Akechi Line

{{Infobox rail line

| name = Akechi Line

| native_name = 明知線

| native_name_lang = ja

| color = e65b20

| color2 = f4edd9

| logo =

| logo_width =

| image = Akechi Railway Akechi 10.jpg

| image_width = 300px

| caption = Akechi 10 series diesel railcar 11

| type =

| system =

| status = In operation

| locale = Gifu Prefecture

| start = {{STN|Ena|x}}

| end = {{STN|Akechi|x|Ena}}

| stations = 11

| routes =

| daily_ridership =

| open = 24 May 1933

| close =

| owner = Akechi Railway

| operator = Akechi Railway

| character = Rural

| depot =

| stock = Akechi 10 series DMU

| linelength = {{Convert|25.1|km|mi|abbr=on}}

| tracklength =

| tracks = Entire line single tracked

| gauge = {{track gauge|1067mm|lk=on}}

| electrification = None

| speed = 60 km/h (37 mph)

| elevation =

| minradius = 200 m

| map =

| map_state = collapsed

}}

The {{nihongo|Akechi Line|明知線|Akechi-sen}} is a Japanese railway line in Gifu Prefecture connecting Ena and Akechi stations, which are both located in Ena. There are stations located in Nakatsugawa city as well. This is the only railway line {{nihongo|Akechi Railway|明知鉄道|Akechi Tetsudō}} operates. The third-sector company took over the former Japanese National Railways line in 1985.

History

The line opened on 24 May 1933, between Oi Station (present-day Ena Station) and {{STN|Agi|x}}. It was extended to Iwamura on 26 January 1934 and to {{STN|Akechi|x|Ena}} on 24 June of the same year. Iibama Station was opened on 10 January 1959. Hanashiro Station was opened on 15 November 1967. Freight services were discontinued from 1 February 1981.{{cite book |last=Terada |first=Hirokazu |date=19 January 2013 |publisher=Neko Publishing |isbn=978-4-7770-1336-4 |location=Japan |page=121 |language=ja |script-title=ja: データブック日本の私鉄 |trans-title=Databook: Japan's Private Railways}} The line was one of the Deficit 83 Lines selected by the Japanese National Railways for closure in 1968, although the line was not closed due to the movement ending without making much progress. However, it was brought up for closure again in 1981 during the Specified local lines movement, where it was transferred to a third-sector company in 1985. Iinuma Station opened on 28 October 1991. Noshi Station opened on 15 December 1994. Gokuraku Station opened on 25 December 2008. Hanashiro Station was renamed to Hanashiroonsen Station on 12 March 2011.{{Cite book |last=Sone |first=Satoru |title=週刊歴史でめぐる鉄道全路線公営鉄道・私鉄 |date=18 September 2011 |publisher=Asahi Shinbun Publishing |pages=13 |language=ja}}

Services

= Special services =

Akechi Railway allows riders to experience local cuisine from the region throughout different times of the year by running one round-trip service per day with a dining car, featuring dishes made from ingredients such as kanten, jinenjo, and mushrooms. Sake tasting trains also operate.{{Cite web |title=食堂車 {{!}} 明知鉄道株式会社公式ホームページ |url=https://www.aketetsu.co.jp/plan-dining/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |language=ja}}

The company holds monthly events where kids and adults can experience driving a diesel locomotive.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-25 |title=キッズ気動車運転士体験 {{!}} 明知鉄道株式会社公式ホームページ |url=https://www.aketetsu.co.jp/plan-kidousya-kids/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |language=ja}} Steam locomotives also operate on the line, and private trains may be chartered for special events.{{Cite web |title=SL体験 {{!}} 明知鉄道株式会社公式ホームページ |url=https://www.aketetsu.co.jp/plan-sl/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |language=ja}}{{Cite web |date=2021-10-21 |title=貸切列車 {{!}} 明知鉄道株式会社公式ホームページ |url=https://www.aketetsu.co.jp/plan-private/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |language=ja}}

Stations

All stations are located in Gifu Prefecture.

Stations marked "▲" are stopped by the Inbound Rapid service, which runs only on weekdays).
Stations marked "●" are stopped by Express service {{nihongo|Taishō Roman Gō|大正ロマン号}}, which runs on all days excluding Mondays. An express fare is not required, but advance reservations and tickets are required to ride in the seasonal Dining Car.

