The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of

Japan Railways Group The Japan Railways Group, commonly known as the or simply JR, is a network of railway companies in Japan formed after the Corporate spin-off, division and privatization of the government-owned Japanese National Railways (JNR) on April 1, 1987. ...

(JR Group). It operates

intercity rail Inter-city rail services are Express train, express trains that run services that connect cities over longer distances than Commuter rail, commuter or Regional rail, regional trains. They include rail services that are neither short-distance co ...

services within

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. It formerly operated the

Beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...

service across the

Tsushima Strait or Eastern Channel (; ''Dongsuro'') is a channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea. The strait is the channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima Isl ...

between

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan 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 ancient times. ...

and

Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

, before its discontinuation in 2024. It also operates hotels, restaurants, and drugstores across its service region. JR Kyushu's headquarters are in

Hakata-ku, Fukuoka is a wards of Japan, ward of the city of Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Many of Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City's principal government, commercial, retail and entertainment establishments are located in the district. Hakata-ku is als ...

.Corporate Summary
." Kyushu Railway Company. Retrieved on March 27, 2010.

History

When

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 pre ...

was divided in 1987, Kyushu Railway Company inherited its assets and operations on the island of

along with losses of around 28.8 billion yen, exacerbated by a growing highway network in Kyushu and many lightly used rural lines. After privatization, JR Kyushu diversified its business into new ventures such as fish and mushroom farming and car sales. Two of its more successful side ventures were the ''Beetle'' ferry, started in 1991, and the Train d'or bakery chain, started in 1992. JR Kyushu also built up its premium rail services through the development of the

Kyushu Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed railway network. It is an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen from Honshu connecting the city of Fukuoka (Hakata Station) in the north of Japan's Kyushu Island to the city of Kagoshima (Kagoshima-Chuo Sta ...

high-speed rail High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail transport network utilising trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated railway track, tracks. While there is ...

line and the ''

Seven Stars in Kyushu The is a deluxe sleeping car excursion train operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan since October 2013. Design The overall design concept of the train was overseen by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka. The name of the train is ...

'' luxury

excursion train An excursion train is a chartered train run for a special event or purpose. Examples are trains to major sporting event, trains run for railfans or tourists, and special trains operated by the railway company for employees and prominent custo ...

. The company introduced

SUGOCA SUGOCA () is a Japanese rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport in and around Fukuoka Prefecture. The Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) introduced the system on March 1, 2009. The name come from "Smart Urban Go ...

, a

smart card A smart card (SC), chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC or IC card), is a card used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an Embedded system, embedded integrated circuit (IC) chip. Many smart ...

ticketing system, from 1 March 2009. JR Kyushu executed its

initial public offering An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investm ...

in October 2016. Non-railway operations account for roughly 60% of the company's sales and most of its profits.

Lines

Shinkansen line

(

Hakata is a ward of the city of Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Many of Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City's principal government, commercial, retail and entertainment establishments are located in the district. Hakata-ku is also the location o ...

- Kagoshima-Chūō) * Shinkansen jrk

Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail line on the northwest part of Kyushu Island that is operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). The line is informally known as the Nagasaki Shinkansen. The section of the line between and ...

( Takeo-Onsen -

Nagasaki , officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...

) ''("Nagasaki Shinkansen")''

Main lines

Kagoshima Main Line The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojiko Station, Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it ...

Nagasaki Main Line The , or simply known as the Nagasaki Line, is a railway line owned by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) connecting Tosu Station in Saga Prefecture to Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. There is a separate branch of this line ...

Nippō Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, in southern Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). Also known as the Fukuhoku Nippo Line, The line connects Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima, Kagoshima, K ...

Chikuhō Main Line The is a railway line in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Wakamatsu Station in Kitakyushu with Haruda Station in Chikushino, Fukuoka, Chikushino. Between Orio Station and Haruda Station, as ...

: Divided to three segments with different nicknames, namely Haruda Line,

Fukuhoku Yutaka Line The is the collective name for four sections of railway lines operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It runs between Kurosaki Station and Hakata station (66.6 km). The sections called Fukuhoku Yutaka L ...

, and Wakamatsu Line. *

Kyūdai Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kurume Station, Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Station, Ōita in Ōita Prefecture. It is also known as the Yufu Kōgen Line. Th ...

: Nicknamed Yufu Kōgen Line *

Hōhi Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, southern Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects the west and east coasts of the island. The line originates at Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto and ends at terminal of Ōita Station ...

: Nicknamed Aso Kōgen Line

Other lines

Chikuhi Line * JRK number JC

: A nickname for the route formed by portions of Kagoshima Main Line, Chikuhō Main Line, and the whole part of

Sasaguri Line is a railway line in Japan operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Keisen Station in Keisen, Fukuoka with Yoshizuka Station in Fukuoka, Fukuoka. Stations History The Kyushu Railway Co. opened the Yoshizuka - Sasaguri ...

