On March 20, 1921, the Ōminato Light Railway (大湊軽便線, Ōminato-keibensen) began operations between Noheji Station and Mutsu-Yokohama Station. The line was extended to its present terminus of Ōminato Station by September 25, 1921. In 1922 the line was nationalised, and renamed the Ōminato Line of the Japanese Government Railway (JGR, later JNR).
Express Natsudomari operations began from Aomori Station on a seasonal basis in 1968. The express was later downgraded to rapid service and renamed the Usori, and later the Shimokita. All freight operations ceased on February 1, 1984. With the dissolution and privatization of the JNR on April 1, 1984, the line came under the control of the East Japan Railway Company. On December 4, 1999, a new centralized traffic control (CTC) system became operational. In 2002, seasonal excursion train Kirakira Michinoku operations commenced and a limited number of Shimokita trains were extended to terminate at Hachinohe Station instead of Noheji. The Shimokita service operates a daily round trip to Aomori and 3 round trips to Hachinohe in conjunction with the Aoimori Railway.
The Tōhoku Main Line, including Noheji was transferred from JR East to Aoimori Railway on December 4, 2010, following the extension of the Tohoku Shinkansen from Hachinohe to Shin-Aomori. This resulted in the isolation of the Ōminato Line, a branch of the Tōhoku Main Line, from the rest of the JR East network with the exception of the Shimokita service from Aomori where it connects with the Ōu Main Line and Tsugaru Line.
At an unknown date[citation needed], the number and destinations of Shimokita trains was changed. The round trip to Aomori ceased operating, and as of January2026[update] the following daily services operate: 2 trips Hachinohe—Ominato, 2 trips Ominato—Hachinohe and 1 trip Ominato—Noheji.
Former connecting lines
Akagawa station - The Aomori Prefectural Government operated a 4km (2.5mi)762mm (2ft6in) gauge line to Tanabu-Yanagicho between 1921 and 1941.
Shimokita station - The 18km Ōhata Line[ja] opened in 1939, and construction continued toward Ōma to service a proposed naval base to protect the Tsugaru Strait, and was well advanced when work was suspended in 1943 due to a shortage of materials. The Seikan Tunnel was originally proposed to utilise the roadbed of the uncompleted Ōma Line[ja] (as well as that of the uncompleted Toi Line[ja] near Hakodate) but in 1968 the route was changed to the alignment subsequently built. Freight services ceased on the Ōhata Line in 1979, and operation of it was transferred to Shimokita Koutsu[ja] in 1985. The line closed in 2001.
References
This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.
↑"乗務40年近く・沖津さん 大湊線の存続願う／野辺地～陸奥横浜間・20日で開業100周年"[Nearly 40 years of service, Mr. Okizu wishes for the continuation of the Ōminato Line / between Noheji and Mutsu-Yokohama, 100th anniversary of its opening in 20 days] (in Japanese). Yahoo! News Japan. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
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