Akita Nairiku Line

The line as it exists today was stitched together from two former Japanese National Railways (JNR) lines that approached each other from opposite ends without meeting. The northern half began as the Aniai Line (阿仁合線), whose first segment, from Takanosu (then written Takanosu, 鷹ノ巣) to Yonaizawa, opened on 10 December 1934 over a length of 15.1 kilometres. The line was pushed south in stages: it reached Ani-Maeda on 15 November 1935 and Aniai on 25 September 1936, and after a long pause was finally extended to Hitachinai on 15 October 1963.

The southern section began much later as the Kakunodate Line (角館線), which opened from Kakunodate to Matsuba in the early 1970s. A connecting link between Hitachinai and Matsuba was planned, which would have joined the two lines into a single interior route, but construction of that link was suspended in the 1980s because of JNR's funding constraints, leaving a gap of roughly 30 kilometres in the centre.

Both lines then came under the JNR reconstruction law. The Kakunodate Line was approved for abolition as a first-batch "specified local line" in September 1981, and the Aniai Line was approved as a second-batch specified local line on 22 June 1984. Local interests organised a third-sector company, the Akita Nairiku Jūkan Railway, to run both lines and to complete the long-deferred central link.

On 1 November 1986 the new company began running the two lines as the Akita Nairiku North Line and the Akita Nairiku South Line. The station at the northern terminus changed the written form of its name, Takanosu, from 鷹ノ巣 to 鷹巣.

The through route was completed on 1 April 1989, when the missing 29-kilometre section between Hitachinai and Matsuba opened. On that day the North Line absorbed the South Line and the unified railway was renamed the Akita Nairiku Line. Seven new stations opened, six of them on the new central section (Ani-Matagi among them), and the express "Moriyoshi" began running two round trips a day.

The line was nicknamed "Akita Bijin Line" ("Akita beauty line") in 2012, and on 1 November 2017 the nickname was changed to "Smile Rail Akita Nairiku Line". Ogata Station was renamed Jōmon-Ogata in 2020, and Ani-Maeda Station became Ani-Maeda-Onsen in 2021. The railway has also suffered repeated weather damage: heavy rain in August 2022 halted trains between Takanosu and Aniai until 12 December, and heavy rain in July 2024 closed the whole line from 26 July; service was restored in stages, and the full line reopened on 10 August.

29 stations tracked on the map, listed alphabetically. Select any to read its page.

• Aikawa (Akita)合川
• Ani-Maeda-Onsen阿仁前田温泉
• Aniai阿仁合
• Animatagi阿仁マタギ
• Arase荒瀬
• Hitachinai比立内
• Iwanome岩野目
• Jomon-Ogata縄文小ヶ田
• Kakunodate角館
• Kamihinokinai上桧木内
• Kamisugi (Akita)上杉
• Katsurase桂瀬
• Kayakusa萱草
• Kobuchi (Akita)小渕
• Maedaminami前田南
• Matsuba松葉
• Nishi-Takanosu西鷹巣
• Okashinai笑内
• Okuani奥阿仁
• Onodai大野台
• Sadori左通
• Saimyouji西明寺
• Takanosu (Akita Nairiku)鷹巣
• Tozawa戸沢
• Ugo-Nagatoro羽後長戸呂
• Ugo-Nagazato羽後中里
• Ugo-Ota羽後太田
• Yatsu (Akita)八津
• Yonaizawa米内沢

• 193410 December: the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) opens the Aniai Line's first segment, Takanosu–Yonaizawa, over 15.1 km.
• 193515 November: the Aniai Line is extended from Yonaizawa to Ani-Maeda.
• 193625 September: the Aniai Line is extended from Ani-Maeda to Aniai.
• 196315 October: the Aniai Line is extended from Aniai to Hitachinai.
• 1970/19711 November: JNR opens the Kakunodate Line from Kakunodate to Matsuba. The year is given as 1970 or 1971.
• 1981September: the Kakunodate Line is approved for abolition as a first-batch 'specified local line'.
• 198422 June: the Aniai Line is approved for abolition as a second-batch 'specified local line'.
• 19861 November: the new third-sector Akita Nairiku Jūkan Railway begins running the Aniai Line and the Kakunodate Line as the Akita Nairiku North Line and South Line. Takanosu Station changes the written form of its name from 鷹ノ巣 to 鷹巣.
• 19891 April: the missing Hitachinai–Matsuba link (about 29 km) opens; the North Line absorbs the South Line and the route is renamed the Akita Nairiku Line. Seven new stations open (including Ani-Matagi) and the express 'Moriyoshi' begins running twice daily each way.
• 20011 December: one of the two daily round trips of the 'Moriyoshi' express is discontinued.
• 201227 January: the line is given the nickname 'Akita Bijin Line' (Akita beauty line).
• 20171 November: the line's nickname is changed to 'Smile Rail Akita Nairiku Line'.
• 202014 March: Ogata Station is renamed Jōmon-Ogata.
• 202113 March: Ani-Maeda Station is renamed Ani-Maeda-Onsen.
• 202213 August–12 December: heavy rain damages the line between Yonaizawa and Maeda-Minami, suspending Takanosu–Aniai; full operation resumes on 12 December.
• 202425 July–10 August: heavy rain damages multiple locations; service is restored in stages, with full operation resuming on 10 August.