The is a local rail line in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Part of the East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 (JR East) system, it runs as a spur line from Ichinoseki Station

Ichinoseki Station

Ichinoseki Station is a JR East railway station located in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-Station structure:The station has two Shinkansen platforms serving two tracks and two conventional line platforms serving three tracks.-History:...

 in Ichinoseki, Iwate

Iwate Prefecture

is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...

, in central Japan to Sakari Station

Sakari Station

Sakari Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan. This station is the largest in Ōfunato City.-Lines:*JR East Ōfunato Line*Sanriku Railway Company South Rias Line...

 in Ōfunato

Ofunato, Iwate

is a coastal city located in Iwate, Japan.It was founded on April 1, 1952.On November 15, 2001, the town of Sanriku, from Kesen District, was merged into Ōfunato....

, Iwate

Iwate Prefecture

is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...

, on the coast. It connects with the Kesennuma Line

Kesennuma Line

The is a local rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Maeyachi Station in Ishinomaki, Miyagi to Kesennuma Station in Kesennuma, Miyagi...

 at Kesennuma Station

Kesennuma Station

Kesennuma Station is a train station in central Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. It forms the junction of the JR East Ōfunato and Kesennuma lines...

 in Kesennuma and the privately owned Sanriku Railway's Minami-Riasu Line at Sakari Station in Ōfunato

Ofunato, Iwate

is a coastal city located in Iwate, Japan.It was founded on April 1, 1952.On November 15, 2001, the town of Sanriku, from Kesen District, was merged into Ōfunato....

.

Service

As of April 2005, there were 27 services daily using this line (14 east-bound, 13 west-bound). In all cases, Kesennuma

Kesennuma Station

Kesennuma Station is a train station in central Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. It forms the junction of the JR East Ōfunato and Kesennuma lines...

 was a stop on a run, but run endpoints varied. These were Ichinoseki-Sakari

Sakari Station

Sakari Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan. This station is the largest in Ōfunato City.-Lines:*JR East Ōfunato Line*Sanriku Railway Company South Rias Line...

 (8 east-bound, 7 west-bound, including 4 express, 2 each way), Ichinoseki-Kesennuma

Kesennuma Station

Kesennuma Station is a train station in central Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. It forms the junction of the JR East Ōfunato and Kesennuma lines...

 (4 east-bound, 4 west-bound including 2 express, 1 each way), and Kesennuma

Kesennuma Station

Kesennuma Station is a train station in central Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. It forms the junction of the JR East Ōfunato and Kesennuma lines...

-Sakari

Sakari Station

Sakari Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan. This station is the largest in Ōfunato City.-Lines:*JR East Ōfunato Line*Sanriku Railway Company South Rias Line...

 (2 east-bound, 2 west-bound, no express).

Additional information

The nickname of this line is the "Dragon Rail", as the spur line is thought to resemble the thin tail of a Chinese dragon

Chinese dragon

Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...

 and as a statement of the speed of the train over the considerable distance. Express trains on this line are marked "Super Dragon".

