Kashima Line

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Kashima Line
E131 series train running on the Kitaura Bridge (July 2022)
Overview
OwnerJR East
LocaleChiba Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture
Termini
Stations5
Service
TypeHeavy rail
Operator(s)JR East, JR Freight
Rolling stockE131 Series
Past: 113 Series, 209 series
History
Opened1970
Technical
Line length17.4 km (10.8 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Route map

Legend
Kashima Soccer Stadium
Ōarai Kashima Line
Kashimajingū
Ōarai Kashima Line
Kitaura Railway Bridge (Kitaura Lake)
 Nobukata
Mae River
Itako
Hitachitone River
Jūnikyō
Tone River
Katori
East Japan Railway Company Narita Line
 Sawara
East Japan Railway Company Narita Line
This diagram:

The Kashima Line (鹿島線, Kashima-sen) is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It links Katori Station in Katori, Chiba with Kashimajingū Station in Kashima, Ibaraki. Services continue one station further past Kashimajingū to Kashima Soccer Stadium Station on days when soccer matches are being held at the adjacent Kashima Soccer Stadium.

The line features 3 large bridges - the Tone River Railway Bridge over the Tone River, the Hitachitone River Railway Bridge over the Hitachitone River (the boundary between Chiba Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture), and the 1.236 km (4,060 ft) long Kitaura Railway Bridge over Lake Kitaura (itself part of Lake Kasumigaura, Japan's second largest lake).[1]

Operation

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All services commence from Sawara Station on the Narita Line (one stop, 3.6 km (2.2 mi) before Katori) then stop at all stations between Katori and Kashimajingū. Trains operate approximately once per hour.[2][3]

Kashima Line services continue one station further past Kashimajingū to Kashima Soccer Stadium Station on days when soccer matches are being held at the adjacent Kashima Soccer Stadium, the home stadium of Kashima Antlers in J.League (Japan Professional Football League).[4]

At Kashimajingū, passengers can transfer to Kashima Rinkai Railway Ōarai Kashima Line trains to Oarai and Mito. These trains also only stop at Kashima Soccer Stadium Station on days when soccer matches are being held.[5][6]

Until 2015, the Limited Express Ayame service ran between Tokyo Station and Kashima Jingu once per day, from Kashima Jingu in every morning, from Tokyo in every night, stopping at all stations on the Kashima Line.

JR Freight also operates trains on the Kashima Line from the Tokyo area to the Kashima Rinkai Railway Kashima Rinkō Line. Trains change direction at Kashima Soccer Stadium Station.

Stations

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Station Japanese Distance (km)
(from Katori) 		Transfers Location
Sawara 佐原 -3.6 Narita Line (for Narita and Chiba) Katori Chiba Prefecture
Katori 香取 0.0 Narita Line (for Matsugishi and Chōshi)
Jūnikyō 十二橋 3.0  
Itako 潮来 5.2   Itako Ibaraki Prefecture
Nobukata 延方 10.4  
Kashimajingū 鹿島神宮 14.2 Kashima Rinkai Railway Ōarai Kashima Line Kashima
Services continue to/from Kashima Soccer Stadium Station only on days when soccer matches are being held at the adjacent Kashima Soccer Stadium
Kashima Soccer Stadium

(temporary station)

鹿島サッカースタジアム 17.4
Kashima Rinkai Railway Kashima Rinkō Line (freight line)

History

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This line was planned as the main mass transportation method within the Kashima Industrial Zone along the southern coast of Ibaraki Prefecture, to connect with the Tokyo Metropolis.

  • 20 August 1970 – Newly operated between Katori and Kashimajingū (14.2 km (8.8 mi)), as JNR Kashima Line.
  • 12 November 1970 – Newly operated between Kashimajingū and Kita-Kashima (3.2 km (2.0 mi)), as the freight line.
  • 24 October 1974 – The line was electrified.
  • March 1978 – Jet airplane fuel transport service was started from Kashima Rinkai Kashima Rinko Line (owned by Kashima Rinkai Railway), via Kita-Kashima Station, to Tsuchiya Freight Terminal Station, near Narita Station, to supply New Tokyo International Airport.
  • 25 July 1978, Passenger service was begun between Kashimajingū and Kita-Kashima, as the beginning of passenger service in Kashima Rinko Line.
  • 8 August 1983 – Jet fuel freight line ended (pipelines came on service).
  • 1 December 1983 – The passenger service between Kashimajingū and Kita-Kashima was abolished, which was started in 1978.
  • 14 March 1985 – The passenger service was re-opened in the section between Kashima- Jingu and Kita-Kashima, as the opening of Kashima Rinkai Oarai Kashima Line.
  • 1 April 1987 – JR East succeeded this line from JNR.
  • 12 March 1994 – Kita-Kashima Station was renamed to Kashima-Soccer-Stadium Station, and it served as a temporary station for football spectators in Kashima Stadium.
  • 2 June 2002 – 2002 FIFA World Cup game, Argentina – Nigeria was played in Kashima Stadium. JR East operated special trains between Chiba Station to Kashima-Soccer-Stadium Station, as special rapid trains.

Rolling stock

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Sōbu Line (Rapid) through service

Past

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References

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  1. ^ プレスマンユニオン編集部 (8 July 2022). "北浦橋梁 | ニッポン旅マガジン". tabi-mag.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. ^ "時刻表 佐原駅 鹿島線：JR東日本 (Timetable: Sawara Station, Kashima Line: JR East, Weekdays)". JR東日本：東日本旅客鉄道株式会社 (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  3. ^ "時刻表 佐原駅 鹿島線：JR東日本 (Timetable: Sawara Station, Kashima Line: JR East, Weekends & Holidays)". JR東日本：東日本旅客鉄道株式会社 (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  4. ^ "水戸方面から公共交通機関をご利用の方 | 鹿島アントラーズ オフィシャルサイト". 鹿島アントラーズ オフィシャルサイト | KASHIMA ANTLERS (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  5. ^ "時刻表". 鹿島臨海鉄道株式会社 (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Football matches on the Oarai-Kashima Line" (PDF). rintetsu.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
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Media related to Kashima Line at Wikimedia Commons