Ainokaze Toyama Railway

Third-sector railway operating company in Japan

36°42′9.3″N 137°12′47.2″E﻿ / ﻿36.702583°N 137.213111°E﻿ / 36.702583; 137.213111

Ainokaze Toyama Railway

Native name

| あいの風とやま鉄道
Company type| Third sector
Genre| Rail transport
Founded| 24 July 2012
Headquarters|

Toyama, Toyama

Japan

Area served

| Toyama Prefecture
Services| Passenger railway

Number of employees

| 155 (as of January 2015[update])
Website| ainokaze.co.jp

The Ainokaze Toyama Railway (あいの風とやま鉄道株式会社, Ainokaze Toyama Tetsudō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese third-sector railway operating company established in 2012 to operate passenger railway services on the section of the JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Toyama Prefecture when it was separated from the JR West network in March 2015, coinciding with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa. The company was founded on 24 July 2012, and has its headquarters in Toyama in Toyama Prefecture.[1]

## Shareholders

[edit]

As of 2013[update], Toyama Prefecture is the main shareholder, owning 63% of the company's shares, 27% is owned by municipalities within Toyama Prefecture, and 10% is owned by private-sector businesses.[1]

## Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line

[edit]

Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line

Overview
Native name| あいの風とやま鉄道線
Status| Operational
Owner| Ainokaze Toyama Railway
Locale| Ishikawa Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture
Termini|

* Kurikara
* Ichiburi

Stations| 23
Service
Type| Regional rail
Rolling stock| 413 series/521 series EMUs
History
Opened| 1898
Technical
Line length| 100.1 km (62.2 mi)
Track gauge| 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification| 20 kV AC (60 Hz)

Route map

Legend

|  |  |

|  | IR Ishikawa Railway Line

|
|
|
|

|  |

0.0

| Kurikara
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Kurikara Tunnel
|  |

|  | ↑Ishikawa/Toyama↓
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Hokuriku Shinkansen
|  |

|  |
|  |

4.6

| Anrakuji (Signal Box) |

Until 1962

|  |

|  | Kaetsunō Railway Kaetsu Line
|  |

6.8

| Isurugi
|  |

|  | Oyabe River
|  |

14.0

| Fukuoka
|  |

17.5

| Nishi-Takaoka
|  |

20.3

| Tenpogawa (Signal Box) |

Until 1965

|  |

|  | West JR Jōhana Line
|  |

|  |
|  |

22.8

| Takaoka
|  |

|  |

(Takaoka Station)

|  |

|  | JR West Himi Line
|  |

|  | Shō River
|  |

26.5

| Etchū-Daimon
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | For Denki Kagaku Kogyo
|  |

|  | Hokuriku Shinkansen
|  |

30.2

| Kosugi
|  |

36.8

| Kureha
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Kureha Tunnel
|  |

|  | Former Line
|  |

|  | Takayama Main Line
|  |

|  | Toyama Chihō Railway Imizu Line
|  |

40.2

| Dakariya (Signal Box) |

Until 1956

|  |

40.9

| Toyama |

Until 1908

|  |

|  | Jinzū River
|  |

|  | Toyama Port Line
|  |

41.6

| Toyama

|  |

|  |

Toyama Station/(Toyama Station Nord)

|  |

|  | Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  | Itachigawa
|  |

|  |

Chitetsu (Toyamaguchi)

|  |

|  | Toyama Rail Yard
|  |

|  | Former Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line
|  |

44.4

| Toyama Freight Terminal
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |

Hasumachi

|  |

|  | Toyama Light Rail Toyamakō Line
|  |

48.2

| Higashi-Toyama
|  |

|  | Jōganji River
|  |

53.1

| Mizuhashi
|  |

|  | Shiraiwagawa
|  |

|  | Kamiichigawa
|  |

56.1

| Kamiichigawa (Signal Box) |

Until 1966

|  |

|  | Chitetsu Main Line
|  |

|  |

Naka-Namerikawa

|  |

58.6

| Namerikawa
|  |

|  |

Hamakazumi

|  |

|  |

Hayatsuki-Kazumi

|  |

62.1

| Higashi-Namerikawa
|  |

|  |

Etchu-Nakamura

|  |

|  | Hayatsukigawa
|  |

|  |
|  |

64.4

| Kadokawa (Signal Box) (Until 1968)

