Monorails In Japan
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monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and "rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, ...
s in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.


Currently operational

*
Tokyo Monorail The , officially the , is a straddle-beam, Alweg-type monorail line in Tokyo, Japan. It is an airport rail link that connects Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) to Tokyo's Ōta, Shinagawa, and Minato wards. The line serves 11 stations betwee ...
: Tokyo, 1964. One of the world's most commercially successful monorail lines, carrying around 100 million passengers yearly. *
Tama Toshi Monorail Line The , also referred to as the Tama Monorail, is a monorail system in Western Tokyo. Operated by the Tokyo Tama Intercity Monorail Co., Ltd., the double tracked, 16.0 km monorail line carries passengers between the suburban cities of Higashi ...
:
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
, 1998. *'' Toei''
Ueno Zoo Monorail The is a long suspended railway operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). It lies within the Ueno Zoo in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. The monorail is similar to the Wuppertal Schwebebahn, but has rubber tires rather tha ...
: Tokyo, 1958. It links the two sectors of
the zoo ''The Zoo'' is a one-act comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by B. C. Stephenson, writing under the pen name of Bolton Rowe. It premiered on 5 June 1875 at the St. James's Theatre in London (as an afterpiece to W. S. Gilb ...
in Ueno Park. Service has been suspended since 31 October 2019. *
Disney Resort Line The , officially called , is an automated monorail in Japan, which operates between Maihama Station and the Tokyo Disney Resort. The system is operated by , the subsidiary of Oriental Land Co., Ltd. that operates the resort. Legally speaking, ...
:
Urayasu 260px, old Urayasu is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 170,533 in 81,136 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Urayasu is best known as the home of the Tokyo ...
, Chiba, 2001. * Chiba Urban Monorail (Townliner):
Chiba Chiba may refer to: Places China * (), town in Jianli County, Jingzhou, Hubei Japan * Chiba (city), capital of Chiba Prefecture ** Chiba Station, a train station * Chiba Prefecture, a sub-national jurisdiction in the Greater Tokyo Area on ...
,
Chiba Chiba may refer to: Places China * (), town in Jianli County, Jingzhou, Hubei Japan * Chiba (city), capital of Chiba Prefecture ** Chiba Station, a train station * Chiba Prefecture, a sub-national jurisdiction in the Greater Tokyo Area on ...
, 1988. (suspended monorail) *
Osaka Monorail The is a monorail system in northern Osaka Prefecture, Japan, operated by . At long, it is the second longest monorail system in the world after the Chongqing Monorail and the longest monorail system in Japan. It links the three campuses of ...
:
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
, 1990. Second longest monorail line in the world. * Shōnan Monorail:
Kanagawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...
, 1970. (suspended monorail) *
Skyrail Midorizaka Line The is a monorail/people mover line operated by Skyrail Service. The line runs between Midoriguchi and Midori-Chūō, all within the new town called ''Skyrail Town Midorizaka'', Aki, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. The line is officially called ...
: Aki-ku,
Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...
,
Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...
, 1998. (suspended monorail) A commuter line in a residential development suburb of the city. It is also considered as an automated guideway transit. *
Kitakyūshū Monorail The is a monorail system in the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, operated by . The is the only line. It runs the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) between Kokura station and Kikugaoka station in Kokura Minami ward in about 18 minutes. It ...
:
Kitakyūshū is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fukuoka. It is one of ...
,
Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...
, 1985. *
Okinawa Urban Monorail The , also known as , is a monorail line serving the cities of Naha and Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan. Operated by , it opened on 10 August 2003, and is the only public rail system in Okinawa Prefecture. Yui Rail is the first rail line on Okinawa ...
(Yui Rail):
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
, 2003.


