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Asatō Line

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Asatō Line
Dual-mode vehicles operated on the Asato Line since 2021, based on Toyota Coaster
Overview
Native name阿佐東線
StatusOperational
OwnerAsa Coast Railway Company
LocaleTokushima Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture
Termini
Stations4 (railway)
Websitehttps://asatetu.com/
Service
TypeRegional railBus
Operator(s)Asa Coast Railway Company
Rolling stockDMV93
History
Opened26 March 1992
Technical
Line length10.0 km (6.2 mi)
Number of tracksEntire line single tracked
CharacterRural
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed85 km/h (53 mph)
Route map

Legend
 Awa-Kainan Culture Village [ja]
DMV bus mode section (since 2021)
Mugi Line towards Tokushima
Awa Kainan Station / Station Stop
0.0
 Awa-Kainan Signal Station (since 2021)
Shihohara Tunnel
Kaifu River [ja]
Chōnai Tunnel
1.4
 Kaifu Station
15 tunnels
Roadside Station Shishikui Onsen [ja]
7.5
 Shishikui Station
Shishikui River [ja]
Storage yard
4th Shishikui Tunnel
Tokushima Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
9.9
 Kannoura Station (pre-2020)
10.0
 Kannoura Signal Station (since 2021)
Kannoura Station Stop
DMV bus mode section (since 2021)
Sea Station Toyocho
To Seaside Station Toromu
Key
 Railroad track
Roadway section
This diagram:

The Asatō Line (阿佐東線, Asatō-sen, lit. 'Asa East Line') is a Japanese railway line connecting Kaifu Station, Kaiyō and Kannoura Station, Tōyō. Together with JR Shikoku's Mugi Line, it has the official nickname Awa Muroto Seaside Line (阿波室戸シーサイドライン, Awa Muroto Shīsaido Rain). This is the only railway line operated by Asa Coast Railway Company (阿佐海岸鉄道株式会社, Asa Kaigan Tetsudō kabushiki-gaisha). The company's name is abbreviated to the portmandeau Asatetsu (阿佐鉄). Since the line goes through a relatively sparsely populated area, it is under severe business stress, to the point where closure of the line has been proposed.

The railway company commenced operating road–rail vehicles, known as DMV (dual-mode vehicle) in Japan, on the Asato Line from 25 December 2021.

The vehicles used are 3 extensively modified Toyota Coaster minibuses, claimed to be the first in the world, which enable through service to locations without rail infrastructure. The vehicles are classed as DMV93 type [ja].

In preparation, the rail line was disconnected from the Mugi Line in summer 2019.

History

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Japanese National Railways started the construction of the eastern section of the Asa Line in 1959, proposed to reach Muroto, where it would connect with the planned extension of the western section of the Asa line from Kochi.

The first 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) section to Kaifu opened in 1973, and further construction was undertaken until work was suspended in 1980. In 1988 construction work south of Kaifu was re-started by the Asa Coast Railway Company, the then-newly founded third-sector company. The Kaifu–Kannoura section, now called the Asatō Line, opened in 1992.

The western portion of the planned Asa Line opened as the Tosa Kuroshio Railway Asa Line to Nahari in 2002. The Kannoura–Nahari section of the proposed Asa line has not been constructed. The proposed stations were None, Muroto, Kiragawa and Tosa-Hane.

Awa-Kainan Station has been transferred to Asa Coast Railway Company since 1 November 2020 for the purpose of constructing the required changeover facilities for the DMV. The railway line was suspended from 1 December 2020 with bustitution services running until the completion of the DMV facilities on 25 December 2021.

  • ASA-101 series which were withdrawn on 30 November 2020
    ASA-101 series which were withdrawn on 30 November 2020

DMV

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Mode change of a "dual-mode vehicle" at Awa Kainan Station.

The development of DMV started in 2011 as an alternative to traditional, more expensive, DMU trains for rail lines with limited passengers. In February 2016, Tokushima Prefecture announced its intentions of introducing DMV in commercial operations in the next 10 years.

Construction

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On 10 January 2019, in preparation for the construction of DMV changeover facilities, the parking area and bus terminal near Kannoura Station was relocated 50 m south.[1] On 1 December 2020, bustitution services operated by JR Shikoku Bus commenced between Mugi Station and Kannoura Station[2][3] while the facilities were being constructed. On 1 February 2021, bustitution services was revised to operate from Mugi Station to Awa-Kainan Station. On 4 November 2021, the Railway Bureau of the MLIT announced the completion of safety inspections and tests of the DMV conducted on the Asato Line. As such, on 10 November 2021, Asa Coast Railway Company announced the date for the planned introduction of DMV services - on 25 December 2021, DMV services commenced operating between Awa-Kainan Station and Kannoura Station.[4][5]

Services

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Services commence at Awakainan Bunkamura (Awa-Kainan Cultural Village) bus stop then proceed to Awa-Kainan Station to enter the railway line, travel south along the railway line to Kannoura Station, exit the railway line then proceed north to terminate at Michinoeki Shishikui Onsen (Roadside Station Shishikui Onsen) bus stop. The journey is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long and takes 34 minutes to complete.

On weekends and holidays, 1 trip per day extends to/from Cape Muroto stopping at 4 stops as indicated below. The journey is 50 kilometres (31 mi) long and takes 1 hour 30 minutes.

