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68-438: The Hakodate Main Line ( 函館本線 , Hakodate-honsen ) is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido , Japan . It is one of the trunk lines that is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km (22 mi) loop line from Ōnuma to Mori opened in 1945, is included as part of the Hakodate Main Line. The Sapporo—Minami-Otaru section

136-410: A 20-car freight train derailed on the line near Yakumo after striking a two-meter piece of wood that obstructed the tracks. Although there were no injuries, the line was temporarily closed, impacting rail service to and from Hakodate Station. Hakodate, Hokkaido Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854, as a result of Convention of Kanagawa , and used to be

204-488: A day. Including special trains, there are about 50 freight trains up and down. The effect of being able to achieve stable and safe transportation that is not affected by the weather has been significant, and in particular, the transportation volume of agricultural products, which are a key industry in Hokkaido, has increased dramatically. Connecting the islands Honshu and Hokkaido by a fixed link had been considered since

272-489: A similar note, Hakodate's city fish is the squid. Hakodate is famous for the restaurant Ikkatei Tabiji, which serves a dish called "dancing squid": - a recently deceased squid is served with soy sauce, the sodium of the soy sauce causes a cadaveric spasm when it is poured over the squid. Every year (August) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Many citizens gather in the streets to dance

340-409: A single main tunnel. However, for the 23.3-kilometre (14.5 mi) undersea portion, three bores were excavated with increasing diameters respectively: an initial pilot tunnel, a service tunnel, and finally the main tunnel. The service tunnel was periodically connected to the main tunnel with a series of connecting drifts , at 600–1,000-metre (1,969–3,281 ft) intervals. The pilot tunnel serves as

408-448: A switch that set off a blast that completed the pilot tunnel . Similarly on 10 March 1985, Minister of Transport Tokuo Yamashita symbolically bored through the main tunnel. The necessity for the project was questioned at times during construction, as the 1971 traffic predictions were overestimates. Instead of the traffic rate increasing as predicted to a peak in 1985, it peaked earlier in 1978 and then proceeded to decrease. The decrease

476-597: A tunnel setting. If successful, it will allow the Hokkaido Shinkansen to travel at full speed inside the tunnel in the future. As of March 2019, Shinkansen trains operate through the tunnel to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in Hakodate , connecting Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto stations in 3 hours and 58 minutes, at a maximum speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) within the tunnel and 260 km/h (160 mph) outside it, and 320 km/h (200 mph) to

544-672: A wiggly dance known as the Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The glowing lights of squid-catching boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city. The bell of Haristos Orthodox Church is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan . The Hakodate Fish Market (otherwise known as the Asaichi or the Morning Market) is approximately 10-minute walk from the JR Hakodate Station. It

612-491: Is 17 km (11 mi) away from Hakodate Station. There are plans to extend the Hokkaido Shinkansen north to Sapporo Station by 2030. In Hakodate, there are mass media and information and telecommunications providers such as newspaper companies, TV broadcasters, community broadcasters, and cable TV operators. National Public Private National Seikan Tunnel The Seikan Tunnel ( Japanese : 青函トンネル , Seikan Tonneru or 青函隧道 , Seikan Zuidō )

680-580: Is a 53.85 km (33.46 mi) dual-gauge railway tunnel in Japan, with a 23.3 km (14.5 mi) portion under the seabed of the Tsugaru Strait , which separates Aomori Prefecture on the main Japanese island of Honshu from the northern island of Hokkaido . The track level is about 100 m (330 ft) below the seabed and 240 m (790 ft) below sea level. The tunnel is part of

748-614: Is neighbored by several other historical missionary churches, including Anglican and Catholic . Hakodate also played a central role in the Boshin War between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Emperor which followed Perry's opening of Japan. Shogunate rebel Enomoto Takeaki fled to Hakodate with the remnants of his navy and his handful of French advisers in winter 1868, including Jules Brunet . They formally established

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816-562: Is not uncommon to see snowfall in the latter parts of the fall season. See or edit raw graph data . Prior to its dissolution, Air Hokkaido was headquartered in Hakodate. In January 2006, the regional airline Airtransse was headquartered in Hakodate. In Funami-cho there is the Koryu-ji temple. It's the oldest Buddhist temple (affiliated with the Soto school) in the region which