. *

Gotōji Line The is a Japanese railway line in Fukuoka Prefecture connecting Tagawa-Gotōji Station in the city of Tagawa and Shin-Iizuka Station in the city of Iizuka. It is part of the JR Kyushu network. Basic data *Operator, distances: **Kyushu Rail ...

Hitahikosan Line The is a railway line in Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Jōno Station (JR Kyushu), Jōno Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture with Yoake Station in Hita, Ōita Prefecture and features the 4380 m Shakadake ...

Kashii Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Saitozaki Station in Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, J ...

Hisatsu Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Yatsushiro, Kumamoto, Yatsushiro on the Kagoshima Main Line to Hayato station, Kirishima, Kagoshima , Kirishima on the Nippo Main Line. Fro ...

Karatsu Line The is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects in Saga, Saga, Saga City to in Karatsu, Saga, Karatsu City, both in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The line was originally ...

* Kitto Line * Misumi Line * Miyazaki Kūkō Line *

Nichinan Line The is a railway line in south-eastern Kyushu, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Minami-Miyazaki Station in Miyazaki, Miyazaki to Shibushi Station in Shibushi, Kagoshima. History The Miyazaki Prefectural Gover ...

Ōmura Line is a railway line in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Haiki Station in Sasebo, Nagasaki, Sasebo to Isahaya Station in Isahaya, Nagasaki, Isahaya. From 1898 the line was part of the Nagas ...

Sasebo Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kōhoku Station in Kōhoku, Saga Prefecture to Sasebo Station in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. It is part of the route connecting Sasebo wi ...

Ibusuki Makurazaki Line The is a railway line in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kagoshima-Chūō Station in Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Kagoshima, to Makurazaki Station in Makurazaki, Kagoshima, Makurazaki, paral ...

Limited express and tourist train services

* '' Ariake'' (

Kumamoto is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a populat ...

) * '' Aru Ressha'' ( Ōita - Hita ''April to June'')(

Sasebo is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is the second-largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. , the city had an estimated population of 230,873 in 102,670 households, and a population density of 540 per ...

''July to September'') * '' Aso Boy'' (Kumamoto - Miyaji) * '' A-Train'' (Kumamoto - Misumi) * ''

Hayato no Kaze The ''Hayato no Kaze'' () was a limited express service in Japan which ran between Kagoshima-Chūō Station and Yoshimatsu Station via the Kagoshima Main Line, Nippō Main Line, and Hisatsu Line. It was operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Ky ...

'' (Kagoshima-Chūō - Yoshimatsu) * ''

Huis Ten Bosch Huis ten Bosch (, ; ) is a royal palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It is one of three official residences of the Dutch monarch; the two others being the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague and the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Huis ten Bosch was th ...

'' (Hakata -

) * '' Ibusuki no Tamatebako'' (Kagoshima-Chūō -

Ibusuki is a Cities of Japan, city located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 37,594 in 17477 households, and a population density of 250 people per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Ibusuki is loc ...

) * '' Isaburo & Shinpei'' ( Hitoyoshi - Yoshimatsu) * '' Kaiō'' (Hakata - Nōgata) * ''Kasasagi'' (Hakata - Hizen-Kashima) * '' Kawasemi Yamasemi'' (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi) * '' Kirameki'' ( Mojikō - Hakata) * '' Kirishima'' ( Miyazaki - Kagoshima-Chūō) * '' Kumagawa'' (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi) * '' Midori'' (Hakata - Sasebo) * '' Nichirin''/'' Nichirin Seagaia'' (

Kokura is an ancient Jōkamachi, castle town and the center of modern Kitakyushu, Japan. Kokura is also the name of the Kokura Station, penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR West. Ferries connect Kokura ...

- Miyazaki Kūkō) * '' Relay Kamome'' (Hakata - Takeo-Onsen) * ''

'' (Circular tours of Kyushu) * '' SL Hitoyoshi'' (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi/Kumamoto - Tosu) * ''

Sonic Sonic or Sonics may refer to: Companies *Sonic Drive-In, an American drive-in, fast-food restaurant chain * Sonic (ISP), an Internet provider CLEC, serving more than 100 California communities * Sonic Foundry, a computer software company whic ...

'' (Hakata - Ōita) * '' Trans-Kyushu Limited Express'' (Hitoyoshi - Ōita) * '' Umisachi-Yamasachi'' (Miyazaki - Nangō) * ''

Yufu 270px, Yufu City Hall is a city in Ōita Prefecture. , the city had an estimated population of 33,556 in 15883 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Yufu is located almost in t ...

'' / '' Yufu DX''/''

Yufuin-no-mori , , and are limited express train services operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) which run from Hakata via Yufuin to Ōita and Beppu on the Kyudai Main Line. Rolling stock * KiHa 71 series DMU: 1989–present (''Yufuin no Mori' ...

'' (Hakata - Ōita)

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Railway companies established in 1987 Companies based in Fukuoka Prefecture Transport in Fukuoka Japan Railway companies