The is one of the constituent companies of the

Japan Railways Group The Japan Railways Group, more commonly known as the or simply JR, consists of seven for-profit stock companies that took over most of the assets and operations of the government-owned Japanese National Railways (JNR) on April 1, 1987. Mo ...

(JR Group), and is often referred to using its official abbreviation of . It operates intercity and local rail services in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

, Japan. The company introduced

Kitaca is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport in Sapporo, Japan. Hokkaidō Railway Company (JR Hokkaidō) introduced the system from October 25 2008. Its name means "the card of ", while 北 is also the first cha ...

, a

smart card A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC or IC card) is a physical electronic authentication device, used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an embedded integrated circuit (IC) c ...

ticketing system, in autumn 2008. At the time of its privatization in 1987, JR Hokkaido operated 21 railway lines totalling of narrow-gauge () track, as well as a ferry service to

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...

. Since then, that figure has dwindled to just below , as unprofitable lines have been shut down or spun off (in the case of the

Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway The was a railway line most recently operated by Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway Company in Hokkaidō, Japan. The line connected the municipalities of Ikeda and Kitami until its closure in 2006. History The first segment of the line, origi ...

). The ferry service has also been replaced by the

Seikan Tunnel The Seikan Tunnel ( ja, 青函トンネル, or , ), is a dual-gauge railway tunnel in Japan, with a portion under the seabed of the Tsugaru Strait, which separates Aomori Prefecture on the main Japanese island of Honshu from the northern isla ...

. On 19 November 2016, JR Hokkaido's president announced plans to further rationalize its network by the withdrawal of services from up to 1,237 km, or about 50% of the current network, including closure of the remaining section of the

Rumoi Main Line The is a Japanese railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) which connects Fukagawa Station in Fukagawa and Rumoi Station in Rumoi. Until the section of the Hidaka Main Line from to was closed on 1 April ...

(the Rumoi - Mashike section closed on 4 December 2016), the Shin-Yubari - Yubari section of the Sekisho Line (closed on 1 April 2019), the non-electrified section of the Sassho Line (closed 17 April 2020) and the

Nemuro Line is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), connecting Takikawa Station in Takikawa and Nemuro Station in Nemuro, including Obihiro and Kushiro. Higashi-Nemuro is the most easterly situated station on the ...

between Furano and Shintoku. Other lines including the

Sekihoku Main Line is a railway line in Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) between in Asahikawa and Abashiri Station in Abashiri. The name comes from the first Kanji characters of and , names of ancient provinces along the lin ...

, Senmo Main Line, the Nayoro - Wakkanai section of the

Soya Line Soya may refer to: Food * Soya bean, or soybean, a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean * Soya sauce, see soy sauce, a fermented sauce made from soybeans, roasted grain, water and salt Places * Sōya District, ...

and Kushiro - Nemuro section of the Nemuro Line are proposed for conversion to Third Sector operation, but if local governments are not agreeable, such sections will also face closure. JR Hokkaido closed 25 stations from March 2021 to March 2022 due to a decrease in passengers. Hokkaido Railway's headquarters are in

Chūō-ku, Sapporo is one of the ten wards in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Chūō-ku means "central ward" in Japanese. City administration and entertainment facilities are centred in this ward. History During Meiji Period, Sousei river, precursor of Susukino distric ...

.会社概要
." Hokkaido Railway Company. Retrieved on 27 March 2010.

History

* 1 April 1987: Upon the privatization of the

Japanese National Railways The abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pref ...

(JNR), the Hokkaido Railway Company was formed * 25 October 2008:

contactless smart card introduced in Sapporo area * 26 March 2016: First

Hokkaido Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line that links up with the Tōhoku Shinkansen in northern Aomori Prefecture in Honshu and continues on into the interior of Hokkaido through the undersea Seikan Tunnel. Construction started in May ...

service between and launched.

Headquarters and branch offices

* Headquarters: 1-1-15 Kita-11-jō-Nishi,

* Branch offices: ** Asahikawa branch office: 6-4152-2 Miyashita-dōri,

Asahikawa is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a core city since April 1, 2000. The city is currently well known for the Asahiy ...