(Nishi-Uozu)

|  |

|  |

ER-Uozu

|  |

|  | For Japan Carbide Industries
|  |

67.1

| Uozu
|  |

69.7

| Katakai (Signal Box) |

Until 1969

|  |

73.4

| Kurobe
|  |

|  | Former TER Ishida Line

Horikiri

|  |

|  | Former ER Kurobe Branchline

Ishida (Signal Box)

|  |

|  | ER Main Line

Dentetsu Kurobe

|  |

77.4

| Ikuji
|  |

|  | Kurobe River
|  |

81.6

| Nishi-Nyūzen
|  |

85.5

| Nyūzen
|  |

88.1

| Ogawa (Signal Box) |

Until 1967

|  |

90.7

| Tomari
|  |

|  | Miyazaki Tunnel
|  |

95.4

| Etchū-Miyazaki
|  |

|  | ↑Toyama/Niigata↓
|  |

100.1

| Ichiburi
|  |

|  | ETR Nihonkai Hisui Line
|  |  |  |  |  |

From 14 March 2015, the Ainokaze Toyama Railway took over control of local passenger operations on the 100.1 km section JR West Hokuriku Main Line between Ichiburi in neighbouring Niigata Prefecture and Kurikara in neighbouring Ishikawa Prefecture, with a total of 23 stations.[2]

### Service outline

[edit]

While the Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line officially stretches from Kurikara in the west to Ichiburi in the east, most services terminate at Tomari to the east, with a same-platform transfer provided to Echigo Tokimeki Railway Nihonkai Hisui Line services.[2] Some through services continue over the Echigo Tokimeki Railway Nihonkai Hisui Line to and from Itoigawa.[2] To the west, most services continue to and from Kanazawa over the IR Ishikawa Railway Line.[2] In addition to all-stations "Local" (普通, futsū) services, limited-stop "Rapid" services named Ainokaze Liner (あいの風ライナー) operate between Tomari and Toyama or Kanazawa during the weekday morning and evening peaks. A supplementary liner fare of 300 yen is required to board these services, and all seats are reserved.[2]

ICOCA and other compatible IC farecards can be used on the line since 26 March 2015.[2]

### Stations

[edit]

Legend
| - All Ainokaze liner trains pass
O - All Ainokaze liner trains stop

Station  | Japanese  | Liner  | Transfers  | Location

|
|
|
|

Kurikara | 倶利伽羅  | |  | IR Ishikawa Railway Line | Tsubata | Ishikawa Prefecture
Isurugi | 石動  | O  |  | Oyabe | Toyama Prefecture
Fukuoka | 福岡  | |  | Takaoka
Nishi-Takaoka | 西高岡  | |
Takaoka-Yabunami | 高岡やぶなみ  | |
Takaoka | 高岡  | O  | Jōhana Line
Himi Line
Manyōsen Takaoka Kidō Line (Takaoka Station)
Etchū-Daimon | 越中大門  | |  |  | Imizu
Kosugi | 小杉  | O
Kureha | 呉羽  | |  | Toyama
Toyama | 富山  | O  | Toyama Chihō Railway Toyamakō Line (Toyama-Eki)
Toyama Chiho Railway Main Line (Dentetsu-Toyama), Toyama City Tram Line (Toyama-Eki)
Hokuriku Shinkansen
Takayama Main Line
Shin-Toyamaguchi | 新富山口  | |  |
Higashi-Toyama | 東富山  | |
Mizuhashi | 水橋  | |
Namerikawa | 滑川  | O  | Toyama Chiho Railway Main Line | Namerikawa
Higashi-Namerikawa | 東滑川  | |
Uozu | 魚津  | O  | Toyama Chiho Railway Main Line (Shin-Uozu)  | Uozu
Kurobe | 黒部  | O  |  | Kurobe
Ikuji | 生地  | |
Nishi-Nyūzen | 西入善  | |  | Nyūzen
Nyūzen | 入善  | O
Tomari | 泊  | O  | Echigo Tokimeki Railway Nihonkai Hisui Line | Asahi
Etchū-Miyazaki | 越中宮崎  |  |
Ichiburi | 市振  | Echigo Tokimeki Railway Nihonkai Hisui Line | Itoigawa | Niigata Prefecture

