Kitto Line

The Kitto Line (吉都線, Kitto-sen) is a railway line on the island of Kyushu, Japan. It connects Yoshimatsu Station in Yūsui, Kagoshima Prefecture with Miyakonojō Station in Miyakonojō, Miyazaki Prefecture. It is also known as Ebino Kōgen Line (えびの高原線, Ebino-kōgen-sen) together with the Yatsushiro–Yoshimatsu segment of the Hisatsu Line. Between 1916 and 1923 this line was part of the original rail connection from Kokura to Miyazaki, until the opening of the Nippo Main Line.

Kitto Line
Overview
Other name(s)	Ebino Kōgen Line
Native name	吉都線
Locale	Kagoshima Miyazaki
Termini	Yoshimatsu Miyakonojō
Stations	17
Service
Operator(s)	JR Kyushu
Daily ridership	576
History
Opened	1 October 1912
Technical
Line length	61.6 km (38.3 mi)
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Route map

Line data

• Operator: Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu)
• Distance: 61.6 km
• Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Stations: 17
• Multiple tracks: None (entirely single track)
• Electrification: None
• Railway signalling: Automatic

Stations

Station	Distance (km)	Transfers	Location
Yoshimatsu	0.0	Hisatsu Line	Yūsui, Aira District	Kagoshima
Tsurumaru	2.6
Kyōmachi Onsen	5.0		Ebino	Miyazaki
Ebino	9.6
Ebino Uwae	13.0
Ebino Iino	15.0
Nishi Kobayashi	20.6		Kobayashi
Kobayashi	26.8
Hirowara	30.8		Takaharu, Nishimorokata District
Takaharu	34.8
Hyūga Maeda	39.4		Miyakonojō
Takasaki Shinden	43.8
Higashi Takasaki	48.1
Mangatsuka	51.0
Tanigashira	54.5
Hyūga Shōnai	57.5
Miyakonojō	61.6	Nippō Main Line

History

The Yoshimatsu–Kobayashi section opened in 1912, and was extended to Miyakonojo the following year. Construction continued east and opened to Miyazaki in 1916, with the line formally named the Miyazaki Main Line in 1917.

With the opening of the Nippo Main Line from Kokura to Miyazaki in 1923, the line adopted that name. In 1932, with the opening of the Miyakonojo–Hayato line, that became part of the Nippo Main Line, and this line's name became the Kitto Line.

Freight service ceased in 1987.

References