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Toyohashi Rail Road's Former Taguchi Line

, Shinshiro-City Toyohashi Rail Road's Former Taguchi Line

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A railway essential to life and industry in the Okumikawa region

A railway known as the Toyokawa Railway began in 1900 with a route between Toyohashi and Omi in the Okumikawa region, located at the easternmost edge of Aichi Prefecture. In 1923, when the Horaiji Railway was opened between Omi and Mikawa-Kawai, residents of Taguchi Town—or what is now Shitara Town—asked that the railway be extended to the upper reaches of the Toyo River, closer to them. At the time, the forest near Mt. Dando in the upper reaches of the Toyo River was an imperial forest owned by the imperial family, and construction of a railroad was proposed to the Imperial Household Agency at the time in order to transport wood from the forest, which led to the establishment of the Taguchi Railway in 1927.

In 1929, the company opened the section between Horaiji-guchi (now Hon-nagashino Station on the JR Iida Line) and Mikawa-Ebi (11.6 km), marking the beginning of the Taguchi Line. After that, it was extended to Kiyosaki (6.5 km) and further to Mikawa-Taguchi (4.5 km), making the total length 22.6 km. After being operated and managed by the national railroad company—what is now "JR"—it was taken over by Toyohashi Rail Road in 1956 and became the Toyohashi Rail Road Taguchi Line.
With the opening of the Taguchi Line, the Okumikawa region's lifestyle and industries greatly developed not only through the transportation of lumber but also through the securing of fresh food, the opening of high schools along the line, ease in commuting to work or school, and the attraction of tourists.
However, depopulation and the evolution of an automobile-centric society led to a decrease in passengers, and in 1968, the line was unfortunately discontinued.

Vestiges of commuting along the now abandoned railroad

Traces of roadbeds, bridges, tunnels, platforms, and more where the Taguchi Line ran still remain today, and you can imagine what various spots would have looked like in the past. Until recently, traces of the final stop at Mikawa-Taguchi Station remained, but now it is within the construction site of Shitara Dam, and members of the general public are not permitted to enter. After the dam is completed, it is expected to be submerged.

All aboard at Shitara Rest Stop!

Shitara Rest Stop opened in 2021 near the site of old Kiyosaki Station on the former Taguchi Line and is home to the Okumikawa Folk Museum, displaying materials related to the nature and history of Shitara Town as well as the lives of the people there. You can even board one of the train cars which ran along the line at the rest stop, admiring its interior of wooden construction. Tools used when the train was in operation are displayed inside for a trip back in time. Walk in and hear the wood creak under your feet before sitting down and imagining the car shaking as it rode the rails through the beautiful, mountainous Okumikawa region.

Tours offer even more insight into the abandoned railway

Since many of the traces of Toyohashi Rail Road's former Taguchi Line do not have parking lots or other such facilities, tours are a great way to get around while being considerate to locals. Toyohashi Rail Road provides tours along the old line via sightseeing and fixed-route buses as part of its Okumikawa Rediscovery Tour.

SPOT OVERVIEW

Location	〒441-2302 17-7 Nakada, Kiyosaki, Shitara-cho, Kita-Shitara-gun, Aichi Note: • The address above is for Shitara Rest Stop, where the former Taguchi Line train car is located.
Fee	Taguchi Line train car exhibit available free of charge Note: • Prices are subject to change. Check the official site, etc. for the most up-to-date information.
Opening days / hours	Taguchi Line train car exhibit: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Parking	Available at Shitara Rest Stop • Standard-size vehicles: 40 spaces • Large-size vehicles: 4 spaces
Restrooms	Available at Shitara Rest Stop
Holidays	Taguchi Line train car exhibit: • Tue (the following day should Tue coincide with a national holiday) • Year-end/New Year holiday (Dec 29–Jan 3)

Note: This page may not be current due to update time differences between site databases.
Should accuracy be critical, please verify this information using a direct source, whenever possible.

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ACCESS

Access by public transport

Shitara Rest Stop:
5-min. walk from Tanai Bus Stop after boarding the bus from Hon-nagashino Station on the JR Iida Line.
Access by car

Shitara Rest Stop:
• Approx. 60 min. from Toyokawa Interchange on Tomei Expressway.
• Approx. 30 min. from Shinshiro Interchange on Shin-Tomei Expressway.