884-502: Is one of the legacies of foreign influence in Hakodate. A mariner in Perry's fleet died during a visit to the area and became the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan when he was interred in Hakodate's cemetery for foreigners . British merchant, naturalist and spy, Thomas Blakiston , took up residence in Hakodate in the summer of 1861 to establish a saw milling business. He stayed in Hakodate until 1884, during which time he documented

952-561: Is open daily and boasts hundreds of fish and sea food stands in addition to restaurants. Popular fares include sea urchin and calamari, the famous Japanese snow crab from the famous Hokkaido waters. Hakodate Transportation Bureau operates tram ( Light rail ) lines. The Hokkaido Shinkansen opened in March 2016. It currently runs to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station through the Seikan Tunnel from Shin-Aomori Station . The new terminal

1020-453: Is operated as a local line, with all express passenger and freight trains travelling via Ōnuma-Kōen. The Otaru – Sapporo – Takikawa section was electrified in 1968, and extended to Asahikawa the following year with the opening of the 4,523m Kamuikotan tunnel and associated deviation. The 3 km Hakodate – Goryōkaku section was electrified in conjunction with the Seikan Tunnel project in 1988. The 15 km Goryōkaku – Oshima-Ono section

1088-872: Is the world's longest undersea tunnel by overall length (the Channel Tunnel , while shorter, has a longer undersea segment). It is also the second-deepest transport tunnel below sea level after the Ryfylke Tunnel , a road tunnel in Norway that opened in 2019, and the second longest main-line railway tunnel after the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland, opened in 2016. The tunnel was constructed using conventional construction methods, including tunnel boring machine (TBM) and New Austrian tunneling method (NATM). The construction cost of

1156-556: The Köppen climate classification , Hakodate's climate is Hot Summer humid continental ( Dfa ) of hot summers and winters with regular intense blizzards . With an alternate definition, using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm, Hakodate falls in the Humid Subtropical Climate ( Cfa ) commonly found on the east coast of the continents. The warmest month has an average temperature of 22.1 °C (71.8 °F). And so

1224-542: The Neogene period. The western neck was selected, with its conditions considered favourable for tunnelling. The geology of the undersea portion of the tunnel consists of volcanic rock, pyroclastic rock , as well as sedimentary rock of the Neogene period. The area is folded into a nearly vertical syncline , which means that the youngest rock is in the centre of the strait and encountered last. Divided roughly into thirds,

1292-627: The Republic of Ezo on December 25. The republic tried unsuccessfully to gather international recognition to foreign legations in Hakodate, including the Americans, French, and Russians. The Naval Battle of Hakodate was fought from 4 to 10 May 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate navy and the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy . It was a decisive victory for the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 14 June 1868, Hakodate

1360-586: The Taishō period (1912–25), but serious surveying commenced only in 1946, induced by the loss of overseas territory at the end of World War II and the need to accommodate returnees. In 1954, five ferries, including the Tōya Maru , sank in the Tsugaru Strait during a typhoon, killing 1,430 passengers. The following year, Japanese National Railways (JNR) expedited the tunnel feasibility study. Also of concern

1428-752: The 1966 built Nanae to Ōnuma section, bypassing (then) Oshima-Ono and Niyama. Now that Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (formerly Oshima-Ono) is the major connection between the Hokkaido Shinkansen and zairaisen (local line) services on the Hakodate Main Line, these services have been re-routed accordingly. Until the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen , the following sleeping car services operated; Kitaca support has implemented in 2024, for Hakodate to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto section.        Muroran Main Line With effect of

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1496-535: The 224 km Hakodate - Shikaribetsu section, opened in 1902, with the remaining 28 km section to Otaru opening the following year. In 1905 a 1.6 km line was built from Otaru - Minami-Otaru to connect the Hokkaido Coal Co owned line to the Hakodate line, and the Government nationalised the Hokkaido Coal Co in 1906. Doubling of the line between Minami-Otaru and Iwamizawa opened 1909-11, and

1564-513: The Honshū side consists of volcanic rocks (notably andesite and basalt); the Hokkaido side consists of sedimentary rocks (notably Tertiary period tuff and mudstone ); and the centre portion consists of Kuromatsunai strata (Tertiary period sand-like mudstone). Igneous intrusions and faults caused crushing of the rock and complicated the tunnelling procedures. Initial geological investigation occurred from 1946 to 1963, which involved drilling