### Rolling stock

[edit]

Services on the line use a fleet of 16 two-car 521 series (2nd-batch type) electric multiple unit (EMU) trains and five three-car 413 series EMUs (former sets B01 to B03, B07, and B10) acquired from JR West.[3] The 521 series trains will receive a new livery with a blue wave design on the seaward (north) side and a green wave design on the landward (south) side.[2] While both the Ainokaze Toyama Railway and neighbouring IR Ishikawa Railway operate similar 521 series trains, the respective operators' trains do not run coupled together.[2]

As of 1 October 2017[update], the 521 series and 413 series fleets are as follows.[4]

#### 521 series

[edit]

Set No. | Former JR West set No. | Manufacturer | Delivery date

|
|
|

AK01 | G06 | Kinki Sharyo | 27 October 2009
AK02 | G07 | Kinki Sharyo | 27 October 2009
AK03 | G08 | Kinki Sharyo | 22 December 2009
AK04 | G09 | Kinki Sharyo | 22 December 2009
AK05 | G11 | Kinki Sharyo | 15 February 2010
AK06 | G12 | Kinki Sharyo | 15 February 2010
AK07 | G13 | Kinki Sharyo | 2 March 2010
AK08 | G15 | Kinki Sharyo | 2 March 2010
AK09 | G16 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 18 December 2010
AK10 | G17 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 18 December 2010
AK11 | G18 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 18 December 2010
AK12 | G21 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 12 January 2011
AK13 | G23 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 26 January 2011
AK14 | G24 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 26 January 2011
AK15 | G31 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 24 February 2011
AK16 | G32 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 24 February 2011

#### 413 series

[edit]

JR West 413 series EMU set B03 Set No. | Former JR West set No. | Livery

|
|

AM01 | B01 |  Hokuriku white/blue
AM02 | B02 |  Hokuriku white/blue
AM03 | B03 |  Black (Toyama Emaki special event train)
AM04 | B07 |  All-over blue No. 1
AM05 | B10 |  All-over blue No. 1

Set AM03 was modified for use as a special-event train, named Toyama Emaki (とやま絵巻) with new seat covers and a new external livery, returning to service on 28 August 2016.[4] This train is also used to provide additional capacity on regular services during the peak periods.[5]

### Future developments

[edit]

From the first half of fiscal 2018, a 413 series set will be rebuilt as a tourist train, returning to service on the line in the second half of fiscal 2018.[5]

Five new 521-1000 series two-car sets are scheduled to be introduced over a period of six years, with the first set delivered in December 2017.[6] These sets will replace the ageing 413 series EMUs.[6]

## History

[edit]

The company was founded on 24 July 2012.[1] The company name "Ainokaze Toyama Railway" was announced on 30 May 2013.[7] Ainokaze refers to a north-easterly breeze that blows in the region in spring and summer, and is mentioned in the Man'yōshū collection of Japanese poetry.[7]

The company was formally granted a railway operating license by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on 28 February 2014.[8]

## Future developments

[edit]

