Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen: Half A Century Since Its Inception

On September 23, 2022, JR Kyushu's Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, which connects Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures in the Kyushu region, made its debut.

The long-awaited Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen was finally realized, nearly half a century after its inception in 1973.

Departure ceremonies were held at the stations, with local government officials and celebrities coming to celebrate the special moment.

Many railfans gathered at Nagasaki Station, the western-most terminal, to send off the first train departing at 6:17 am.

The first train departed from the eastern-most terminal, Takeo-onsen Station, shortly after 7:00 am.

In the Kyushu region, the Kyushu Shinkansen connects Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture and Kagoshima-Chuo Station in Kagoshima Prefecture.

The new shinkansen is an addition to the existing Kyushu Shinkansen route.

The 66km section runs between Takeo-onsen and Nagasaki Stations in just 23 minutes.

With the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, passengers traveling from Hakata Station to Nagasaki take the new conventional limited express train to Takeo-onsen Station,

then transfer to the waiting Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen on the same platform.

As a result, the new shinkansen makes it possible to travel between Hakata and Nagasaki in as little as 1 hour and 20 minutes, which is 30 minutes faster than before.

The Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen uses the brand new "N700S Kamome."

The white and red six-car shinkansen was based on JR Central's N700S, which runs on the Tokaido Shinkansen line.

The car was designed by industrial designer Mitooka Eiji, who has worked on many tourist trains for JR Kyushu.

JR Kyushu asked us to create
a one-of-a-kind train.

Business trains like the N700S
run from point A to point B.

So, to make the ride more fun and relaxing,
we added colors and shapes.

Mr. Mitooka was tasked with designing a "unique, one-of-a-kind" vehicle.

The red accent color of the car body is also the corporate color of JR Kyushu.

The interior combines classic and modern styles, a fusion of Japanese and Western cultures.

I can't wait to see what lies
ahead for the shinkansen.

I'm so happy.

The ride is more comfortable
than conventional trains.

It was quiet and the seats were clean.

In today's program, we are looking at the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, which finally opened nearly half a century after its inception.

The Kyushu Shinkansen started service in 2011, right?

Now the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen is the latest shinkansen in the Kyushu region, and I understand why the locals are so excited about it.

Yes, the local are really hoping that this new Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen will bring in more tourists into the regions along the line.

And, especially in Nagasaki Prefecture, there was a very severe dip in the visitors, so the expectations are really really high.

Let's see how the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen is expected to revitalize the regions along the line.

With the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, JR Kyushu also started operating a new tourist train, "Two Stars 4047."

The three-car tourist train is a refurbished diesel car.

Cars 1 and 3, the reserved-seat cars, feature timber seats and window frames.

Car 2 is a lounge car.

The train was also designed by Mitooka Eiji, the designer of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.

Passengers can buy local goodies onboard, like beef bento boxes from Saga Prefecture, green tea, and sweets from Nagasaki Prefecture.

To make the journey faster, the mountainous route of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen passes through many tunnels.

The tourist train, however, follows a more scenic route along the coast.

Two Stars 4047 makes one round-trip per day, mainly on weekends and holidays.

There are two routes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

In the morning, the train departs from Takeo-onsen Station and travels on the Nagasaki Main Line along the Ariake Sea, which boasts Japan's largest tidal range.

In the afternoon, the train departs from Nagasaki Station and travels along the Omura Line, famous for its calm sea views.

The round-trip allows passengers to enjoy different views, there and back.

The shinkansen will run from Takeo-onsen
to the mountains of Nagasaki.

We wanted to extend the effect of the
shinkansen to the surrounding area so we decided to run Two Stars 4047 in a circular
route around the shinkansen line.

We thought opening the shinkansen and the
tourist train together would be synergistic.

We hope to attract more visitors to the region so we
are working hard to promote western Kyushu.

In Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures, where the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen now runs, locals are working to revitalize their region.

The redevelopment around Nagasaki Station is said to be a "once in a century" project.

November 2021 saw the opening of "Dejima Messe Nagasaki," a large convention hall.

Since it opened, it's been attracting international conferences and large-scale business events.

This year we opened a large commercial facility
to coincide with the opening of the shinkansen.

The station building is scheduled to open next fall.
It will include retail facilities, offices, and a hotel.

