Takayama Main Line - Takayama Main Line

The name of the Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company's track that runs from central Gifu Prefecture to Toyama Prefecture. The distance between Gifu, Takayama, and Toyama is 225.8 km. The entire line is single track and non-electrified. It runs north to south through the Hida region, running through the valleys of the Kiso River and its tributaries, the Hida River, the Masuda River, the Jinzu River, and the upper reaches of the Miyagawa River, connecting the Nobi Plain, the Takayama Basin, and the Toyama Plain. As it runs through rugged mountainous areas as a line that crosses central Japan, it has a series of steep slopes and sharp curves, as well as many tunnels and bridges. The Gifu side of the line was constructed as the Takayama Line, and the Toyama side as the Hietsu Line, and the entire line was opened between 1920 and 1934 (Taisho 9 to Showa 9), and became the Takayama Main Line. In 1987, due to the division and privatization of the Japanese National Railways, the section between Gifu and Inotani (189.2 km) belonged to Central Japan Railway Company, and the section between Inotani and Toyama (36.6 km) belonged to West Japan Railway Company. There are many tourist destinations along the line, including Takayama, Gero Onsen, and Hida Kisogawa Quasi-National Park. There were plans to electrify the line, and construction began in 1980, but due to a lack of growth in passenger numbers and cost-cutting measures during the JNR era, construction was halted and remains so to this day.

[Eiichi Aoki and Ryo Aoki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

岐阜県中央部から富山県へ走る東海旅客鉄道と西日本旅客鉄道の線路名称。岐阜―高山―富山間225.8キロメートル。全線単線、非電化。飛騨(ひだ)地方を南北に縦断し、木曽(きそ)川とその支流飛騨川、益田(ました)川、神通(じんづう)川とその上流部の宮川などの河谷を走って、濃尾(のうび)平野、高山盆地、富山平野を結ぶ。中央日本の横断線として険しい山地を走るため、急勾配(こうばい)、急曲線区間が連続し、トンネル、橋梁(きょうりょう)も多い。岐阜側寄りは高山線、富山側寄りは飛越線として建設を進め、1920～1934年（大正9～昭和9）に全線を開業し、高山本線とした。1987年、日本国有鉄道の分割民営化のため、岐阜―猪谷(いのたに)間（189.2キロメートル）が東海旅客鉄道、猪谷―富山間（36.6キロメートル）が西日本旅客鉄道に所属した。沿線には高山をはじめ、下呂(げろ)温泉、飛騨木曽川国定公園など観光地も多い。かつては電化計画があり、1980年（昭和55）に着工されたが、利用客数が伸びないことや、国鉄時代の経費抑制策などにより、工事は中止されて現在に至っている。

［青木栄一・青木　亮］

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