Kishigawa Line
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| Kishigawa Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Overview | |||
| Owner | Wakayama Electric Railway | ||
| Locale | Wakayama | ||
| Stations | 14 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Track length | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) | ||
| Minimum radius | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead catenary | ||
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| Highest elevation | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
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Script error: No such module "Nihongo". is a railway line in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is the sole line of the Wakayama Electric Railway Co., Ltd. The 14.3 km route extends from Wakayama Station in the city of Wakayama to Kishi Station in neighboring Kinokawa. Including the terminals, the Kishigawa Line has 14 stations. Its gauge is 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in). The line is single-track and is electrified at 1,500 V DC. Prior to April 1, 2006, the line was part of the Nankai Electric Railway system.
History
The Sando Light Railway Co. opened the Wakayama – Sando section between 1916 and 1917, and extended the line to Kishi in 1933.
The line was electrified at 600 V DC between 1941 and 1943, and was acquired by the Nankai Electric Railway Co. in 1961.
CTC signalling was commissioned in 1993, and the Wakayama Electric Railway Co. acquired the line in 2006, increasing the line voltage to 1500 V DC in 2012.
Rolling stock and service
The Kishigawa Line uses 6 sets (12 cars) of 2270 series electric multiple units (EMUs), originally built for Nankai and transferred to the new operator, together with the tracks and other assets of the Kishigawa Line.
Some of the cars have been repainted with the design by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka, who designed the type 9200 "MOMO" tram of Okayama Electric Tramway and various trains of JR Kyushu, including the 800 Series Shinkansen, while others are still in the Nankai livery.
In the mornings and evenings, the service operates three to four times each hour; at off-peak times, two per hour is the norm. The trains are driver-only operated, and do not have conductors.
Stations
| No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Distance between stations (km) | Transfers | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Wakayama | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 0.0 | - | Wakayama, Wakayama | |
| 02 | Tanakaguchi | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 0.6 | 0.6 | ||
| 03 | Nichizengū | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 1.4 | 0.8 | ||
| 04 | Kōzaki | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 2.9 | 1.5 | ||
| 05 | Kamayama | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 3.7 | 0.8 | ||
| 06 | Kōtsū-Center-mae | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 4.8 | 1.1 | ||
| 07 | Okazaki-mae | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 5.4 | 0.6 | ||
| 08 | Kire | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 6.4 | 1.0 | ||
| 09 | Idakiso | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 8.0 | 1.6 | ||
| 10 | Sandō | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 9.1 | 1.1 | ||
| 11 | Oikeyūen | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 11.3 | 2.2 | Kinokawa, Wakayama | |
| 12 | Nishiyamaguchi | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 12.1 | 0.8 | ||
| 13 | Kanroji-mae | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 13.1 | 1.0 | ||
| 14 | Kishi | Script error: No such module "Lang". | 14.3 | 1.2 |
Features
In addition to the new design of the rolling stock, the operator is eager to attract passengers through unique measures such as the following:
- Before trains arrive at Kishi Station or after trains leave there, The Beatles song "Strawberry Fields Forever" is played.
- Kishi Station appointed a cat named Tama as its stationmaster, complete with miniature stationmaster hat.[1][2] Japan was in mourning after Wakayama Railway announced that Nitama, the stationmaster cat, died on November 20, 2025. He was 15 years old. Nitama was rescued when he was two months old after nearly getting run over by traffic. He was taken in by employees at Wakayama Railway and lived there along with Tama, the original stationmaster cat. When Tama died in 2015, Nitama was the natural successor and continued Tama’s legacy. Together, they helped rescue the rural train line, which had been experiencing declines in ridership before the feline stationmasters were hired. Nitama was promoted to Ultra Stationmaster in 2021 and was given responsibility for all 14 stations. Following Nitama's death in November 2025, a memorial service was held at Kishi Station on December 13, 2025.[3] The railway company continues the tradition, with other cats acting as stationmasters at other stations along the line. At Kishi Station, Yontama promoted to Stationmaster in January 2026.[4]
See also
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References
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia
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- ^ "Tama the station cat brings passengers to Kishikawa railway line[dead link]." Times Online. May 27, 2008.
- ^ Lah, Kyung. "Cat in hat makes $10 million for town." CNN. October 29, 2008.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lynn, Jessica (2025-12-27). "Mourning Nitama, Kishi Station's Honorary Special Stationmaster". A-Z Animals. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Japan railway names 3rd cat stationmaster". Mainichi Daily News. 2026-01-07. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
External links
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