Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Enter your search query...

The Kominato Railway

Blessed with cherry blossom By Kiyohito Utsunomiya

A train is pulling into Takataki station, rolling under a cherry blossom. In April, the line is blessed with many cherry blossoms blooming alongside the tracks.

Kominato Tetsudo (Railway) is a private local railway which covers 39.1km from JR Goi to Kazusa-Nakano situated in Boso Peninsula on the east of Tokyo. The first section was opened in 1925 and extended to Kazusa-Nakano in 1928. The original plan was to connect Goi with Awa-Kominato, on the opposite side of the Boso peninsula. The name of the company, “Kominato”, derives from this unrealized destination.

Passengers are commuters to Chiba and Tokyo and tourists exploring Yoro Keikoku (valley). Most areas along the line are countryside. Views from the window are full of nature. You can enjoy typical Japanese local scenes and four seasons with cherry blossoms in spring, green mountains in summer, colorful leaves in autumn, and frosty fields in winter. Most of the train stations have small old houses, but they are very well preserved.

Kominato Tetsudo has not been electrified. There exist 14 type 200 diesel cars, which were built from 1961 to 1977. The side view of the 200 is basically the same as the Kiha 20 of JR. The cars built in 1975 and 1977 have unit type windows. Their size is 20,000 mm long, 2903 wide, and 3880 high. The highest speed is 95km with a 180/1500ps/rpm engine (DMH17C). The traditional cream yellow and orange livery, which was also the same as that of former JNR diesel cars, has been unchanged.

The depot is located at Goi. It should be noted that three classic steam tank engines which used to run on the line are preserved in the depot. Two of them were built by Baldwin and the other by Peacock.

At any rate Kominato Tetsudo is very attractive and nostalgic. Railmen of Kominato Tetsudo look very proud of their railway. It is said that they make every effort to keep its attractiveness. In fact, you can find well-kept old cherry trees here and there along the line. In addition, it is situated near Tokyo. It takes around one hour from Tokyo station to Goi by Kaisoku (rapid train) without extra charge. While trains run more often than every hour between Goi and Kasusa-Ushiku, there are only ten trains going further than Kazusa-Ushiku a day. Needless to say, the section between Kausa-Ushiku and Kazusa-Nakano is more scenic. Please check the timetable carefully, and enjoy your trip!

A view of Goi engine depot. The railway provides service with a fleet of 14 sets of Kiha 200. February 2000.

A single unit train pauses briefly at the small Itabu station, its figure reflecting off the surface of a pond. April 2000.

Matate station, like most on the line, retains an ambience of the good old days of a countryside railway station. June 1996.

A train rolls up in deep mountainous surroundings, near Kazusa Okubo. June 1999.

A two-car train is rolling downhill in a lush landscape of rural surroundings. June 1999.

On the last leg, the line goes into a fairly precipitous mountain area. The scenic Yoro Keikoku (Yoro Valley) is located about 2 km unpstream of this bridge. The train over the bridge heads for Yoro Keikoku station, which is the access point to this sightseeing spot. Between Kazusa-Okubo and Yoro-Keikoku. February 2000.

A single unit train is making a stop at a small station amidst rustic scenery. April 2000.

At a defunct interlocking loop at Satomi, the station's wooden structure is very old, but is well maintained. Most of the stations retain their original structure from when the railway first commenced service 74 years ago in 1925. April 2000.

A two-car train has just arrived at Kazusa-Nakano, the western end of the line. The railbus seen on the right is of the Isumi Railway, a third sector operator, which runs from here to the eastern coast of the Boso peninsula. June 1996.

Passing through Tsukizaki on a warm spring day, the cherry blossoms and rape blossoms form a perfect scenic backdrop. April 2000.

Passing through Tsukizaki on a warm spring day, the cherry blossoms and rape blossoms form a perfect scenic backdrop. April 2000.

Three old steam locomotives that once worked on this railway are preserved at Goi engine depot. The B104 (in front) is a 1894-built Beyer Peacock from the UK. February 2000.

All photos were taken by the author.

Please Note

  • The views expressed in this web site are those of contributors and not necessarily those of the JRS.
  • Copyrights all reserved.

About Us

The Japanese Railway Society (JRS) was founded in 1991 in London to promote the knowledge of the railways of Japan in the UK & other non-Japanese-speaking parts of the world.
Since 1991, there have been several activities like exhibitions (also of railway models), a TV-show (on Naruhodo The World, Fuji TV), many meetings in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and many guided tours to and meetings in Japan. Our membership is now more than 200 people in over 10 countries worldwide.

© Japanese Railway Society 2024 / Wallpaper photograph © Christopher Hood 2013