** Hakodate branch office: 12-5 Wakamatsu-chō,

Hakodate is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 279,851 with 143,221 households, and a population density of 412.8 ...

** Kushiro branch office: 5-14 Kita-ōdōri,

Kushiro is a city in Kushiro Subprefecture on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. It serves as the subprefecture's capital and it is the most populated city in the eastern part of the island. Geography Mountains * Mount Oakan * Mount Meakan * Mount Akan ...

Lines and key stations

Shinkansen

: ** - 148.9 km (92.5 mi)

Trunk lines

Chitose Line The is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), connecting Numanohata, Tomakomai and Shiroishi Station in Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo, linking the Muroran Main Line and Hakodate Main Line. There also is a branch ...

: ** - 60.2 km (37.1 mi) ** - 2.6 km (1.6 mi) *

Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km loop line from Ōnuma to Mo ...

(Most trains run between Sapporo and Oshamanbe.) ** - - - - 423.1 km (262.9 mi) ** - - 35.3 km (21.9 mi) *

Muroran Main Line The is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), between Oshamambe Station in Oshamambe and Iwamizawa Station in Iwamizawa, approximately paralleling the coast of Iburi Subprefecture. There also is a branc ...

** - - - 211.0 km (131.1 mi) **Higashi-Muroran -

Muroran is a city and port located in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Iburi Subprefecture. As of February 29, 2012, the city has an estimated population of 93,716, with 47,868 households and a population density of . The ...

7.0 km (4.4 mi) *

Nemuro Main Line is a railway line in Hokkaido operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), connecting Takikawa Station in Takikawa and Nemuro Station in Nemuro, including Obihiro and Kushiro. Higashi-Nemuro is the most easterly situated station on ...

** - - 443.8 km (275.8 mi) *

Sekishō Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The main Sekishō Line connects in Chitose and Shintoku Station in the town of Shintoku. The name of the line comes from the subprefectures along the route, na ...

**Minami-Chitose - 132.4 km (82.3 mi)

Other lines

Furano Line The is part of the Hokkaido Railway Company network in Hokkaidō, Japan. It connects Furano Station in the city of Furano and Asahikawa Station in the city of Asahikawa. Popular with tourists, it has recently come to serve commuters in the ...

** - Asahikawa 54.8 km (34.1 mi) *

Hidaka Main Line The is a railway line in Hokkaido, Japan, operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), between Tomakomai Station in Tomakomai and Samani Station in Samani, running along the coast of Hidaka Subprefecture. Services on the 116.0 km ...

** - 30.5 km (19.0 mi) *

** - - 234.0 km (145.4 mi) *

** - 50.1 km (31.1 mi) *

Sasshō Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), which connects in Sapporo and in Tōbetu, Ishikari District. Its name is made up of two characters from and , the latter of which was the terminus of the l ...

** - 28.9 km (18.0 mi) * Senmō Main Line ** - 166.2 km (103.3 mi) *

Sōya Main Line The is a Japanese railway line operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) in Hokkaido. The line connects Asahikawa Station in Asahikawa and Wakkanai Station in Wakkanai, and is the northernmost railway line in Japan. The name comes ...

**Asahikawa - - 259.4 km (161.2 mi)

Under construction

** - 211.3 km (131.3 mi) scheduled to open in 2031

Former lines

* Chihoku Line ** - 140.0 km (87.0 mi) transferred to Hokkaidō Chihoku Kōgen Railway Company on June 4, 1989, then closed on April 21, 2006 *

Esashi Line The is a Japanese railway line formerly operated by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). It connected (near Hakodate) and . The section between and closed in May 2014, and the remainder was transferred to third-sector operator South Hokk ...