1632-661: The area during the next 100 years. There was constant low-level conflict in the Oshima peninsula at the time with the Ainu, as armed merchants like the Kono family, established bases to control trade in the region. This conflict culminated in an uprising from 1669 to 1672, led by Ainu warrior Shakushain after which the Ainu in the region were suppressed. Hakodate flourished during the Hoei period (1704–11), and many new temples were founded in

1700-596: The area. The town's fortunes received a further boost in 1741 when the Matsumae clan , which had been granted nearby areas on the Oshima Peninsula as a march fief , moved its Kameda magistracy to Masamichi's house in Hakodate. In 1779, the Tokugawa shogunate took direct control over Hakodate, which triggered rapid development in the area. Merchant Takadaya Kahei , who is honoured as the founder of Hakodate port, set up trading operations, which included opening

1768-400: The bumpy mountain is Gagyūzan (Mount Cow's Back), alluding to the way the mountain resembles a resting cow. The former Goryōkaku fort is now used in as a public park and is popular in Hokkaido for hanami (cherry blossom viewing). Since April 2006, the park has also featured the tall, white Goryōkaku Tower. Resembling an air traffic control tower, the structure offers a panoramic view of

1836-405: The castle built by the Kono (Kano) clan in the fifteenth century. Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a large manor house in the fishing village of Usukeshi, the word for bay in Ainu. After his death, Masamichi's son, Kono Suemichi, and family were driven out of Hakodate into nearby Kameda during the Ainu rebellion in 1512 and little history was recorded for

1904-502: The city and fort were surrendered to emperor. Military leader, Hijikata Toshizō , was one of those slain in the fighting. In 1878, Isabella Bird reported of the city in her travelogue: The streets are very wide and clean, but the houses are mean and low. The city looks as if it had just recovered from a conflagration. The houses are nothing but tinder… Stones, however, are its prominent feature. Looking down upon it from above you see miles of grey boulders, and realise that every roof in

1972-471: The city is the limit of hot summer climates for a city on the immediate coast in Japan ( Cfa / Dfa ), although appearing in other interior regions of the province. Hakodate has snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Winters are cold for the latitude (the same as Northern California ) but milder than much of Hokkaido. Hakodate features four distinct seasons. The city sees a substantial amount of snowfall during

2040-494: The construction of a new alignment for northbound trains to avoid the 1 in 50 (2%) grades between Oshima-Ono and Ōnuma. Doubling of the 41 km section between Nodaoi and Oshamambe (excluding two gaps totalling 8 km) was undertaken in sections between 1965 and 1984, with the 13 km Mori - Ishikura section doubled between 1974 and 1979. Although the Sawara Line provides an alternative route between Ōnuma and Mori, it

2108-410: The course of the year, averaging roughly 380 cm (150 in) of snow annually. Spring typically begins with some snowfall, but sees a gradual warming trend as the season progress. Summers are generally warm but not hot, with average high temperatures in the warmest month (August) hovering around 26 °C (79 °F). Fall initially is warm but becomes increasingly colder as the season progress. It

Hakodate Main Line - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-466: The former Hakodate island with the main island Hokkaido to the north. The main central area of Hakodate city is located on the sandbar. Hakodate is located at the center of Kameda Peninsula. The city is overlooked by Mount Hakodate . The summit can be reached by hiking trail, cable car , or by car. Visitors can also reach the peak of Mount Hakodate by taking tour bus and/or direct bus. that departs from JR Hakodate Station. An obscure local nickname of

2244-537: The journey is 1 hour and 45 minutes, or 3 hours and 30 minutes including airport access times. Deregulation and competition in Japanese domestic air travel has brought down prices on the Tokyo-Sapporo route, making rail more expensive in comparison. The Hokutosei overnight train service began after the completion of the Seikan Tunnel; a later and more luxurious Cassiopeia overnight train service

2312-581: The line by the Japanese Government began with the 32 km Minami-Otaru - Sapporo section in 1880, with the 41 km Sapporo to Iwamizawa section opened in 1882 to provide a link from the significant coalmines near Iwamizawa to the Otaru Port. The line was sold to the Hokkaido Coal Co in 1889, which extended the line 35 km from Iwamizawa to Sunagawa in 1891, and a further 61 km to Asahikawa in 1898. The Japanese Government built

2380-519: The local natural environment, equipped the local meteorological station and ran guns to the Boshin War rebels. As one of few points of Japanese contact with the outside world, Hakodate was soon host to several overseas consulates. The Russian consulate included a chapel from where Nicholas of Japan is credited with introducing Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Japan in 1861 (now the Japanese Orthodox Church ). The Orthodox church

