View source for Tazawako Line

{{Short description|Railway line in Morioka & Akita Prefectures, Japan}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = 
| name                            = Tazawako Line
| native_name                     = 田沢湖線
| native_name_lang                = ja
| color                           = DA70D6 <!-- Orchid -->
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = 2022-10-31 Shinkansen E6 on Akita Shinkansen.jpg
| image_width                     = 300px
| caption                         = Series E6 Shinkansen EMU runs on Tazawako Line
| type                            = Heavy rail
| system                          = 
| status                          = 
| locale                          = [[Iwate Prefecture|Iwate]], [[Akita Prefecture|Akita]] prefectures
| start                           = {{STN|Morioka|x}}
| end                             = {{STN|Ōmagari|x|Akita}}
| stations                        = 18
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 
| open                            = {{Start date|1921|06|25|df=y}}
| close                           = 
| owner                           = 
| operator                        = [[JR East]]
| character                       = 
| depot                           = 
| stock                           = [[701 series]]
| linelength                      = {{convert|75.6|km|mi|1|abbr=on}}
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 
| gauge                           = {{RailGauge|1435mm}}
| electrification                 = 20,000 V AC, 50 Hz [[overhead catenary]]
| speed                           = {{Convert|130|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = [[File:JR Tazawako Line linemap.svg|200px]]<br/>{{Tazawako Line RDT}}
| map_state                       = collapsed
}}

The {{Nihongo|'''Tazawako Line'''|田沢湖線|Tazawako-sen}} is a railway line operated by [[East Japan Railway Company]] (JR East) connecting [[Morioka Station]] in [[Morioka, Iwate]] and [[Ōmagari Station (Akita)|Ōmagari Station]] in [[Daisen, Akita]], Japan.

[[Akita Shinkansen]] ''[[Komachi　(train)|Komachi]]'' trains travel over the line, which was regauged in 1997 from {{RailGauge|1067mm}} to {{RailGauge|1435mm}}.

==History==
The section from Morioka to Shizukuishi opened on 25 June 1921, as the {{Nihongo|Hashiba Light Railway|橋場軽便}}, and was extended to Hashiba on 2 September 1922.<ref name="teishajo1998">{{cite book |script-title=ja: 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 |trans-title= Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR|publisher = JTB | editor1-last = Ishino| editor1-first = Tetsu| year = 1998 |location = Japan |language = Japanese | volume = I|page = 75|isbn = 4-533-02980-9}}</ref> Services to [[Hashiba Station]] ended in the 1940s.

The Omagari - Jindai section was opened in 1921 and extended to Tazawako in 1923.

In 1964, the Shizukuishi to Akabuchi section opened, and upon completion of the {{Convert|3915|m|mi|abbr=on}} Sengan Tunnel, the Akabuchi to Tazawako section opened on 20 October 1966, completing the line.<ref name="teishajo1998"/>

Freight services ceased in 1982, the year the entire line was electrified.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

In 1997, the line was converted to {{RailGauge|1435mm}} gauge, and became part of the [[Akita Shinkansen]], with standard-gauge [[electric multiple unit]] (EMU) trains providing local services on the line.

In January 2022 it was announced that [[Maegata Station]] would be added between [[Morioka Station]] and [[Ōkama Station]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 January 2022 |title=田沢湖線盛岡駅～大釜駅間の新駅名を「前潟駅」に決定しました |trans-title=The new station name between Morioka Station and Okama Station on the Tazawako Line has been decided to be "Maegata Station". |url=https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2021/morioka/20220127_mr01.pdf |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=jreast.co.jp |language=ja |format=PDF}}</ref> Maegata station opened for service on 18 March 2023.