class="wikitable"
No. !Image !Station !Japanese !Distance (km) !style=background:#fc9;"\|Rapid !style=background:#ffcccc;"\|Express Taishō Roman Gō !Transfers !Location
11 \|100px \|{{STN\|Ena\|x}} \|恵那 \|style="text-align:right;"\|0.0 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|Chūō Main Line \|rowspan="2"\|Ena
10 \|100px \|{{STN\|Higashino\|x\|Gifu}} \|東野 \|style="text-align:right;"\|2.6 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|｜ \|
9 \|100px \|{{STN\|Iinuma\|x}} \|飯沼 \|style="text-align:right;"\|7.6 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|↑ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|｜ \| \|rowspan="2"\|Nakatsugawa
8 \|100px \|{{STN\|Agi\|x}} \|阿木 \|style="text-align:right;"\|9.9 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|
7 \|100px \|{{STN\|Iibama\|x}} \|飯羽間 \|style="text-align:right;"\|12.7 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|｜ \| \|rowspan="7"\|Ena
6 \|100px \|{{STN\|Gokuraku\|x}} \|極楽 \|style="text-align:right;"\|13.7 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|↑ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|
5 \|100px \|{{STN\|Iwamura\|x}} \|岩村 \|style="text-align:right;"\|15.0 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|
4 \|100px \|Hanashiro-onsen \|花白温泉 \|style="text-align:right;"\|18.3 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|
3 \|100px \|{{STN\|Yamaoka\|x}} \|山岡 \|style="text-align:right;"\|19.7 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|
2 \|100px \|{{STN\|Noshi\|x}} \|野志 \|style="text-align:right;"\|23.1 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|↑ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|｜ \|
1 \|100px \|{{STN\|Akechi\|x\|Ena}} \|明智 \| style="text-align:right;" \|25.1 \|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"\|▲ \|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"\|● \|

class="wikitable"

No.

!Image

!Station

!Japanese

!Distance
(km)

!style=background:#fc9;"|Rapid

!style=background:#ffcccc;"|Express
Taishō Roman Gō

!Transfers

!Location

|100px

|{{STN|Ena|x}}

|恵那

|style="text-align:right;"|0.0

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

|Chūō Main Line

|rowspan="2"|Ena

|100px

|{{STN|Higashino|x|Gifu}}

|東野

|style="text-align:right;"|2.6

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|｜

|100px

|{{STN|Iinuma|x}}

|飯沼

|style="text-align:right;"|7.6

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|↑

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|｜

|rowspan="2"|Nakatsugawa

|100px

|{{STN|Agi|x}}

|阿木

|style="text-align:right;"|9.9

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

|100px

|{{STN|Iibama|x}}

|飯羽間

|style="text-align:right;"|12.7

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|｜

|rowspan="7"|Ena

|100px

|{{STN|Gokuraku|x}}

|極楽

|style="text-align:right;"|13.7

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|↑

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

|100px

|{{STN|Iwamura|x}}

|岩村

|style="text-align:right;"|15.0

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

|100px

|Hanashiro-onsen

|花白温泉

|style="text-align:right;"|18.3

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

|100px

|{{STN|Yamaoka|x}}

|山岡

|style="text-align:right;"|19.7

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

|100px

|{{STN|Noshi|x}}

|野志

|style="text-align:right;"|23.1

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|↑

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|｜

|100px

|{{STN|Akechi|x|Ena}}

|明智

| style="text-align:right;" |25.1

|style="text-align:center; background:#fc9;"|▲

|style="text-align:center; background:#ffcccc;"|●

=Ridership=

Reference:{{Cite web |title=明知線の駅別乗降客数ランキング |url=https://statresearch.jp/traffic/train/passengers_company_ranking_167.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=statresearch.jp}}

class="wikitable"
No. !Station !Passengers
11 \|Ena \|594
10 \|Higashino \|28
9 \|Iinuma \|16
8 \|Agi \|262
7 \|Iibama \|28
6 \|Gokuraku \|55
5 \|Iwamura \|157
4 \|Hanashiroonsen \|19
3 \|Yamaoka \|94
2 \|Noshi \|6
1 \|Akechi \|242

class="wikitable"

No.

!Station

!Passengers

|Ena

|594

|Higashino

|28

|Iinuma

|16

|Agi

|262

|Iibama

|28

|Gokuraku

|55

|Iwamura

|157

|Hanashiroonsen

|19

|Yamaoka

|94

|Noshi

|Akechi

|242

File:Akechi Railway Taisyo roman.JPG

Rolling stock

{{As of|2016|04|01}}, the line is operated using a fleet of five Akechi 10 series diesel railcars and one Akechi 6 series diesel railcar.{{cite book |script-title=ja: 私鉄車両編成表 2016 |trans-title=Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2016 |publisher = Kotsu Shimbunsha |date = 25 July 2016 |location = Japan |language = ja |isbn = 978-4-330-70116-5}}

A new Akechi 100 series diesel railcar (number 101) entered service on 8 April 2017, replacing the former Akechi 6 series car.{{cite magazine|script-title=ja: 明知鉄道アケチ100形|trans-title=Akechi Railway Akechi 100 series |magazine = Japan Railfan Magazine |volume = 57|issue = 674 |page = 98 |publisher = Koyusha Co., Ltd. |location = Japan |language = ja |date = June 2017}}