2448-508: The maintenance cost is large, such as the need to pump a large amount of spring water even after completion, even a huge investment is regarded as a sunk cost, and it is said that it is more economical to abandon it, and it was ridiculed variously as " Showa's Three Idiots Assessment ", "useless long things", and "quagmire tunnel". However, after its opening, it has played an important role in freight transportation by JR Freight between Hokkaido and Honshu, and has made 21 round trips (regular trains)

2516-458: The mine closed in 1972. The MMC also operated a 2 km line from Chashinai Station to a coal mine 1952-67. - The Mitsui Mining Co. also opened the 7.3 km branch to Kamisunagawa in 1918. The line was nationalised in 1926, with passenger services introduced the same year. The line closed in 1994. - A 15 km branch to Utashinai, opened by the Hokkaido Coal Co. in 1891, nationalised in 1906 and closed in 1988. In August 2013, three cars of

2584-449: The most important port in northern Japan. Also, the city had been the biggest city in Hokkaido before Great Fire of Hakodate in 1934. Hakodate (like other parts of around Hokkaido), was originally populated by the Ainu . The name "Hakodate" may have originated from an Ainu word, "hak-casi" ("shallow fort"). Another possibility is that it means "box" or "building" in Japanese which refers to

2652-601: The northern Etorofu sea route to the Kuril island fisheries. He is credited with turning Hakodate from a trading outpost into a thriving city. A Hakodate magistracy was established in 1802. By 1807, the power of the Tokugawa government extended to the entire region. However, in 1821, the central government relaxed their control of the area and restored the Matsumae clan to the full powers they had before. The port of Hakodate

2720-422: The older brother of actor Yo Oizumi , defeated 3-term incumbent Toshiki Kudō, receiving more than 80% of the vote. Mount Hakodate was originally an island that was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. During the course of history a sand bar formed between Mount Hakodate and the peninsula. This landform, which is an example of a tombolo , finished forming in circa 1000 BCE. The tombolo connects

2788-577: The park, including mainland Japan across the Tsugaru Strait on clear days. Hakodate has a cityscape that covers the center of the Kameda peninsula. A narrow land area separates Hakodate Bay to the west from Tsugaru Strait in the south-east side. It is best viewed from the top of Mount Hakodate . The population of Hakodate increased by 402% from 28,825 to 144,749 between 1873 till 1920. Hakodate's population peaked in 1980 at 320,154, but has been gradually in decline due to aging since then. According to

Hakodate Main Line - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-491: The public. Many prisoners of war were interned in Hakodate and historians record a total of 10 camps. The city was subjected to two Allied bombing raids on 14 and 15 July 1945. Around 400 homes were destroyed on the western side of Hakodate-yama and an Aomori-Hakodate ferry was attacked with 400 passengers killed. In 1976, a defecting Soviet pilot named Viktor Belenko flew his plane into the civilian airport in Hakodate. Hakodate's size nearly doubled on December 1, 2004, when

2924-453: The route of the Hakodate Main Line, with stations proposed to be built at Shin-Yakumo, Oshamambe, Kutchan, Shin-Otaru and Sapporo. On March 27, 2022, the municipals along the line agreed to abolish the section between Oshamanbe—Otaru after the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen's extension to Sapporo in 2030. The entire section will be converted into a bus route. Until the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen , these services usually operated on

2992-417: The sea-bed, sonic surveys , submarine boring, observations using a mini-submarine, as well as seismic and magnetic surveys. To establish a greater understanding, a horizontal pilot boring was undertaken along the line of the service and main tunnels. Tunnelling occurred simultaneously from the northern end and the southern. The dry land portions were tackled with traditional mountain tunnelling techniques, with

3060-415: The service tunnel for the central five-kilometre portion. Beneath the Tsugaru Strait, the use of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) was abandoned after less than two kilometres (1.2 miles) owing to the variable nature of the rock and difficulty in accessing the face for advanced grouting. Blasting with dynamite and mechanical picking were then used to excavate. A 2002 report by Michitsugu Ikuma described, for

3128-432: The south of Morioka. It was expected that by 2018 one daily service will be run at 260 km/h (160 mph) through the tunnel. The final stage is proposed to open to Sapporo Station in 2031 and is expected to shorten the Tokyo-Sapporo rail journey to five hours. The Hokkaido Shinkansen will be operated by JR Hokkaido . Surveying started in 1946 and construction began in 1971. By August 1982, less than 700 metres of

