Chuo Main Line~Koumi Line~Shinano Tetsudo~Yokogawa and back to Tokyo
This article features another trip that can be done easily from Tokyo that allow you to discover parts of Yamanashi, Nagano and Gunma Prefectures that you have almost certainly not heard of (if you are an inbound visitor or international rail enthusiast). It is another great way to Explore Japan by Train or Explore Japan’s Railways!
(NOTE: We describe this trip travelling from Shinjuku via Kobuchizawa and Komoro before returning to the Tokyo area, however the trip can be done in the opposite direction)
Our journey starts at Shinjuku Station, catching the Limited Express Azusa. The E353 series train was built specially to handle the many curves on the Chuo Main Lineas it heads to Matsumoto, which also involves many inclines. We will not be going to Matsumoto, but to Kobuchizawa (小淵沢) which is in Yamanashi Prefecture close to the border of Nagano Prefecture.
It is at Kobuchizawa that JR’s Koumi Line starts and ends.
Koumi Line…travels along the Yatsugatake Mountains, Chikuma (Shinano) River…The highest JR station and highest Line
Although it may not seem it, The Koumi Line reaches the highest elevation of any JR rail line and also has the highest elevation JR Station, Nobeyama (野辺山). Nobeyama station stands at 1,345m above sea level, whilst the Koumi Line itself reaches a total hight of 1,375m a bit further on.
For this trip, we first caught a train from Kobuchizawa to Nobeyama so that we could have a quick look around before continuing our journey. Another popular place for people to get off is the station prior to Nobeyama – Kiyosato.
Kiyosato
Kiyosato is a town popular with local tourists and is overlooked by the Yatsugatake mountain range. The area attracts a lot of hikers, cyclists, golfers and mountain climbers. The town is also famous for its quaint, European style buildings with many small shops and cafes. There are also art galleries and a photographic museum.
For more information on Kiyosato, please go to the following websites:
- Yamanashi Prefecture Tourist Guide
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https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/discover/kiyosato.html
- Kiyosato Tourist Information
High Rail 1375 Tourist Train
JR East operates a tourist train on the Koumi Line at weekends and on holidays. It is named “High Rail 1375” and is a good way to see the scenery as the Koumi Line travels past the vegtable and rice fields. For much of its way it travels along the Chikuma River, otherwise known as the Shinano River, Japan’s longest river. As alraedy mentioned the Yatsugatake Mountain range also overlooks the area.
As the area served by the Koumi Line is rural and elevated, it is famous for its brilliant night skies and for viewing the stars at night. The High Rail 1375 train also has a starring night theme, with a section of the train having a domed celing depicting the night sky and a small library of astronomy books..
For more information on the High Rail 1375, go to the JR East website. All seats on this train are reserved so you should book in advance, however as the train is classified as a “Rapid” train the seat reservation charges are low.
Yatsugatake is a big vegetable growing area
One thing you will notice if you get off the train at Nobeyama is there are a lot of big trucks and agricultural tractors moving around vegetables. This area is a big vegetable growing area and once you leave Nobeyama on the train you will pass many fields, often with a lot of activity as vegetables such as lettuces are planted and harvested. Much of this produce ends up in supermarkets and department store food departments…
The Koumi Line is 78.9km non electrified mostly single track line. Although in the past it did have some freight traffic (transferring vegetables and other agricultural products) but these ended in 1984.
Today the following types of rolling stock are used:
- KiHa 110,111,112 Diesel rail cars. In most cases services are operated by 2 cars
- KiHa HB200, Diesel Hybrid cars. a total of 3 cars, which operate 1+1 formation. These were the first Diesel -Battery Hybrids that JR EAst put into production
- High Rail 1375 Train – rebuilt KiHa 103 +KiHa112 DMUs (103-711+112-711)
The depot for the line is situation at Nakagomi
JR East HB Diesel – Battery Hybrid units at Nakagomi Station
Some other Koumi Line scenery
Koumi Line, Shinano Tetsudo Line (former Shinetsu Main Line)
The Koumi Line’s terminates at Komoro in Nagano Prefecture. Komoro was a major station on the Shinetsu Main Line which apart from local trains, was the main route from Tokyo (Ueno) to Nagano with the Limited Express Asama. However once, the then Nagano Shinkansen, opened in 1997 just before the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, the section of the line that goes from Yokokawa (Gunma Prefecture) to Karuizawa was closed and the section from Karuizawa to Shinonoi was taken over by the third sector railway company Shinano Tetsudo.
Unfortunately as is often the case, the shinkansen takes people away from the local railway lines and many of the cities and towns that they serve, and many of these places remain “hidden” to inbound tourists. This is why TS Japan Rail is often advising people to get off the shinkansen and explore some of the very many other places.
Komoro station has one interesting feature not seen at many stations, a Wine and Sake Bar. This bar, which also serves food, is very pleasant and can be accessed from both outside the station and interestingly from the platform!
- E’cuve Komoro (Komoro Station Sake & Wine Bar)
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https://e-cuve.tens.ne.jp (Japanese)
- Komoro tourist information
From Komoro you have two choices on where to go next…
From Komoro, you can either go westwards towards Ueda and Nagano, or eastwards towards Karuizawa. If you need to you can catch shinkansen from Karuizawa or Ueda. You can also change to the shinkansen from the Koumi Line at Sakudaira.
