Sangu Line

The line began as a private undertaking by the Sangū Railway (参宮鉄道), founded to provide rail access to the Ise Grand Shrine. Its first section opened in December 1893, running from Tsu through Ōka — the present-day Taki — to Miyagawa. The railway was extended onward to Yamada (the station now called Iseshi) on 11 November 1897.

The private company was nationalised on 1 October 1907 under the Railway Nationalization Act, passing into the hands of the government railways. On 12 October 1909 the official line-name designation made the Kameyama–Yamada section (then about 57.45 km) the Sangū Line; at this stage the line ran from Kameyama, not Taki. The corridor was completed on 21 July 1911 when the final segment from Yamada to Toba opened, giving the through line its full length from Kameyama to Toba.

Because it carried pilgrim traffic to the Ise Grand Shrine, the Sangū Line was treated before the Second World War as the equal of a trunk route, with through trains running from Tokyo, Osaka and as far as Uno. In 1944, during the war, several sections were reduced from double to single track, the rails being taken up for war materials. After the war the line continued as a busy pilgrimage and regional route, but it was also the scene of the Rokken accident: on 15 October 1956 a train derailed at Rokken Station, killing 42 people and injuring 94.

On 15 July 1959, when the Kisei Main Line was completed as a through route, the Kameyama–Taki section (42.5 km) was absorbed into it, and the Sangū Line became the much shorter Taki–Toba segment that survives today, branching off the Kisei Main Line at Taki. Three new stations — Tokida, Isuzugaoka and Matsushita — opened on 1 April 1963.

The decisive blow to the line's standing came from private competition. When the Kintetsu Toba Line opened throughout in March 1970 and limited-express trains began running directly to Kashikojima on the Shima Line, the Sangū Line fell to the status of a purely local line. Freight was withdrawn in stages between 1969 and 1986, and the last steam locomotives were taken out of service on 30 July 1973, when the line was fully dieselised.

With the breakup and privatisation of Japanese National Railways on 1 April 1987, the Sangū Line passed to the newly formed Central Japan Railway Company. Under JR Central it has continued as a quiet local line, worked by diesel railcars such as the KiHa 11 and later KiHa 25 series, with Rapid "Mie" services from Nagoya extended onto it to serve Ise and Toba. The line competes with the parallel Kintetsu lines, which still carry more passengers.

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

• Futaminoura二見浦
• Iseshi伊勢市
• Isuzugaoka五十鈴ヶ丘
• Matsushita松下
• Miyagawa宮川
• Taki (Mie)多気
• Tamaru田丸
• Toba鳥羽
• Tokida外城田
• Yamada-Kamiguchi山田上口

• 1893December: the Sangū Railway opens its first section, Tsu–Ōka (present-day Taki)–Miyagawa, as a private pilgrimage route toward Ise.
• 189711 November: the line is extended from Miyagawa to Yamada (the present Iseshi Station).
• 19071 October: the Sangū Railway is nationalised under the Railway Nationalization Act and becomes part of the government railways.
• 190912 October: the official line-name designation makes the Kameyama–Yamada section (about 57.45 km) the Sangū Line, then starting from Kameyama.
• 191121 July: the final segment from Yamada to Toba opens, completing the through line from Kameyama to Toba.
• 1944Several sections are reduced from double to single track, the rails being removed for war materials.
• 195615 October: the Rokken derailment occurs at Rokken Station, killing 42 people and injuring 94.
• 195915 July: with the Kisei Main Line through-connected, the Kameyama–Taki section (42.5 km) is absorbed into it and the Sangū Line is redefined as the Taki–Toba segment, a branch off the Kisei Main Line at Taki.
• 19631 April: three new stations — Tokida, Isuzugaoka and Matsushita — open.
• 19691 July: freight service begins to be wound down (Iseshi–Toba), the first of several stages ending freight on the line.
• 1970March: the Kintetsu Toba Line opens throughout and limited expresses run through to Kashikojima; the Sangū Line falls to the status of a purely local line.
• 197330 July: the last steam locomotives are withdrawn and the line is fully dieselised.
• 19861 April: the last freight working (Taki–Miyagawa) ends, completing the withdrawal of freight from the line.
• 19871 April: with the breakup and privatisation of Japanese National Railways, the line passes to the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central).
• 199116 March: Rapid 'Mie' services from Nagoya are extended onto the line, serving Ise and Toba.