3196-534: The standard-gauge Hokkaido Shinkansen and the narrow-gauge Kaikyō Line of the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido)'s Tsugaru-Kaikyō Line . The name Seikan comes from combining the on'yomi readings of the first characters of Aomori ( 青森 ) , the nearest major city on the Honshu side of the strait, and Hakodate ( 函館 ) , the nearest major city on the Hokkaido side. The Seikan Tunnel

3264-716: The timetable revision implemented on 16 March 2024, during the daytime, Special Rapid Airport services (one per hour) extend to Otaru and all Rapid Airport and Rapid Niseko Liner services make all stops between Otaru Station and Teine Station. Kitaca is supported within Otaru-Iwamizawa section since 2006, and the rest section since 2024.      Hakodate Main Line (Main Line)      Hakodate Main Line (Main Line) Construction of

3332-464: The town of Minamikayabe (from Kayabe District ), and the towns of Esan and Toi, and the village of Todohokke (all from Kameda District ), were merged into it. The Hokkaido Shinkansen line opened on 26 March 2016. The undersea Seikan Tunnel with the Shinkansen rail line greatly reduced the travel time from Honshu to Hakodate. In April 2023, Jun Ōizumi became the mayor of Hakodate. Ōizumi,

3400-489: The tunnel itself was 538.4 billion yen at the planning stage, but it actually cost 745.5 billion yen. The construction cost of the strait line, including the attachment line, was 689 billion yen at the planning stage, but ended up costing 900 billion yen. The number of fatalities in the construction was 34. Unlike the start of construction during the heyday of the Seikan route, even in eastern Japan, passenger traffic to Hokkaido

3468-432: The tunnel remained to be excavated. First contact between the two sides was in 1983. The Tsugaru Strait has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 km (12 mi) across. Initial surveys undertaken in 1946 indicated that the eastern neck was up to 200 metres (656 feet) deep with volcanic geology. The western neck had a maximum depth of 140 metres (459 feet) and geology consisting mostly of sedimentary rocks of

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3536-490: The tunnel was issued by the Japan Mint in 1988. Once the tunnel was completed, all railway transport between Honshu and Hokkaido used it. However, for passenger transport, 90% of people use air travel due to the speed and cost. For example, to travel between Tokyo and Sapporo by train takes eight hours (Tokyo station and Shin-Sapporo station), with transfer from Shinkansen to narrow-gauge express train at Hakodate. By air,

3604-459: The tunnel— Tappi-Kaitei Station and Yoshioka-Kaitei Station . They serve as emergency escape points. In the event of a fire or other disaster, the stations provide the equivalent safety of a much shorter tunnel. The effectiveness of the escape shafts at the emergency stations is enhanced by having exhaust fans to extract smoke, television cameras to help route passengers to safety, thermal (infrared) fire alarm systems, and water spray nozzles. Before

3672-471: The undersea section, that "the tunnel structure appears to remain in a good condition." The amount of inflow has been decreasing with time, although it "increases right after a large earthquake". In March 2018 at 30 years of age, maintenance costs amounted to 30 billion Yen or US$ 286 million since 1999. Plans are to increase speed and provide mobile communication at the full track. Initially, only 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) narrow-gauge track

3740-427: The windy capital is "hodden doun" by a weight of paving stones. Hakodate was awarded city status on August 1, 1922. On March 21, 1934, a serious fire had destroyed around two-thirds of all the buildings in Hakodate. This event also led to many residents leaving and subsequently depopulating the city. The city escaped most of the ravages of World War II. Areas around Hakodate-yama were fortified and access restricted to

3808-449: Was already dominated by aircraft, and the construction of the Hokkaido Shinkansen was frozen when it was completed. On the freight side, due to the deterioration of labor-management relations at the JNR at the time, including the frequent strikes and legal compliance struggles, freight transportation continued to stagnate as it lost market share to ferries and coastal shipping. In addition, since

3876-437: Was attributed to the slowdown in Japan's economy since the first oil crisis in 1973 and to advances made in air transport facilities and longer-range sea transport. The tunnel was opened on 13 March 1988, having cost a total of ¥ 1.1 trillion (US$ 7 billion) to construct, almost 12 times the original budget, much of which was due to inflation over the years. To commemorate the event, a commemorative 500 yen coin depicting