The retail and office buildings will open next fall,
while the hotel is set to open in early 2024.

Instead of centering the city around the station,
we want the station to become a landmark.

We hope this landmark will
give new life to the region.

Also in Nagasaki, buses and taxis have been "wrapped" with images of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen and N700S Kamome.

The city is working hard to boost the momentum of the new shinkansen.

Nagasaki's history and culture were shaped
by its interactions with foreign cultures.

We hope the shinkansen encourages more people
to come and experience the prefecture's charm.

We'd love to see the whole region, not just areas
along the shinkansen line, bustling with activity.

This is Omura City in Nagasaki Prefecture.

This city developed around the transportation network branching out from Nagasaki Airport, the first airport in the world to be built on the ocean, and the Kyushu Expressway.

Shin-omura Station in Omura City was built to coincide with the opening of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen.

With convenient transportation and easy access to Nagasaki City, the population of Omura City has been growing by around 500 people per year since 2005.

Around the new station, condominiums and four commercial facilities are scheduled to be built, in anticipation of the shinkansen and the additional commuters it will attract.

Welcoming the new shinkansen, areas along the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line in Saga Prefecture have been making an effort to revitalize the tourism industry.

Takeo-onsen Station in Takeo City, Saga Prefecture, is the first station on the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Line.

A travel-themed bookstore opened by the ticket gate, which offers around 1,000 books on the Western Kyushu region.

Local specialties can also be purchased here.

There is also a cafe corner, where visitors can pass the time while waiting for the train.

Just over from Takeo City, Ureshino-onsen Station was newly built in Ureshino City.

It's the city's first railway station.

In the future, a famous American hotel company and a major Japanese housing company plan to open new hotels near the station.

Ureshino City is known for its hot springs, which have continued flowing for 1,300 years.

There is also Ureshino tea, a green tea that was first produced over 500 years ago, and Hizen Yoshida-yaki, pottery which dates back 400 years.

In recent years, the city has been working to develop tourism packages that link the local specialties.

"Tea tourism" is a new style of tourism that combines the three attractions of Ureshino City.

It was started by a group of tea farmers and local inns.

Tea producers guide visitors to hot springs and kilns.

There are several plans available.

One such plan allows you to cycle through the tea fields, and taste tea brewed by tea masters, while enjoying the spectacular views.

With the opening of the Shinkansen, efforts to revitalize the city have increased.

Ureshino City has been waiting for
a train for almost 100 years.

We're now getting ready
to welcome visitors.

To the east is the beautiful Ariake Sea. To the
west is an area famous for its pottery.

Each region has its charms.

We hope visitors will use the city as a hub, branching
out to visit the surrounding areas.

Yes, Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures, they have some wonderful local travel spots, so I hope that from now on the amount of tourists coming from Japan and also abroad will increase.

Indeed.

And actually, the city of Fukuoka, is the largest city in the Kyushu islands, so Fukuoka has been called "the gateway to Asia" in the island of Kyushu,

but now, we have the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen opened, which means the access to the city of Nagasaki has improved, then Nagasaki may become the second gateway to Asia in the Kyushu Island.

And looking back on history, Nagasaki has been, actually, the only window for the entire Japan to the western world.

You mean Dejima Island right?

The artificial island that was, between the 17th and 19th century, the only spot for trade with the west right?

Yes, that's right, so they have the history there.

But looking at the situation of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, especially the section between the Takeo-onsen and Shin-Tosu, you know, nothing has been decided yet, including the route or even whether on not to construct the line at all.

Looks like the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen is facing some challenges.

Let's find out what they are.

Discussions are currently being held between the national government and Saga Prefecture, regarding development of the line between Takeo-onsen and Shin-Tosu Stations,

but an agreement has yet to be reached.

The main challenge concerns the building of railway infrastructure known as "full standard."

Simply put, "full standard" is shinkansen infrastructure that is the same as most shinkansen throughout Japan.

To operate safely at high speeds, "full standard" uses a wider gauge rail, and there are no crossings.

The Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen was built using "full standard."

A "full standard" track is 1,435 mm wide, about 360 mm wider than conventional lines, meaning the shinkansen cannot connect to conventional lines.

If a "full standard" line were constructed between Takeo-onsen and Shin-Tosu Stations, it would run parallel to the conventional line.

