Meitetsu Takehana Line

The line originated with the Takehana Railroad (竹鼻鉄道), which opened its first section from Shin-Kasamatsu — today's Nishi-Kasamatsu — to the present Takehana Station on 25 June 1921. This opening stretch was electrified from the outset, at 600 V DC. The Takehana Railroad had been incorporated in November 1919 after receiving its railway licence earlier that year, and its line was the first railway in an area that had until then relied on a road to Gifu and on water transport.

The 1921 terminus was renamed Sakaemachi in February 1929, and on 1 April 1929 the Takehana Railroad opened the extension from Sakaemachi to Ōsu, completing the line's full length and carrying it further into what is now Hashima. The Takehana Railroad continued as an independent company operating the section between present-day Nishi-Kasamatsu and Ōsu.

In August 1930 Nagoya Railroad absorbed the Mino Electric Tramway (美濃電気軌道), whose Kasamatsu-area trackage connected with the Takehana Railroad's terminus, and on 1 March 1943 the Takehana Railroad itself was merged into Nagoya Railroad, making Meitetsu the line's sole operator. The route has been part of the Meitetsu network ever since.

On 10 June 1962 the supply voltage was raised from the original 600 V to 1,500 V DC. On 11 December 1982 the new Hashima Line opened from Egira to Shin-Hashima, and express operation began over the Takehana and Hashima lines.

The Egira–Ōsu section was closed on 1 October 2001 and replaced by a Hashima City substitute bus service. Since then the Takehana Line has run from Kasamatsu only as far as Egira, where almost all its trains continue onto the Hashima Line. As of the timetable change of 14 March 2026, the only service running through from the Nagoya Main Line is the last train from Meitetsu Gifu, and every service runs entirely within Gifu Prefecture.

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

• Egira江吉良
• Fuwa-Ishiki不破一色
• Hashima-Shiyakusho-Mae羽島市役所前
• Kasamatsu (Gifu)笠松
• Minami-Juku南宿
• Nishi-Kasamatsu西笠松
• Suka須賀
• Takehana竹鼻
• Yanaizu (Gifu)柳津

• 191914 November: the Takehana Railroad Company is incorporated, having received its railway licence on 24 June 1919.
• 192125 June: the Takehana Railroad opens its first section, Shin-Kasamatsu (now Nishi-Kasamatsu) to present-day Takehana, electrified at 600 V DC.
• 19291 April: the line is extended from Sakaemachi (the 1921 terminus, renamed in February) to Ōsu, completing its full length.
• 1930August: Nagoya Railroad absorbs the Mino Electric Tramway, whose Kasamatsu-area line connected with the Takehana Railroad's terminus.
• 19431 March: the Takehana Railroad is merged into Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu), the line's present operator.
• 196210 June: the supply voltage is raised from 600 V to 1,500 V DC.
• 198211 December: the Hashima Line opens from Egira to Shin-Hashima, and express operation begins.
• 20011 October: the Egira–Ōsu section is closed and replaced by a Hashima City substitute bus service; the line now runs only from Kasamatsu to Egira.