New stations are planned to be built between Takaoka and Nishi-Takaoka, and between Toyama and Higashi-Toyama.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* List of railway companies in Japan
* List of railway lines in Japan

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Toyama-railway.jp" 会社概要 [Company overview] (in Japanese). Japan: Ainokaze Toyama Railway. 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Osano, Kagetoshi (March 2015). 北陸新幹線並行在来線各社の姿 [Guide to companies operating conventional lines alongside the Hokuriku Shinkansen]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44, no. 371\. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. pp. 28–33.
3. ^ Terada, Hirokazu (June 2015). 北陸新幹線長野ー金沢間開業 並行在来線4社5路線を訪ねて（１） [Visiting the 5 parallel conventional lines of 4 companies following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 55, no. 650\. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 42–47.
4. ^ a b Jr電車編成表 2018冬 JR電車編成表 2018冬 [JR EMU Formations - Winter 2018] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 15 November 2017. p. 142\. ISBN 978-4-330-84117-5.
5. ^ a b 観光列車の整備について [Tourist train details] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Ainokaze Toyama Railway. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
6. ^ a b あいの風とやま鉄道521系1000番台2両が甲種輸送される [Ainokaze Toyama Railway 521-1000 series 2-car set delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
7. ^ a b c 富山県の北陸新幹線並行在来線、新社名は「あいの風とやま鉄道」に内定! [New company name "Ainokaze Toyama Railway" chosen for old line running parallel to Hokuriku Shinkansen in Toyama Prefecture]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). Japan: Mynavi Corporation. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
8. ^ しなの鉄道（株）、えちごトキめき鉄道（株）、あいの風とやま鉄道（株）及びＩＲいしかわ鉄道（株）申請の第一種鉄道事業許可について [Details of railway business approval for Shinano Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Railway Company, Ainokaze Toyama Railway, and IR Ishikawa Railway]. News release (in Japanese). Japan: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ainokaze Toyama Railway.

* Official website (in Japanese)

* v
* t
* e

Transit in Toyama Prefecture

JR West|

* Hokuriku Shinkansen
* Takayama Main Line
* Himi Line
* Jōhana Line

Ainokaze Toyama Railway|

Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line (former Hokuriku Main Line)

Toyama Chihō Railway
(Chitetsu)|

| Railway lines|

* ■ Main Line
* ■ Tateyama Line
* ■ Fujikoshi-Kamidaki Line
* Fujikoshi Line
* Kamidaki Line

|

Tram lines|

* Toyama City Tram Line (Shiden)
* Main Line
* Branch Line
* Yasunoya Line
* Kureha Line
* Toyama Toshin Line
* Toyamakō Line (Portram)

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route|

| Operators|

* Chitetsu
* Tateyama Kurobe Kankō
* KEPCO
* Kawanakajima Bus
* Kita Alps Kōtsū

|

Rail|

* Chitetsu Main Line
* Chitetsu Tateyama Line

Arial|

* Tateyama Cable Car
* Tateyama Ropeway
* Kurobe Cable Car

Bus|

* Tateyama Highland Bus
* Tateyama Tunnel Trolleybus
* Kanden Tunnel Trolleybus
* Ōmachi Alpine Line Bus

Other operators|

* Manyosen
* Shinminatokō Line
* Takaoka Kidō Line
* Kurobe Gorge Railway
* Kaetsunō Railway (operates bus, formerly a railway)

Misc.|

* Toyama Station
* Cards
* passca
* ecomyca
* Ainokaze ICOCA
* ICOCA
* Toyama Airport
* Port of Toyama
* ja

* Japan transit: Tokyo
* Keihanshin
* Nagoya
* Fukuoka
* Hakone Fuji Izu
* Hokkaido
* Aomori
* Sendai
* Akita
* Niigata
* Toyama
* Nagano
* Okayama
* Hiroshima
* Shikoku
* Metro systems
* Shinkansen
* trams (list)
* aerial lifts (list)