3944-414: Was built in 1633. It was badly damaged during the Boshin War and moved to its current location in 1879. The existing main building was built in 1900. The city is well known for seafood and sushi . Hakodate shio (salt) ramen is also a famous specialty of the city. Shio ramen has a pale, clear, broth made with plenty of salt and any combination of chicken, pork bone, vegetables, fish, and seaweed . On

4012-481: Was designated as an urban prefecture (府 fu), one of the first two, the other being Kyoto . On February 8, 1882, it was enlarged into Hakodate-ken, and then became part of Hokkaido on January 26, 1886. The rebels occupied Hakodate's famous European-style Goryōkaku fort and used it as the centre of their defences in southern Hokkaido. Government forces defeated the secessionists in the Battle of Hakodate in 1869 and

4080-522: Was electrified in conjunction with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen , with the latter station renamed Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto . - The 17 km Ōnuma-Kōen to Shikabe line opened in 1929, and had the misfortune to be affected by a volcanic eruption just six months later, which closed it for two months. It closed in 1945 when the Shikabe Station on the Sawara line opened, but as the new station

4148-414: Was extended to Sunagawa 1924-26, to Takikawa in 1956 and to Asahikawa 1964-68. The Otaru - Minami-Otaru section was duplicated in 1965. The line from Hakodate was duplicated for 8 km to Kikyo 1941-44, with the 9 km Ishikura to Nodaoi section double-tracked in 1945. The 5 km Kikyo to Nanae section was double-tracked in 1962, and the doubling effectively extended 13 km to Ōnuma in 1966 with

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4216-449: Was laid through the tunnel, but in 2005 the Hokkaido Shinkansen project started construction which included laying dual gauge track (providing standard gauge track capability) and extending the Shinkansen network through the tunnel. Shinkansen services to Hakodate commenced in March 2016, and are proposed to be extended to Sapporo by 2031. The tunnel has 52 km (32 mi) of continuous welded rail . Two stations are within

4284-556: Was often fully booked. Both were withdrawn following the commencement of Hokkaido Shinkansen services (in August 2015 and March 2016 respectively), with freight trains being the only regular service utilising the narrow-gauge line since that time. JR Hokkaido is exploring the use of " Train on Train " technology to remove the threat that the shock wave created in front of Shinkansen trains traveling at full speed poses to freight trains operating on Japanese standard narrow-gauge track in

4352-405: Was rebuilt as part of the Sawara line, and the remaining 6.3 km closed when the parallel JR line opened. - The 3 km branch to Minami-Bibai opened in 1931 to service a coal mine, closing in 1973. Passenger services operated 1944-71. - The Mitsubishi Mining Co. ( MMC ) opened an 8 km line to Sumiyama mine in 1914, extending the line 3 km to Tokiwadai in 1924. The line closed when

4420-418: Was some distance from the township, locals agitated for re-establishment of services to the original station. This occurred in 1948 when the last 11 km of the line from Choshiguchi was reopened by the local government, but competition from bus services resulted in the line being permanently closed in 1952. - A line was built from Mori 9.4 km south to Sunahara in 1928. The first 3.1 km of that line

4488-489: Was surveyed by a fleet of five U.S. ships in 1854 under the conditions of the Convention of Kanagawa, as negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry . Hakodate port partially opened to foreign ships for provisioning in the following year and then completely to foreign trade on 2 June 1859 as one of five Japanese open ports designated in the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed with the U.S. The Hakodate foreign settlement

4556-610: Was the first railway line that opened in Hokkaido (including the Minami-Otaru - Temiya Line to the Otaru Port). The line was extended as the first to connect to Hakodate, though today all Sapporo—Hakodate direct passenger and freight services travel via the Chitose and Muroran lines until rejoining the Hakodate line at Oshamambe Station . The Hokkaido Shinkansen route north of Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto approximately parallels

4624-738: Was the increasing traffic between the two islands. A booming economy saw traffic levels on the JNR-operated Seikan Ferry double to 4,040,000 passengers/year from 1955 to 1965, and cargo levels rose 1.7 times to 6,240,000 tonnes/year. In September 1971, the decision was made to commence work on the tunnel. A Shinkansen -capable cross section was selected, with plans to extend the Shinkansen network. Arduous construction in difficult geological conditions proceeded. Thirty-four workers were killed during construction. On 27 January 1983, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone pressed

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