This would likely reduce the number of limited express services running on the conventional line.

Currently, the limited express runs two to three times an hour.

The introduction of the shinkansen could also cause fares to increase.

The national government wants to extend the shinkansen line.

They are petitioning for the building of "full standard" infrastructure.

Saga Prefecture, on the other hand, doesn't want a parallel line.

They believe it would reduce convenience for local residents.

When the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen opened, a 60-kilometer section of the Nagasaki Main Line between Kohoku and Isahaya Stations became a "parallel line."

The number of limited express services at Hizen-Kashima Station dropped from 45 per day to just 14.

Kashima City in Saga Prefecture is now concerned about how this will impact the local community.

The shinkansen saw limited express services drop
to one-third, which may affect the local economy.

Currently, the limited express trains, that run on the conventional line between Saga and Hakata, take around 35 minutes.

The shinkansen would take just to 20 minutes.

However, to develop a "full standard" shinkansen, Saga Prefecture's financial burden is estimated to be around 66 billion yen.

Considering the possible inconvenience to local residents and the overall cost, Saga Prefecture insists there is no need for a shinkansen line.

We considered the benefits of building
"full standard" infrastructure, however, construction would be costly, and the use
of conventional trains would be limited.

We need to have a thorough discussion
before we adopt "full standard."

You would think the opening of a shinkansen would be something the regions would happily welcome, but in the case of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, it seems to be an on-going challenge?

Yes, that's right.

For example, there are people using local stations who might have the inconvenience after the opening of the new shinkansen, and also a very heavy burden to the financial situation of the Saga Prefecture would also pose a very big trouble,

so the situation there is really, really understandable, but on the other hand, the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, in the current form, means that the line is isolated from the rest of the shinkansen network,

and I don't think this should continue, and the line should be definitely connected to the rest of the shinkansen network, and there are a number of ways to do that.

When that's realized, then the connection will bring in a huge additional benefit to the region.

At this point in time, it seems to a little bit difficult to satisfy Saga Prefecture and the national government, but I hope that maybe they can come up with new ideas, and find an agreement and come to an agreement in the end.

Yes, I do hope so too.

On September 12, Yuri Kogen Railway, a third-sector company running in Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, held an unveiling ceremony and a test ride event for the renewal of their tourist train.

To bring tourists back following the pandemic, 20 million yen was invested to remodel the train.

The windows of the new Nostalgic Train Chokai feature unique designs associated with the route.

The interior, which resembles an old-fashioned house, has been designed to evoke warm feelings of nostalgia and home.

We want to welcome tourists
back to the region.

To that end, we've created a train that passengers can
ride while enjoying some old-fashioned comfort.

After the unveiling ceremony, participants enjoyed a relaxing test ride in the countryside.

On September 19, railfans toured facilities along the JR Sekihoku Line, which connects Asahikawa and Abashiri Stations in Hokkaido,

to learn about what goes on behind-the-scenes of a railway line.

The participants board a special train, which stops at all the signal stations along the way.

A guide talks about the history of the facilities along the line.

A staff member from JR Hokkaido's maintenance crew explains how it took one week to restore the line after an avalanche occurred four years previously.

The participants also enjoy food on the train, such as the crabmeat bento, a well-known "ekiben" sold at Engaru Station.

We don't usually get to see signal
stations. It was fascinating.

We hope by sharing the Sekihoku Line's charms,
more people will become interested in railways.

Eleven years ago, a section of the JR Tadami Line, which connects Fukushima and Niigata Prefectures, closed after it was washed out by heavy rain.

On October 1, the line resumed full operation.

In July 2011, a 27-kilometer section of the line, between Tadami and Aizu Kawaguchi Stations in Fukushima Prefecture, was damaged by heavy rain.

Flood water washed away the bridges and tracks.

At one point, the line was close to being discontinued; however, six years of discussions and more than four years of reconstruction saw the line finally restored.

The train makes 3 round-trips per day, as it did prior to the disaster.

Today, the first train from Niigata arrives at Tadami Station shortly after 7:00 am.

After a brief 10-minute stop, the train starts its journey along the restored section, carrying many railfans and passengers.

Locals residents are overjoyed to see the section open again after 11 years.

They wave to the train and hold banners that read "Welcome back, Tadami Line!"