Operation commenced on December 25, 2021. 13 round trips per day were operated on weekdays, while on weekends & holidays there were 11 round trips as well as the 1 round trip to/from Cape Muroto which departed Awakainan Bunkamura at 10:57am, returning at 1:35pm.[6][7]

On March 11, 2023, a revised timetable was introduced which reduced the number of trips on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 13 to 8, and reduced from 11 to 10 on Weekends/Holidays. The round trip to Cape Muroto remained.[8]

On March 16, 2024, a revised timetable was introduced which reduced the number of trips on all weekdays to 8. The number of weekend trips was unchanged.[9] The first trip on all days departs Michinoeki Shishikui Onsen at 6:10am and the last trip terminates there at 5:38pm. The weekday timetable can be operated with one vehicle, while the weekend/holiday timetable requires two vehicles with some trips operating only 12 minutes apart. The weekend/holidays Cape Muroto trip departs Awakainan Bunkamura at 11:58am and arrives at Muroto (Uminoeki Toromu) at 1:28pm, departing there at 1:52pm and arriving back at Awakainan Bunkamura at 3:23pm.

Due to the limited capacity of the DMV (16 seats, 0 standing), the operator suggests that seats be booked in advance.[1] Bookings can be made in person at Shishikui Station or at Japan Bus Online (in English). Service status and bookings are available (in Japanese) at J-Bus.

  • The end of Awa-Kainan Station
    The end of Awa-Kainan Station
  • Changeover facilities of DMV
    Changeover facilities of DMV
  • The Asato Line was disconnected from the JR Shikoku Mugi Line in 2019 due to the construction of DMV facilities
    The Asato Line was disconnected from the JR Shikoku Mugi Line in 2019 due to the construction of DMV facilities

Basic data

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  • Distance: 10.0 km / 6.2 mi.
  • Gauge: 1,067 mm / 3 ft. 6 in.
  • Stations: 4
  • Double-track line: None
  • Electric supply: Not electrified
  • Railway signalling: Simplified automatic

Railway Stations/Bus Stops

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Railway Stations

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No. Station Name Distance (km) Connections Location
All services commence from Awakainan Bunkamura and operate via public roads to Awa-Kainan Station
M27

AS27

Awa-Kainan 阿波海南 0.0 Shikoku Railway Company: Mugi Line (M27) Mugi, Kaifu District,
Tokushima Prefecture
AS28 Kaifu 海部 1.5 Kaiyō, Kaifu District,
Tokushima Prefecture
AS29 Shishikui 宍喰 7.6  
AS30 Kannoura 甲浦 10.0   Tōyō, Aki District,
Kōchi Prefecture
All services continue via public roads to Michinoeki Shishikui Onsen (1 weekend trip continues to Muroto (Uminoeki Toromu))

Bus Stops (Regular Service)

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No. Stop Name* Location English Translation*
Awakainan Bunkamura 阿 波 海 南 文 化 村 Kaiyō, Kaifu District, Tokushima Prefecture Awa Kainan Cultural Village
operates via railway line between Awa-Kainan Station and Kannoura Station
Umi-no-Eki Toyo-cho 海 の 駅 東 洋 町 Toyo, Aki District, Kochi Prefecture Sea Station Toyo Town
Michinoeki Shishikui Onsen 道 の 駅 宍 喰 温 泉 Kaiyō, Kaifu District, Tokushima Prefecture Roadside Station Shishikui Onsen

* "Stop Name" is the name shown in Google Maps and other online trip planners. "English Translation" provides a clearer understanding of the stop name for those not familiar with Japanese.

Bus Stops (Muroto service - 1 trip on Weekends and Holidays)

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No. Stop Name* Location English Translation*
Awakainan Bunkamura 阿 波 海 南 文 化 村 Kaiyō, Kaifu District, Tokushima Prefecture Awa Kainan Cultural Village
operates via railway line between Awa-Kainan Station and Kannoura Station
Muroto Haikou Suizokukan むろと廃校水族館 Muroto Misaki, Muroto, Kochi Prefecture Muroto Schoolhouse Aquarium
Muroto Sekai Geopark Center 室戸世界ジオパークセンター Muroto Global Geopark Center
Muroto Misaki 室戸岬 Cape Muroto
Muroto (Uminoeki Toromu) 海の駅とろむ Sea Station Toromu

* "Stop Name" is the name shown in Google Maps and other online trip planners. "English Translation" provides a clearer understanding of the stop name for those not familiar with Japanese.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "甲浦駅の駐車場・バス停、車両停止位置変更のお知らせ" [Relocation of parking area and bus terminal]. asatetu.com (in Japanese). Asa Coast Railway Company. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020.
  2. ^ "阿佐東線、DMV対応工事で12月から全線運休 バス代行輸送". レイルラボ(RailLab) (in Japanese). 22 November 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  3. ^ "時刻表" (in Japanese). Asa Coast Railway Company. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Japan to get world's 1st operational bus-train dual-mode vehicle". Kyodo News. 13 November 2021. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  5. ^ "令和3年12月25日（土）DMVでの本格営業運行を開始いたします" [Commencing of DMV operations on Saturday 25 December 2021]. Asa Coast Railway Company (in Japanese). 10 November 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  6. ^ "時刻表 | 阿佐海岸鉄道株式会社". 24 June 2022. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "Dual bus-train vehicle to start operating Dec. 25 in Shikoku | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  8. ^ "時刻表 | 阿佐海岸鉄道株式会社". Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  9. ^ "時刻表 | 阿佐海岸鉄道株式会社" (PDF). 阿佐海岸鉄道株式会社. 16 March 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
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