Yonesaka – sen 米坂線

Part I: From Yonezawa to Utsu Tunnel (18 March 2019)                                              Peter Ackermann

6555 The two Yonesaka-sen diesel cars KIHA 111-202 + KIHA 112-202 are arriving at Yonezawa. (2019)

6640 In a Yonesaka-sen train looking towards the mountain range near Narushima halt, between Yonezawa and Imaichi. (2019)

The Yonesaka-sen was severely damaged in the violent storm of 3 August 2022. The section between Sakamachi and Imaizumi remains closed (April 2024).

  • 1 Echigo Ôshima 越後大島
  • 2 Echigo Shimoseki 越後下関
  • 3 Echigo Katakai 越後片貝
  • 4 Echigo Kanamaru 越後金丸
  • 5 Oguni 小国
  • 6 Uzen Matsuoka 羽前松岡
  • 7 Isaryô 伊佐領
  • 8 Uzen Numazawa 羽前沼沢
  • 9 Tenoko 手の子
  • 10 Uzen Tsubaki 羽前椿
  • 11 Hagyû 萩生
  • 12 Imaizumi 今泉
  • 13 Inukawa 犬川
  • 14 Uzen Komatsu 羽前小松
  • 15 Chûgun 中郡
  • 16 Narushima 成島
  • 17 Nishi Yonezawa 西米沢
  • 18 Minami Yonezawa 南米沢

Two more stations were laten given up:  Hanadate 花立, between Sakamachi and Echigo Ôshima, and Tamagawaguchi 玉川口, just across the prefectural border into Yamagata Prefecture, between Echigo Kanamaru and Oguni.

Characters for other names: Sakamachi 坂町     Yonezawa 米沢
Iide-san 飯豊山   Iimoriyama 飯森山    Mikunidake 三国岳    Dainichidake 大日岳
Shibakurayama 柴倉山    Ninôjidake 二王子岳                Utsu Tunnel 宇津トンネル

Oo-Asahidake 大朝日岳

Iwaigameyama 祝瓶山

Yonesaka-sen

The line takes its name from its two endpoints, Yonezawa in the east, a town of some 78’000 inhabitants up on the plateau of Yamagata Prefecture and served by the Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo since 1992. The other endpoint is the small settlement of Sakamachi in the west, on the Japan Sea coast. At Sakamachi it connects with the Uetsu Honsen, the coastal main line connecting Niigata with Akita. The Yonesaka-sen forms one of only two rail connections between the two prefectures of Niigata (the old province of Echigo) and Yamagata (the old province of Uzen).

The length of the line is 90, 7 km. It is diesel-operated and has steep gradients of up to 25 ‰. The Yonesaka-sen has been repeatedly affected by torrential rain and avalanches, running through a part of Japan with very heavy snowfall. Torrential rain and flooding on August 3, 2022, may have spelt the end of the line, as it has since been left to decay (October 2024).

After starting at Yonezawa (255 m above sea-level, ASL), the Yonesaka-sen runs northwards through the relatively flat basin along the foot of the Iide mountain-range with its peaks above 2000 m. When the line reaches Imaizumi (214 m ASL) it enters the junction with the Yamagata Railway, which comes from Akayu in the east and continues northwards to Arato, further up in Yamagata Prefecture.

From Imaizumi onwards the Yonezaka-sen now heads west into the wild mountain valley of the Shirakawa River, and then tackles the steep incline up to Utsu Tunnel (1279 m long), at the exit of which it reaches its highest point (354 m ASL). It then descends gradually to the small town of Oguni (140 m ASL). Winding its way across the prefectural border from Yamagata to Niigata Prefecture over numerous bridges and through tunnels, Echigo* Shimoseki is reached, at an altitude of merely 34 m ASL. Most trains end at Sakamachi, the small settlement close to the Japan Sea, where passengers may change for the journey southwards to Niigata or northwards to Akita.

The Yonesaka-sen was once an important link between the Japan Sea north of Niigata and the Yamagata plateau, from where a steep incline took trains down to the main north-south route at Fukushima in the east. With the completion of the Yamagata Shinkansen, and, further south, the Jôetsu Shinkansen, new fast passenger routes to the large population centres were created, and the Yonesaka-sen became a minor local line, together with other east-west connections in northern Japan, which suffers from severe depopulation, Freight services ended in 1987, and the many photographs of freight or mixed trains hauled by the powerful little class 9600 steam locomotives bring to mind days when the Yonesaka-sen was an important link. Construction started in 1926 between Yonezawa and Imaizumi, while Sakamachi to Echigo Shimoseki was completed in 1931. The entire line across the Prefectural border and over the summit at the Utsu Tunnel went into service in 1936.

