Honshi-Bisan Line

The Honshi-Bisan Line (本四備讃線, Honshi-Bisan-sen) is a Japanese railway line which connects Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture with Utazu in Kagawa Prefecture. It is owned and operated jointly by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). The line is the central section of the Seto-Ōhashi Line, a service connecting Okayama and Takamatsu; as a result, the Honshi-Bisan Line is rarely referred to by itself, but rather as a part of the larger Seto-Ōhashi Line service.

The line's name comes from the two islands it links: Honshu and Shikoku, and the old provincial names of the areas through which the line passes, Bitchū Province/Bizen Province and Sanuki Province.

History

The 13km Chayamachi - Kojima section opened on 20 March 1988, and the 18km Kojima - Utazu on 10 April 1988 in conjunction with the opening of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge system.

This provided the first rail connection between Honshu and Shikoku, prior to this passengers traveled via the Uno Line and train ferry to Takamatsu.