Station list

Station Name	Japanese	Distance from previous station	Distance from Ichinoseki	Super Dragon (Express)	Transfers	Location
Ichinoseki Ichinoseki Station Ichinoseki Station is a JR East railway station located in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-Station structure:The station has two Shinkansen platforms serving two tracks and two conventional line platforms serving three tracks.-History:...	一ノ関	N/A	0.0 km	●	Tōhoku Main Line, Tōhoku Shinkansen Tohoku Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture for a total length of 674 km, Japan's longest Shinkansen line. It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island Honshu. It has two spur lines, Yamagata...	Ichinoseki, Iwate Ichinoseki, Iwate is a city located towards the south of Iwate Prefecture, Japan and situated on the Iwai River. After Morioka and Ōshū, it is the third largest city in the prefecture.-Description:...
Mataki Mataki Station Mataki Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...	真滝	5.7 km	5.7 km	|
Rikuchū-Kanzaki Rikuchu-Kanzaki Station Rikuchū-Kanzaki Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...	陸中門崎	8.0 km	13.7 km	|
Iwanoshita Iwanoshita Station Iwanoshita Station is a JR East railway station located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.-Surrounding area:Some small businesses and stores have grown up around the station.* Sunatetsu River* Iwanoshita Police Office-Adjacent stations:...	岩ノ下	3.8 km	17.5 km	|
Rikuchū-Matsukawa Rikuchu-Matsukawa Station Rikuchū-Matsukawa Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan.-Surrounding area:* Tohoku Stone Mine* The House of Sun and Wind * Sunatetsu River...	陸中松川	3.8 km	21.3 km	|
Geibikei Geibikei Station Geibikei Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...	猊鼻渓	2.0 km	23.3 km	●
Shibajyuku Shibajyuku Station Shibajyuku Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...	柴宿	2.8 km	26.1 km	|
Surisawa Surisawa Station Surisawa Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Ichinoseki, Iwate, Japan.-Adjacent stations:...	摺沢	4.5 km	30.6 km	●
Senmaya Senmaya Station Senmaya Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Senmaya, Iwate, Japan. It was the eastern terminus of the Ōfunato Line for a short period from July 15, 1927 until September 1, 1928.-Surrounding area:...	千厩	9.2 km	39.8 km	●
Konashi Konashi Station Konashi Station is a JR East railway station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in western Senmaya, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-Adjacent stations:...	小梨	3.6 km	43.4 km	|
Yagoshi Yagoshi Station Yagoshi Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in eastern Murone, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-Adjacent stations:...	矢越	4.2 km	47.6 km	|
Orikabe Orikabe Station Orikabe Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in central Murone, Iwate, Japan. It was the eastern terminus of the Ōfunato Line for a short period from September 2, 1928 until July 30, 1929. It is now a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-Adjacent stations:...	折壁	2.1 km	49.7 km	|
Niitsuki Niitsuki Station Niitsuki Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in eastern part of Murone, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-History:*July 31, 1929: Station commences operation....	新月	5.6 km	55.3 km	|
Kesennuma Kesennuma Station Kesennuma Station is a train station in central Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. It forms the junction of the JR East Ōfunato and Kesennuma lines...	気仙沼	6.7 km	62.0 km	●	Kesennuma Line Kesennuma Line The is a local rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Maeyachi Station in Ishinomaki, Miyagi to Kesennuma Station in Kesennuma, Miyagi...	Kesennuma, Miyagi
Shishiori-Karakuwa Shishiori-Karakuwa Station Shishiori-Karakuwa Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in northern part of Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan.-History:*March 19, 1932: Station opensas Shishiori Station....	鹿折唐桑	2.2 km	64.2 km	●
Kami-Shishiori Kami-Shishiori Station Kami-Shishiori Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in far northern part of Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-Adjacent stations:...	上鹿折	5.3 km	69.5 km	●
Rikuzen-Yahagi Rikuzen-Yahagi Station Rikuzen-Yahagi Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-History:...	陸前矢作	10.0 km	79.5 km	●		Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate Rikuzentakata, Iwate is a city in Iwate, Japan.In the quinquennial census of 2010, the city had a population of 23,302 . With a total area of 232.29 km² the density is 100 persons per km². The city was founded on January 1, 1955. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami caused extensive damage to the city.- Politics...
Takekoma Takekoma Station Takekoma Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-History:*December 15, 1933: Station begins operation....	竹駒	3.0 km	82.5 km	●
Rikuzen-Takata Rikuzen-Takata Station Rikuzen-Takata Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate, Japan.-Surrounding area:*Rikuzen-Takata Station area line bus**Iwateken Kotsu Bus***For.Setamai and Iwate-Yokamati*Route 340*Route 45...	陸前高田	2.9 km	85.4 km	●
Wakinosawa Wakinosawa Station Wakinosawa Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-History:*December 15, 1933: Station begins operation....	脇ノ沢	2.9 km	88.3 km	●
Otomo Otomo Station Otomo Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate, Japan.-History:*December 15, 1933: Station begins operation....	小友	4.5 km	92.8 km	●
Hosoura Hosoura Station Hosoura Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan.-History:*December 15, 1933: Station begins operation.*2011 Station destroyed by Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami-Adjacent stations:...	細浦	4.3 km	97.1 km	●		Ōfunato, Iwate Ofunato, Iwate is a coastal city located in Iwate, Japan.It was founded on April 1, 1952.On November 15, 2001, the town of Sanriku, from Kesen District, was merged into Ōfunato....
Shimofunato Shimofunato Station Shimofunato Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan. It is a 'ghost station', with no staff assigned to it.-Adjacent stations:...	下船渡	3.1 km	100.2 km	●
Ōfunato Ofunato Station Ōfunato Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan.-History:*September 3, 1934: Station begins operation.*September 19, 1935: Line is extended to Sakari Station....	大船渡	2.9 km	103.1 km	●
Sakari Sakari Station Sakari Station is a train station located on the JR Ōfunato Line in Ōfunato, Iwate, Japan. This station is the largest in Ōfunato City.-Lines:*JR East Ōfunato Line*Sanriku Railway Company South Rias Line...	盛	2.6 km	105.7 km	●	Minami-Riasu Line Sanriku Railway The is a railway company in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The company or its lines are also known as . The company was founded in 1981, as the first "third sector" railway line in the country, excluding special cases such as freight rails in seaports. Its lines are former Japanese National Railways...

External links

• Article on Tohoku railways