==Station list==
{| class="wikitable" rules="all"
!Station
!Japanese
!style="width: 2.5em"|Distance (km)<br />from Morioka
!Transfers
!rowspan="1"|&nbsp;
!colspan="2"|Location
|-
|{{STN|Morioka|x}}
|盛岡
|style="text-align: right"|0.0
|[[Akita Shinkansen]], [[Tohoku Shinkansen]], [[Tohoku Main Line]], [[Yamada Line (JR East)|Yamada Line]]<br />[[Iwate Galaxy Railway Line]]
|v
| rowspan="2" |[[Morioka, Iwate|Morioka]]
| rowspan="7" |[[Iwate Prefecture|Iwate]]
|-
|{{STN|Maegata|x}}
|前潟
|style="text-align: right"|3.4
|
|｜
|-
|{{STN|Ōkama|x}}
|大釜
|style="text-align: right"|6.0
|&nbsp;
|◇
|rowspan=2|[[Takizawa, Iwate|Takizawa]]
|-
|{{STN|Koiwai|x}}
|小岩井
|style="text-align: right"|10.5
|&nbsp;
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Shizukuishi|x}}
|雫石
|style="text-align: right"|16.0
|[[Akita Shinkansen]]
|◇
|rowspan=3|[[Shizukuishi, Iwate|Shizukuishi]]
|-
|{{STN|Harukiba|x}}
|春木場
|style="text-align: right"|18.7
|&nbsp;
|｜
|-
|{{STN|Akabuchi|x}}
|赤渕
|style="text-align: right"|22.0
|&nbsp;
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Tazawako|x}}
|田沢湖
|style="text-align: right"|40.1
|[[Akita Shinkansen]]
|◇
|rowspan=5|[[Senboku, Akita|Senboku]]
|rowspan=11|[[Akita Prefecture|Akita]]
|-
|{{STN|Sashimaki|x}}
|刺巻
|style="text-align: right"|44.4
|&nbsp;
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Jindai|x}}
|神代
|style="text-align: right"|52.8
|&nbsp;
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Shōden|x}}
|生田
|style="text-align: right"|55.3
|&nbsp;
|｜
|-
|{{STN|Kakunodate|x}}
|角館
|style="text-align: right"|58.8
|[[Akita Shinkansen]], [[Akita Nairiku Jūkan Railway Akita Nairiku Line]]
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Uguisuno|x}}
|鶯野
|style="text-align: right"|61.6
|&nbsp;
|｜
|rowspan=6|[[Daisen, Akita|Daisen]]
|-
|{{STN|Ugo-Nagano|x}}
|羽後長野
|style="text-align: right"|64.6
|&nbsp;
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Yariminai|x}}
|鑓見内
|style="text-align: right"|67.9
|&nbsp;
|｜
|-
|{{STN|Ugo-Yotsuya|x}}
|羽後四ツ屋
|style="text-align: right"|70.2
|&nbsp;
|◇
|-
|{{STN|Kita-Ōmagari|x}}
|北大曲
|style="text-align: right"|72.0
|&nbsp;
|｜
|-
|{{STN|Ōmagari|x|Akita}}
|大曲
|style="text-align: right"|75.6
|[[Ōu Main Line]], [[Akita Shinkansen]] (for {{STN|Akita|x}})
|^
|}

;Passing loops
* {{Nihongo|Ōchizawa passing loop|[[:ja:大地沢信号場|大地沢信号場]]|Ōchizawa-shingōjō}} is a passing loop located in [[Shizukuishi, Iwate]]. ({{Coord|39.674763|140.842074|format=dms|display=inline|type:landmark_region:JP}})
* {{Nihongo|Shidonai passing loop|[[:ja:志度内信号場|志度内信号場]]|Shidonai-shingōjō}} is a passing loop located in [[Senboku, Akita]].({{Coord|39.690316|140.780134|format=dms|display=inline|type:landmark_region:JP}})

=== Rolling stock ===
As of 2022, [[701 series|701-5000 series]] trains belonging to Akita General Rolling Stock Center are used on this line.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/result.aspx?mode=2&rosen=44=1=%93c%91%F2%8C%CE%90%FC Stations of the Tazawako Line] (JR East) {{in lang|ja}}

{{East Japan Railway Company Lines}}
{{Akita transit}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tazawako Line| ]]
[[Category:Lines of East Japan Railway Company]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Iwate Prefecture]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Akita Prefecture]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in Japan]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1921]]
[[Category:1921 establishments in Japan]]