** - 37.8 km (23.5 mi) transferred to

South Hokkaido Railway Company The is a third-sector railway company based in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. Ownership of the stock is shared in the following proportions: *Hokkaido Prefecture 80%; * Hokuto City 11.2%; *Hakodate City 4.4%; * Kikonai Town 4.4%. Dōnan Isarib ...

on March 26, 2016 **Kikonai - 42.1 km (26.2 mi) closed on May 12, 2014 *

branch ** - 7.3 km (4.5 mi) closed on May 16, 1994 * Horonai Line ** - 18.1 km (11.2 mi) and - 2.7 km (1.7 mi) closed on July 13, 1987 * Matsumae Line ** - 50.8 km (31.6 mi) closed on February 1, 1988 * Nayoro Main Line ** - 138.1 (85.8 mi) and - 4.9 km (3.0 mi) closed on May 1, 1989 *

** - 16.7 km (10.4 mi) closed on December 4, 2016 * Shibetsu Line ** - 69.4 km (43.1 mi) and - 47.5 km (29.5 mi) closed on April 30, 1989 * Shinmei Line ** - 121.8 km (75.7 mi) closed on September 4, 1995 * Tempoku Line ** - 148.9 km (92.5 mi) closed on May 1, 1989 *

Utashinai Line is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is Japan's smallest city by population. History It was formerly a prosperous coal mining city, but has declined greatly since the closing of the coal mines. The population hit a ...

** - 14.5 km (9.0 mi) closed on April 25, 1988 *

** Yūbari - Shin-Yūbari 16.1 km (10.0 mi) closed on March 31, 2019 *

** - 47.6 km (29.6 mi) closed on April 17, 2020, The company also operated the

Seikan Ferry The is a privately owned ferry service crossing the Tsugaru Strait, which separates the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. The company, , was founded in 1973 and runs between the cities of Aomori on the northern tip of Honshu and Hakoda ...

until 1988.

Former JNR lines closed before JR Hokkaido formation

These lines have been closed by JNR in Hokkaido before April 1, 1987. *

Aioi Line Aioi (相生) is a Japanese surname that has also been used as a place name. Places Aioi may refer to the following places in Japan: * Aioi, Tokushima (相生町 Aioi-chō), the former name of a town located in Naka District, Tokushima * Aioi, Hy ...

** - 36.8 km (22.9 mi) closed on April 1, 1985 * Bikō Line ** - 21.2 km (13.2 mi) closed on September 17, 1985 * Haboro Line ** - 141.1 km (87.7 mi) closed on March 30, 1987 * Hiroo Line ** - 84.0 km (52.2 mi) closed on February 2, 1987 * Iburi Line ** - 83.0 km (51.6 mi) and - 7.5 km (4.7 mi) closed on November 11, 1986 * Iwanai Line ** - 14.9 km (9.3 mi) closed on September 1, 1985 * Kōhin'hoku Line ** - 30.4 km (18.9 mi) closed on July 1, 1985 * Kōhin'nan Line ** - 19.9 km (12.4 mi) closed on July 15, 1985 * Konpoku Line ** - 12.8 km (8.0 mi) closed on December 1, 1970 * Manji Line ** - 23.8 km (14.8 mi) closed on April 1, 1985 * Setana Line ** - 48.4 km (30.1 mi) closed on March 16, 1987 * Shihoro Line ** - 78.3 km (48.7 mi) closed on March 23, 1987 * Shiranuka Line ** - 33.1 km (20.6 mi) closed on October 23, 1983 * Shokotsu Line ** - 34.3 km (21.3 mi) closed on April 1, 1985 *

Temiya Line The Temiya Line (手宮線, ''Temiya-sen'') was a local freight narrow gauge railroad in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan, connecting Minami-Otaru Station and Temiya Station. The line was a state-owned enterprise, originally established in the late 19t ...

** - 2.8 km (1.7 mi) closed on November 5, 1985 * Tomiuchi Line ** - 82.5 km (51.3 mi) closed on November 1, 1986 * Yūmō Line ** - 121.8 km (75.7 mi) closed on March 20, 1987 *

** - 34.9 km (21.7 mi) closed on June 19, 1972

References

External links

JR Hokkaido - Official site

JR Hokkaido - Official site
* Wiki collection of bibliographic works on Hokkaido Railway Company {{Authority control Railway companies established in 1987 Companies based in Sapporo Japanese companies established in 1987