Discontinued

*'' Nagoya Municipal'' Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Monorail Line Monorail,
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
, Aichi, 1964 — 1974. * Himeji City Monorail Line,
Himeji 260px, Himeji City Hall is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
, Hyōgo, 1965 — 1974. *''
Meitetsu , referred to as , is a private railway company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan. Some of the more famous trains operated by Meitetsu include the ''Panorama Car'' and the '' Panorama Car Super'', both of which of ...
'' Monkey Park Monorail Line: Inuyama,
Aichi is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectu ...
, 1962–2008. It linked the Monkey Park to the nearest railway station. * Nara Dreamland Monorail,
Nara Dreamland or just simply Dreamland, was a theme park near Nara, Japan, heavily inspired by Disneyland in California. It was in continuous operation for 45 years, from 1961, closing permanently in 2006 as a result of falling attendance. The park was left ab ...
, 1961 — 2006 * Odakyū Mukōgaoka-Yūen Monorail Line, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 1965 — 2001. *"Suspended Train" at the Exhibition of Transportation and Electricity in Osaka, 1928. Operated only for a week, from November 28 until December 3. It was the first monorail in the nation, as well as the only one in the pre-war period. * Yokohama Dreamland Monorail, Kanagawa, 1966 — 1967. *
Yomiuriland Yomiuriland (よみうりランド, ''Yomiurirando'') is an amusement park in Inagi, Tokyo, Japan that first opened in 1964. It is situated on hillsides, and features rides such as roller coasters and water flumes. It is home to Yomiuri Giants ...
Monorail, Kanagawa and Tokyo, 1964 — 1978.


Other monorails

*
Slope car A is a small automated monorail, or a fusion between monorail, people mover, and rack railway. It is a brand name of . Since this mode of transportation is relatively unknown, it lacks widely accepted generic name, other than the simple "monorai ...
s are small automated monorails found in the various parts of Japan. Unlike the monorails above, slope cars are not legally considered as railways. Similar concepts include Raxcars and Monoriders. *There are also small industrial monorails used in various places, most notably in steep
orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of larg ...
s, especially of ''
mikan ''Citrus unshiu'' is a semi-seedless and easy-peeling citrus species, also known as miyagawa mandarin, unshu mikan, cold hardy mandarin, satsuma mandarin, satsuma orange, naartjie, and tangerine. ''Citrus unshiu'' was named after Unshu (Wenzho ...
'' citrus

The first of its kind was invented in 1966.
Vista liner
is another type of monorail which is not legally a railway. The system is smaller than ordinary monorails, but larger than slope cars. Vista liners can be typically seen in
amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
s, such as Expo Land.


Automated guideway transits

Strictly speaking, these lines are not monorails, though they resemble one at first glance. The rail in the center of the track serve only to guide the train, not support it, so they don't qualify as monorails. *
Astram Line , also known as the , is a rubber-tired transit system operated by Hiroshima Rapid Transit in Hiroshima, Japan. Astram opened on August 20, 1994, for the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima. The line connects central Hiroshima and Hiroshima Big Arc ...
(''
Hiroshima Rapid Transit is a transportation company based in Hiroshima, Japan. Hiroshima Rapid Transit operate a people mover called the Astram Line in Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. ...
'' Hiroshima New Transit Line 1): Hiroshima, Hiroshima *
Linimo , formally the is a magnetic levitation train line in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, near the city of Nagoya. While primarily built to serve the Expo 2005 fair site, the line now operates to serve the local community. Linimo is owned and operated by ...
(''Aichi Rapid Transit'' Tōbu Kyūryō Line): Aichi. *
Nagoya Guideway Bus is a bus rapid transit line in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. The line is officially called . Its official nickname, ''Yutorīto Line'', is a portmanteau of ''yutori'' and . As such, the name is also unofficially spelt Yutreet Line. The line is owned by ...
Shidami Line (Yutorīto Line): Nagoya, Aichi. *
New Shuttle The is a manually driven rubber-tyred people mover system in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, operated by . The 12.7-kilometre that runs north from Ōmiya Station in Saitama, Saitama, alongside the Tohoku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shinkansen elevated ...
(''Saitama New Urban Transit'' Ina Line): Saitama, Saitama. * New Tram ('' Osaka Municipal'' Nankō Port Town Line):
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
, Osaka. * Peach Liner (''Tōkadai New Transit'' Tōkadai Line):
Komaki is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,872 in 68,174 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city was . Komaki is commonly associated with the former Komaki Airport, whic ...
, Aichi. Already discontinued. *
Port Liner The , commonly known as is an urban automated guideway transit (AGT) system in Kobe, Japan, operated by Kobe New Transit. Opened in 1981, the Port Liner was the world's first driverless urban transit system, a few years ahead of the VAL system ...
(''
Kobe New Transit is the third-sector semipublic company that runs Port Island Line ("Port Liner") and Rokkō Island Line ("Rokkō Liner") automated guideway transit (AGT) systems in Kobe, Japan. When opened in 1981, the Port Liner was the world's first fully aut ...
'' Port Island Line):
Kobe Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
, Hyōgo. * Rokkō Liner (''
Kobe New Transit is the third-sector semipublic company that runs Port Island Line ("Port Liner") and Rokkō Island Line ("Rokkō Liner") automated guideway transit (AGT) systems in Kobe, Japan. When opened in 1981, the Port Liner was the world's first fully aut ...
'' Rokkō Island Line): Kobe, Hyōgo. * Seaside Line (''Yokohama New Transit'' Kanazawa Seaside Line):
Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
, Kanagawa. * '' Seibu''
Yamaguchi Line The is a railway line in western Japan operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line connects Shin-Yamaguchi Station in Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi and Masuda Station in Masuda, Shimane. History The Ogori (now Shin-Yamaguchi) - Yamaguchi ...
(Leo Liner):
Tokorozawa is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 344,194 in 163,675 households and a population density of 4800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Tokorozawa is located in the ce ...
, Saitama. A people mover Between Seibuen Park and Invoice Seibu Dome. * '' Toei''
Nippori-Toneri Liner The is an automated guideway transit (AGT) system between Nippori Station in Arakawa and Minumadai-shinsuikōen Station in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan. The line opened on 30 March 2008. It is operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation ...
:
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
. * ''Yamaman'' Yūkarigaoka Line:
Sakura A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of Prunus, genus ''Prunus'' or Prunus subg. Cerasus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especia ...
, Chiba. *
Yurikamome , formerly the , is an automated guideway transit service operated by ''Yurikamome, Inc.'', connecting Shimbashi to Toyosu, via the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo, Japan, a market in which it competes with the Rinkai Line. The line is name ...
(Tokyo Waterfront New Transit Waterfront Line):
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
.


