgi | Japanese: 大木 | 6.1 | ||||
| Yamadani | Japanese: 山谷 | 7.0 | ||||
| Meotoishi | Japanese: 夫婦石 | 7.9 | ||||
| Kanatake | Japanese: 金武 | 9.8 | ||||
| Kawahigashi | Japanese: 川東 | 11.6 | ||||
| Imari | Japanese: 伊万里 | 13.0 | ||||
| Higashi-Yamashiro | Japanese: 東山代 | 16.3 | ||||
| Sato | Japanese: 里 | 17.5 | ||||
| Kusuku | Japanese: 楠久 | 18.6 | ||||
| Naruishi | Japanese: 鳴石 | 20.0 | ||||
| Kubara | Japanese: 久原 | 21.7 | ||||
| Haze | Japanese: 波瀬 | 22.8 | ||||
| Uranosaki | Japanese: 浦ノ崎 | 24.8 | ||||
| Fukushimaguchi | Japanese: 福島口 | 25.3 | ||||
| Imabuku | Japanese: 今福 | 27.5 | Matsuura | Nagasaki | ||
| Takashimaguchi | Japanese: 鷹島口 | 28.7 | ||||
| Maehama | Japanese: 前浜 | 32.4 | ||||
| Tsukinokawa | Japanese: 調川 | 33.5 | ||||
| Matsuura | Japanese: 松浦 | 35.6 | ||||
| Matsuura Hatsudensho-mae | Japanese: 松浦発電所前 | 38.2 | ||||
| Mikuriya | Japanese: 御厨 | 41.6 | ||||
| Nishikoba | Japanese: 西木場 | 44.4 | ||||
| Japanese: 東田平 | 46.3 | |||||
| Japanese: 中田平 | 48.1 | |||||
| Tabira-Hiradoguchi | Japanese: たびら平戸口 | 51.2 | ● | |||
| Nishi-Tabira | Japanese: 西田平 | 53.8 | || |-|Suetachibana|Japanese: すえたちばな|align="right"|58.1|align="center"|| | |||
| Emukae-Shikamachi | Japanese: 江迎鹿町 | 60.0 | ● | |||
| Japanese: 高岩 | 61.4 | || |-|Inotsuki|Japanese: いのつき|align="right"|64.9|align="center"|| | ||||
| Senryūgataki | Japanese: 潜竜ヶ滝 | 66.5 | || |-|Yoshii|Japanese: 吉井|align="right"|68.8|align="center"|●| |-|Kōda|Japanese: 神田|align="right"|70.3|align="center"|| | |||
| Japanese: 清峰高校前 | 72.4 | || |-|Saza|Japanese: 佐々|align="right"|74.0|align="center"|●| |-|Koura|Japanese: 小浦|align="right"|75.8|align="center"|●| |-|Masaru|Japanese: 真申|align="right"|77.7|align="center"|| | Sasebo | |||
| Tanagata | Japanese: 棚方 | 78.3 | ● | |||
| Ainoura | Japanese: 相浦 | 79.7 | ● | |||
| Daigaku | Japanese: 大学 | 80.9 | ● | |||
| Kami-Ainoura | Japanese: 上相浦 | 81.7 | ● | |||
| Motoyama | Japanese: 本山 | 83.5 | ● | |||
| Nakazato | Japanese: 中里 | 84.0 | || |-|Kaize|Japanese: 皆瀬|align="right"|85.5|align="center"||| |-|Nonaka|Japanese: 野中|align="right"|86.2|align="center"|| | |||
| Hidariishi | Japanese: 左石 | 87.4 | ● | |||
| Senpukuji | Japanese: 泉福寺 | 88.4 | ● | |||
| Yamanota | Japanese: 山の田 | 89.5 | || |-|Kita-Sasebo|Japanese: 北佐世保|align="right"|90.6|align="center"|●| |-|Naka-Sasebo|Japanese: 中佐世保|align="right"|92.6|align="center"|| | |||
| Sasebo-Chūō | Japanese: 佐世保中央 | 92.8 | ● | |||
| Sasebo | Japanese: 佐世保 | 93.8 | ● | Sasebo Line | ||
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia