Chokai Sanroku Line

The corridor began as a private venture. On 1 August 1922 the Yokoshō Railway (横荘鉄道) opened its "West Line" between Ugo-Honjō and Maegō, a distance of 11.6 km. The Yokoshō Railway's wider ambition had been to build clear across the region between Yokote and Honjō, but its line was completed only in sections at either end and the two halves were never joined.

On 1 September 1937 the state purchased and nationalised the Yokoshō Railway's West Line, and the Japanese Government Railways renamed the Ugo-Honjō–Maegō section the Yashima Line (矢島線). Under state ownership the line was extended from Maegō to Nishitakisawa on 15 December 1937, and on 21 October 1938 a further 7.3 km opened from Nishitakisawa to Ugo-Yashima, bringing the railhead to what is today the terminus and giving the line its full 23.0-kilometre length.

On 20 April 1961 passenger trains switched from steam haulage to diesel railcars, although freight trains remained steam-hauled. Freight working was discontinued on 10 March 1981.

Under the 1980 law to restructure Japanese National Railways, the Yashima Line was designated one of the first batch of "specified local lines" (特定地方交通線) to be closed, and the closure was approved on 11 September 1981. Rather than abandon it, local interests established a third-sector company, the Yuri Kōgen Railway, to take the line over.

The handover took place on 1 October 1985: Japanese National Railways discontinued the Yashima Line as a national railway, and the Yuri Kōgen Railway began operating the same 23.0-kilometre route as the Chōkai Sanroku Line. On 29 October 1989 two new stations, Magarisawa and Yoshizawa, were opened.

One morning round trip is run as the "Magokoro-ressha" (まごころ列車), staffed by an attendant dressed as an Akita "obako" country girl. As of August 2020 the line's fleet included three YR-3000 series diesel railcars.

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

• Ayukawa鮎川
• Kawabe (Akita)川辺
• Koyoshi子吉
• Kubota (Akita)久保田
• Kurosawa (Yuri Kogen Railway)黒沢
• Maego前郷
• Magarisawa曲沢
• Nishitakisawa西滝沢
• Ugo-Honjo羽後本荘
• Yakushido (Akita)薬師堂
• Yashima (Akita)矢島
• Yoshizawa吉沢

• 19221 August: the Yokoshō Railway opens its West Line between Ugo-Honjō and Maegō (11.6 km).
• 19371 September: the state purchases and nationalises the Yokoshō Railway's West Line, renaming the Ugo-Honjō–Maegō section the Yashima Line.
• 193715 December: the Yashima Line is extended from Maegō to Nishitakisawa (4.1 km).
• 193821 October: the line is extended from Nishitakisawa to Ugo-Yashima (7.3 km), reaching the present terminus and its full 23.0 km length.
• 196120 April: passenger trains switch from steam locomotives to diesel railcars; freight trains remain steam-hauled.
• 198110 March: freight service on the Yashima Line is discontinued.
• 198111 September: closure of the Yashima Line is approved as one of the first batch of 'specified local lines' under the law restructuring Japanese National Railways.
• 19851 October: Japanese National Railways discontinues the Yashima Line (Ugo-Honjō–Ugo-Yashima, 23.0 km); it is converted to the third sector and reopens as the Yuri Kōgen Railway's Chōkai Sanroku Line.
• 198929 October: two new stations, Magarisawa and Yoshizawa, are opened along the line.
• 2012The Yuri Kōgen Railway introduces the YR-3000 series diesel railcar; three cars of the type were in service as of August 2020.