Photo gallery

Image:Okinawa Monorail 1000 series at Kencho-mae Station 20040719.jpg, Okinawa Urban Monorail at
Prefectural Office Station "Station names in English, Chinese and Korean"
is a railway station on the
Image:Mono-shibaura.jpg, Tokyo Monorail across
Shibaura is a district of Minato ward located in Tokyo, Japan. The district is located between the eastern side of the Yamanote Line train and Tokyo Bay. Shibaura consists mostly of artificial islands created by the excavation of industrial canals in ...
Image:KitakyushuUrbanMonorail.jpg,
Kitakyūshū Monorail The is a monorail system in the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, operated by . The is the only line. It runs the 8.8 km (5.5 mi) between Kokura station and Kikugaoka station in Kokura Minami ward in about 18 minutes. It ...
Image:UenoZooMonorail1280.jpg, Toei
Ueno Zoo The is a zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, opened on March 20, 1882. It is served by Ueno Station, Keisei Ueno Station and Nezu Station, with convenient access fr ...
Monorail in Tokyo Image:TamaToshiMonorail6061.jpg, Tama Toshi Monorail Image:Chiba monorail 1000.jpg, Chiba Urban Monorail Image:Shonan monorail type 500.JPG, Shōnan Monorail near
Ōfuna Station Ōfuna Station( ja, 大船駅, ) is a railway station in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Lines Ōfuna Station is served by the Tokaido Main Line, Shōnan-Shinjuku Line, Negishi Line ( Keihin-T ...
Image:Skyrail-car.jpg, Skyrail Midorizaka Line Image:Odakyu-500.jpg, Odakyū Mukōgaoka-Yūen Monorail, now closed. The photograph taken in 1990. Image:Himeji monorail Daishogun stn.jpg, Ruins of Daishōgun Station, Himeji Municipal Monorail. Image:Slope car Muya.jpg, Slope car at Muya Bus Stop,
Naruto ''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...
,
Tokushima is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, E ...
. Image:VistaLiner.jpg, Vista Liner at Expo Land,
Suita is a city located in northern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. As of October 1, 2016, the city has an estimated population of 378,322 and a population density of 9,880 persons per km². The total area is 36.11 km². The city was founded on April 1, ...
,
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
.


See also

*
Monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and "rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, ...
*
List of railway companies in Japan List of railway companies in Japan lists Japanese railway operators. Those in ''italics'' are the third-sector operators; being half-public, half-private. Japan Railways Group The Japan Railways Group consists of the seven companies that were fo ...
*
List of railway lines in Japan List of railway lines in Japan lists existing railway lines in Japan alphabetically. The vast majority of Japanese railways are classified under two Japanese laws, one for and another for . The difference between the two is a legal, and not alwa ...
*
Slope car A is a small automated monorail, or a fusion between monorail, people mover, and rack railway. It is a brand name of . Since this mode of transportation is relatively unknown, it lacks widely accepted generic name, other than the simple "monorai ...