Higashiyama Main Line

Okayama Electric Tramway was established on 21 May 1910 and is one of the few Japanese railway companies founded in the Meiji era that have never changed their corporate name. It opened its first tram service in 1912 and today is a core member of the Ryōbi Group.

The line opened in two stages in 1912. On 5 May 1912 the first section ran from Okayama-Ekimae to Shiroshita, and on 1 June 1912 the line was extended onward from Shiroshita to Saidaijichō. The route reached its present eastern terminus more than a decade later, on 9 July 1923, when the section from Saidaijichō to Higashiyama opened, completing the 3.1 km line as it exists today.

The line shares its inner-city tracks with the Seikibashi Line, which branches off toward Seikibashi.

In the twenty-first century several stops were renamed: Nishigawa became Nishigawa-Ryokudō-Kōen in 2008, the eastern terminus Higashiyama was renamed Higashiyama·Okaden Museum in 2017, and Saidaijichō became Saidaijichō·Okayama Geijutsu Sōzō Gekijō Halenowa-mae in 2023.

On 16 March 2019 a sightseeing tram themed on the British children's animation "Chuggington" and based on the 9200-series "MOMO" design began running between Okayama-Ekimae and Higashiyama·Okaden Museum. On 15 September 2025 a tram collided with a route bus at the Omotechō intersection and derailed, injuring two people; service resumed the following day. An extension of about 100 metres from Okayama-Ekimae into the east-exit plaza of Okayama Station is planned for spring 2027.

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

• Chunagon中納言
• Higashiyama / Okaden Museum東山・おかでんミュージアム
• Kadotayashiki門田屋敷
• Kenchoudori県庁通り
• Kobashi小橋
• Nishigawaryokudokouen西川緑道公園
• Okayama Ekimae岡山駅前
• Saidaiji-cho / Okayama Arts and Crafts Theater Harenowa-mae西大寺町・岡山芸術創造劇場ハレノワ前
• Shiroshita (Okayama)城下
• Yanagawa (Okayama)柳川

• 191021 May: Okayama Electric Tramway is established — a company that has never changed its name since founding.
• 19125 May: the first section of the Higashiyama Main Line opens between Okayama-Ekimae and Shiroshita.
• 19121 June: the line is extended from Shiroshita to Saidaijichō.
• 19239 July: the section from Saidaijichō to Higashiyama opens, completing the 3.1 km line to its present eastern terminus.
• 20081 April: Nishigawa stop is renamed Nishigawa-Ryokudō-Kōen.
• 20171 April: the eastern terminus Higashiyama is renamed Higashiyama·Okaden Museum.
• 2018Niigata Transys builds the Chuggington-themed tram, a low-floor articulated car based on the 9200-series 'MOMO'.
• 201916 March: the Chuggington-themed sightseeing tram begins running between Okayama-Ekimae and Higashiyama·Okaden Museum.
• 202327 April: Saidaijichō stop is renamed Saidaijichō·Okayama Geijutsu Sōzō Gekijō Halenowa-mae.
• 202515 September: a tram collides with a route bus at the Omotechō intersection and derails, injuring two; service resumes the next day.
• 2027Spring (planned): the line is to be extended about 100 m from Okayama-Ekimae into the east-exit plaza of Okayama Station.