* v
* t
* e

Parallel Conventional Lines of Seibi Shinkansen

of Hokuriku Shinkansen
(JR East/JR West)|

| Old Shinetsu Main Line|

* (JR Bus Kanto Usui Line)
* Shinano Railway Line
* Shinano Railway Kita-Shinano Line
* ETR Myōkō Haneuma Line

|

Old Hokuriku Main Line|

* ETR Nihonkai Hisui Line
* Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line
* IR Ishikawa Railway Line
* Hapi-Line Fukui Line

of Tōhoku Shinkansen
(JR East)|

| Old Tōhoku Main Line|

* Iwate Galaxy Railway Line
* Aoimori Railway Line

|

of Kyushu Shinkansen
(JR Kyushu)|

| Old Kagoshima Main Line|

* Hisatsu Orange Railway Line

|

of Hokkaido Shinkansen
(JR Hokkaido)|

| Old Esashi Line|

* Dōnan Isaribi Tetsudō Line

|

section in parentheses has railway abandoned

* v
* t
* e

Stations of the Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line and related lines

Hokuriku Main Line|

| Biwako Line|

* (for Hikone and Kyoto<<)(for Gifu and Nagoya<<) Maibara
* Sakata
* Tamura
* Nagahama (for Torahime>>)

|
|

Hokuriku Line|

* (for Tamura<<) Nagahama
* Torahime
* Kawake
* Takatsuki
* Kinomoto
* Yogo \- (for Ōmi-Imazu and Kyōto<<) Ōmi-Shiotsu
* Shin-Hikida
* Tsuruga

Hapi-Line Fukui Line|

* Tsuruga*
* Minami-Imajō
* Imajō#
* Yunoo
* Nanjō#
* Ōshio
* Takefu*
* Sabae*
* Kita-Sabae
* Ōdoro
* Echizen-Hanandō
* (Minami-Fukui Freight Terminal)
* Fukui*
* Morita
* Harue
* Maruoka
* Awaraonsen
* Hosorogi
* Ushinoya
* Daishōji (for Kagaonsen>>)

IR Ishikawa Railway Line|

* (for Ushinoya<<) Daishōji
* Kagaonsen
* Iburihashi
* Awazu
* Komatsu
* Meihō
* Nomi-Neagari
* Komaiko
* Mikawa
* Kaga-Kasama
* Nishi-Mattō
* Mattō
* Nonoichi
* Nishi-Kanazawa
* Kanazawa**
* Higashi-Kanazawa
* Morimoto
* Tsubata (for Wakuraonsen>>)
* Kurikara (for Isurugi>>)

Ainokaze Toyama
Railway Line|

* (for Tsubata<<) Kurikara
* Isurugi**
* Fukuoka
* Nishi-Takaoka
* Takaoka-Yabunami
* Takaoka**
* Etchū-Daimon
* Kosugi**
* Kureha
* Toyama**
* Shin-Toyamaguchi
* Higashi-Toyama
* Mizuhashi
* Namerikawa**
* Higashi-Namerikawa
* Uozu**
* Kurobe**
* Ikuji
* Nishi-Nyūzen
* Nyūzen**
* Tomari**
* Etchū-Miyazaki
* Ichiburi (for Oyashirazu>>)

ETR Nihonkai Hisui Line|

* (for Etchū-Miyazaki<<) Ichiburi
* Oyashirazu
* Ōmi
* Itoigawa
* Echigo Oshiage Hisui Kaigan
* Kajiyashiki
* Uramoto
* Nō
* Tsutsuishi
* Nadachi
* Arimagawa
* Tanihama
* Naoetsu

See also: Hokuriku Shinkansen

*: Rapid service stops | **: Ainokaze Liner stops | bold: Shirasagi/Thunderbird stops

#: On the Hapi-Line Fukui Line, all Rapid services stop at Nanjō, except for one round trip, which stops at Imajō instead.
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