Kitakyushu monorail
Encyclopedia
The Kitakyushu monorail is a monorail
in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka
, Japan, run by the Kitakyushu Urban Monorail Co. Ltd. (北九州高速鉄道株式会社, Kitakyūshū Kōsoku Tetsudō Kabushiki gaisha, literally "Kitakyūshū High Speed Railway Co. Ltd.").
The Kokura Line (小倉線 Kokura sen) is currently the only line. It runs the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) between Kokura station
and Kikugaoka station in Kokura Minami ward in about 18 minutes. It was opened on January 9, 1985 between the station now called Heiwadori and Kikugaoka, and extended about 300 metres (1000 ft) to Kokura station from Heiwadori on April 1, 1998.
The monorail is owned by the city of Kitakyushu, and did not begin to make a profit until the extension to Kokura station was completed. This had been resisted by the businesses in Uomachi shopping district who feared they would lose customers, but that did not happen.
Once a year there are beer parties and wine parties held on the monorail, bookings made in advance. Santa Claus
boards the train on December 24.
There is apparently no plan to build a new line or extend the existing one at this time.
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka
Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. It is midway between Tokyo and Shanghai.- Demographics :Kitakyūshū has a population of just under one million...
, Japan, run by the Kitakyushu Urban Monorail Co. Ltd. (北九州高速鉄道株式会社, Kitakyūshū Kōsoku Tetsudō Kabushiki gaisha, literally "Kitakyūshū High Speed Railway Co. Ltd.").
The Kokura Line (小倉線 Kokura sen) is currently the only line. It runs the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) between Kokura station
Kokura Station
in Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
and Kikugaoka station in Kokura Minami ward in about 18 minutes. It was opened on January 9, 1985 between the station now called Heiwadori and Kikugaoka, and extended about 300 metres (1000 ft) to Kokura station from Heiwadori on April 1, 1998.
The monorail is owned by the city of Kitakyushu, and did not begin to make a profit until the extension to Kokura station was completed. This had been resisted by the businesses in Uomachi shopping district who feared they would lose customers, but that did not happen.
Once a year there are beer parties and wine parties held on the monorail, bookings made in advance. Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
boards the train on December 24.
There is apparently no plan to build a new line or extend the existing one at this time.
Stations
- Kokura StationKokura Stationin Kokura Kita ward is the main railway station in Kitakyushu, Japan. It is part of the JR Kyushu network and the Sanyo Shinkansen stops here. It is the second largest station in Kyūshū with 120,000 users daily...
- north terminus - Heiwadori StationHeiwadori StationHeiwadōri Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985 as Kokura Station, then renamed as current name on 1 April 1998 when monorail was extended 400 metres and connected to Kokura Station....
- Tanga StationTanga StationTanga Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Kita ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Kawaraguchi Mihagino StationKawaraguchi Mihagino StationKawaraguchi Mihagino Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Kita ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Katano StationKatano StationKatano Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Kita ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Jono StationJōno Station (Kitakyushu Monorail)is a Kitakyūshū Monorail station in Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985. -Line served:* Kitakyūshū Monorail...
- Kitagata StationKitagata Station (Fukuoka)Kitagata Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Minami ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Keibajomae StationKeibajomae Stationis a Kitakyūshū Monorail station in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985. It is situated next to Kokura Racecourse and University of Kitakyushu.-Line served:* Kitakyūshū Monorail...
- for Kokura RacecourseKokura Racecourseis located in Kokura Minami-ku Kitakyushu, Japan. It is used for horse racing. It was built in 1994. It has a capacity of 20,000. It has 1,192 seats.-Physical attributes:Kokura Racecourse has grass courses and a dirt course....
and the University of KitakyushuUniversity of KitakyushuThe is a public university in Kitakyushu, Japan. The main campus is located next to Keibajomae station on the Kitakyushu monorail. The second campus is in the academic zone of Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu called Gakujutsu Kenkyu Toshi... - Moritsune StationMoritsune StationMoritsune Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Minami ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Tokuriki Kodanmae StationTokuriki Kodanmae StationTokuriki Kodanmae Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Minami ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Tokuriki Arashiyamaguchi StationTokuriki Arashiyamaguchi StationTokuriki Arashiyamaguchi Station is a Kitakyushu monorail station in Kokura Minami ward, Kitakyushu, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyushu Monorail...
- Shii StationShii Station (Kitakyushu Monorail)is a Kitakyūshū Monorail station in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyūshū Monorail...
- Kikugaoka StationKikugaoka Stationis a Kitakyūshū Monorail station in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Japan. The station opened on 9 January 1985.-Line served:* Kitakyūshū Monorail...
- south terminus
See also
- monorails in JapanMonorails in Japan-Currently operational:*Chiba Urban Monorail : Chiba, Chiba, 1988.*Disney Resort Line: Urayasu, Chiba, 2001.*Kitakyūshū Monorail: Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, 1985.*Okinawa Monorail : Naha, Okinawa, 2003....
- MonorailMonorailA monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
- New Kitakyushu AirportNew Kitakyushu Airportis an airport in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Japan. It is built on an artificial island in the western Seto Inland Sea, away from the main body of the city. It opened on March 16, 2006 as but was renamed in 2008...
- List of rapid transit systems
External links
- Kitakyushu monorail (Official page in Japanese)
- Map of the Kitakyushu Monorail