The Yonesaka-sen has repeatedly become victim of natural disasters and had to suspend services for months. Heavy rain and landslides struck the line in 2004, while avalanches forced the suspension of services in 2005. Finally, the disaster of 3 August 2022 has very possibly led to definite closure of the Yonesaka-sen, as an unbelievable amount of damage was caused, with long parts of the railway and most of its bridges just swept away. A plan of the damage shows that practically the whole line from Imaizumi to Sakamachi is torn away or buried in landslides under mud and gravel. There are 44 seriously damaged areas on the Niigata side, and 68 on the Yamagata side. Quite particularly badly hit are the sections along the Shirawaka River between Uzen* Tsubaki and Utsu Tunnel, and, on the Niigata side, in the region of Echigo Katakai and along the lower parts of the Arakawa River from Echigo Ôshima onwards to the west.

*Echigo is the old name of Niigata Prefecture. Uzen refers to a large part of present-day Yamagata Prefecture,

An on-going discussion concerns the transport of over 120 school children, for whom the replacement bus services are impractical.

In the years before the 2022 disaster there were 5 through trains, one of which started and ended at Niigata. 2 morning trains and 1 evening one operated between Yonezawa and Uzen Tsubaki, 1 late night train worked Yonezawa – Oguni, 1 early morning train Oguchi-Sakamachi, and 1 to 2 trains Yonezawa-Imaizumi. Now (2024) there are 9 to 10 trains between Yonezawa and Imaizumi only.

6541 Two 2-car trains of the Yonesaka-sen at Yonezawa station. They are KIHA E120 no. 2, 1, 4 and 7. (2019)

6601 Inside diesel car KIHA E120-8, waiting to leave Yonezawa for Sakamachi. (2019)

6602 Leaving Yonezawa in southerly direction, before turning north. (2019)

6609 Minami Yonezawa (South Yonezawa). (2019)

6613 After turning north Iwaigame Peak comes into sight. (2019)

6615 Looking towards Iwaigame Peak (1417 m) on the left and the slope leading to Ô-Asahidake on the right. (2019)

6617 KIHA E120-8 in the mirror at Nishi Yonezawa (West Yonezawa). (2019)

6620 The mountains in the west. (2019)

6629 The Zaô Mountain Range in the north-east. Shortly before Narushima. (2019)

6643 After Narushima another view of the Zaô Mountain Range in the north-east. (2019)

6646 Approaching Chûgun the Ô-Asahidake peak stands out in the north. (2019)

6648 Farmhouse at Chûgun. (2019)

6652 Two remarkable peaks, on the left Iwaigameyama, on the right Ô-Asahidake. (2019)

6655 Trees well-protected for the winter. Shortly before Uzen Komatsu. (2019)

6658 Heading towards Uzen Komatsu. (2019)

6659 Uzen Komatsu station. (2019)

6665 The magnificent Iide Mountains in the south. (2019)

6668 Inukawa Halt. To the left of the line the protective fence against snow drifts is well visible. (2019)

6671 Again in view of the Zaô Mountains in the north-east. (2019)

6681 Passing an ancient thatched-roof farmhouse, a very rare sight today. (2019)

6689 At Imaizumi the Yonesaka-sen meets the Yamagata Tetsudô (here diesel car no. 882) coming from Akayu in the east and continuing northwards through the Yamagata plateau. The Yonesaka-sen, by contrast, will head west into the mountain range separating the Yamagata plateau from the Niigata plain along the Japan Sea. (2019)

6692 Imaizumi: Arrival of the Yonesaka-sen train from Sakamachi to Yonezawa, worked by KIHA 110-214 + KIHA 110-202. (2019)

6698 After leaving Imaizumi we get a marvellous view of the Iide Mountains. (2019)

6710 Crossing the Shirakawa River, which flows into the majestic Mogami River later on. (2019)

6713 After crossing the Shirakawa River at 1, 8 km from Imaizumi the line divides, the Yamagata Tetsudô heads to the right through the Yamagata Plateau, while the Yonesaka-sen heads to the left towards the mountain pass. (2019)

6716 The Yonesaka-sen now turns south and heads towards the mountains. (2019)

6722 Farmhouses along the line. (2019)

6725 Arriving at Hagyû, with Iide-san (Mount Iide) in the background. (2019)

6731 Uzen Tsubaki. (2019)

6734 Fences protect the line against snow drifts, Uzen Tsubaki. (2019)

6738 Continuing from Uzen Tsubaki. (2019)

6742 Soon the line begins to climb out of the valley of the Shirakawa river and rise up to Tenoko. (2019)

6748 Tenoko station. A member of the railway maintenance staff has entered the front cab to check the safety of the line. (2019)

6752 The line turns west and begins the steep incline of almost continuous 25 ‰ up to Utsu Tunnel. (2019)

6754 On the incline up to Utsu Tunnel. (2019)

6761 Still an odd farmhouse is passed, submerged in deep snow. (18 March 2019)

6765 Soon Utsu Tunnel is reached. (2019)

6770 Entering Utsu Tunnel, the summit of the line. (2019)