We would advise though visiting any of the following places whilst you are in the area and if you have time:
- Ueda: Famous for its castle ruins park, particularly during sakura season, and the nearby Bessho Onsen (can be reached by travelling on the interesting Ueda Dentetsu Railway : Links Ueda Tourist Information; Bessho Onsen
- Nagano: Nagano is far more than the monkey park, with the major Buddhist temple Zenkoji and many other places nearby. It is also a great place for Soba (buckwheat) noodles: Links Nagano City tourist information
- Karuizawa: Kaurizawa is in the opposite direction to Ueda and Nagano. It is a place from early times that people from Tokyo have travelled to relax in the alpine air, both in the winter for skiing and summer to escape the heat and humidity: Links Karuizawa Tourist Information
On this particular TSJR tour, we went to Karuizawa…
One of the reasons we decided to go Karuizawa, being Rail Enthusiasts the next train going to Karuizawa was formed using a ex JNR / JR series 115 unit….which are now a rare site in Eastern Japan, as only Shinano Tetsudo operates these trains, but is slowly replacing them with new trains. The particular unit we travelled on was in JNR / JR Shonan Green / orange livery.
Karuizawa is a popular place to stay overnight (although there are actually many places described in this article that you could stop overnight). We however continued on from Karuizawa, partly because it was raining, but also we wanted to catch a bus down the old Usui Pass.
The old Usui Pass road with 180 hairpin bends…
The original road, which has been in existence since the 8th century, is a fairly steep road with an amazing 180 hairpin bends. Unfortunately it does get closed fairly frequently because of landslides and weather, but on this day we were lucky that it was open and the bus service to Yokokawa was running.
The road also follows fairly closely the route of the old railway line (which was closed in 1997) that was part of the Shinetsu Main Line connecting Yokokawa and Karuizawa allowing trains to run from Tokyo to Nagano.
This was a very steep railway line, requiring all trains to be banked with two locomotives. Most of the route was through tunnels, although in places it ran close to the road and there are a number of bridges still remaining, including this one.
(there are occasional guided tours that walk along the old track bed, including some of the tunnels)
Old Yokokawa railway depot now a railway museum park…
For rail enthusiasts and others the former railway depot at Yokokawa has been turned into the Usui Touge Tetsudo Bunkamura (Usui Pass Railway Culture Town)
The museum park also offers the chance to operate one of the EF63 electric locomotives on a short section of the former Shinetsu Main line (note: participants must be adults and have sufficient Japanese to take instructions, Advanced booking required)
For more information about the museum please see their web site : Usui Touge Tetsudo Bunkamura (Japanese only)
Yokokawa~Takasaki~Tokyo
To end this tour, we travelled on the the orphaned section of the Shinetsu Main Line from Yokokawa to Takasaki. Pre shinkansen Yokokawa Station would be busy when each express train arrived, with many vendors selling hot obentos (boxed meals) in the time it took for the 2 banking locomotives to attached / detached from the train, Today Yokokawa station is a small shadow of what it used to be with only a single platform in use and the tracks severed.
You can however, on most weekends and holidays (spring to Autumn), travel to Yokokawa on EL / SL hauled trains from Takasaki.
After arriving at Takasaki, we took a Takasaki Line Train to Tokyo. From Takasaki you can get trains to both Ueno, Tokyo, Shinagawa or Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya. You can also take the shinkansen to Ueno or Tokyo.
The trip as described can be done in one day, or spread over more than day. There are places you can stop off at whilst travelling on the Koumi Line, in particular Kiyosato and Nobeyama.
Tickets
JR Rail Passes for foreign visitors
- JR Rail Pass – is valid for all of this journey except for travel on the Shinano Tetsudo or on the bus between Karuizawa and Yokogawa (it is also not valid on Ueda Dentetsu if you travel to Bessho Onsen).
- JR East Tokyo Wide Pass – valid as above. The western boundary for the Tokyo Wide Pass are Kobuchizawa~Koumi Line~Komoro.
- JR East Nagano-Niigata Area Pass – This pass will get you to from Tokyo via Kobuchizawa and Karuizawa, and for travel on the Koumi Line. The pass is not valid on the Shinano Tetsudo or Ueda Dentetsu Lines or the bus between Karuizawa and Yokokawa. This pass may be useful for people who want to go on explore other areas of Nagano and Niigata.
Tickets available to everyone
- JR East Shumatsu Pass (Weekend Pass)
JR East’s Shumatsu Pass (Weekend Pass) is valid for two days (Saturday~Sunday, Sunday~Monday if Monday is a public holiday; not available during end / new year holiday, Golden Week, Obon)
It only covers the basic fare, so Limited Express tickets required to travel on the Limited Express Azusa and seat reservation tickets to travel on High Rail 1375. It is valid for travel on Shinano Tetsudo Lines
- Ordinary tickets You can purchase ordinary tickets (including Limited Express and seat reservation tickets).
Train frequency
- Chuo Main Line / Limited Express Azusa hourly during the day.
- Koumi Line High Rail 1375 operates one round trip a day. Ordinary services operate roughly every 2 hours to / from Kobuchizawa and hourly between Nakagomi & Komoro.
- Shinano Tetsudo roughly hourly between Komoro and Karuizawa and half hourly between Komoro and Nagano
- Hokuriku Shinkansen not all trains stops at Karuizawa, Saku Daira, and Ueda, but depending on the hour there are 1 or 2 trains an hour stopping at these stations in each direction
- Bus Karuizawa~Yokogawa irregular
- Yokogawa~Takasaki hourly
- Takasaki~Tokyo area half hourly (1 train an hour on either the Shonan Shinjuku Line / Ueno Tokyo Line routes.
Planning is definitely required and TS Japan Rail can help you with this and selecting the best tickets for your travel itinerary!
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