Ｂest 10 cities Rough position
Ｂest 10 cities Rough position
※I have Japanese Version/日本語版もあります
Until the 1980s, Train covered all over Japan. However, Japan-National-Railway(JNR/日本国有鉄道) had a huge debt,they abolished many train routes. after the 2000s, Private railway(私鉄) abolished too. So other causes, declining birthrate and aging population and depopulation, especially in rural areas and suburbs. Some places have been resolved with the opening of new routes, but routes have disappeared from many cities, including major cities in the region.
So now... The most population city has no train(railway/station), Okinawa City(沖縄市)., belong to Okinawa pref.(沖縄県). has no train between WW2 and 2003, because the railway suffered great damage from the Greater East Asia War(/the Pacific War, 大東亜戦争/太平洋戦争) and was not restored.Afterwards, the monorail, Yuirail(ゆいレール) opened Naha city(那覇市), and Urasoe city(浦添市) in 2003, railway has been revived in Okinawa pref. In the future, there are plans for a railway connecting Naha City to Nago City(名護市) via Okinawa City.
The most population city has no train(railway/station) In Hondo(本土,Major islands in Japan, Hokkaido(北海道),Honshu(本州),Shikoku(四国),and Kyushu(九州)), Kanoya City(鹿屋市), belong to Kagoshima pref.(鹿児島県). There used to be railways, Ōsumi Line(大隅線), connecting Shibushi(志布志) to Kokubu(国分), via Kanoya and Tarumizu(垂水). But,this line connected Kagoshima City(鹿児島市),the major city in this area, 1972. Too late to progress of motorization, it abolished in less than 20 years after the connecting all railways.
The second is, Kamisu City(神栖市). Belong to Ibaraki pref.(茨城県)., but this city far from Mito City(水戸市), where the prefectoral
capital of Ibaraki pref. Therefore, the area include Kamisu... say Rokko(鹿行), has long been
called an isolated island on land(陸の孤島, meaned "countryside"),
before 1960s.
However, a turning point comes to Rokko. Kashima town(鹿島町), adjacent to
Kamisu town(神栖町,notation at that time), open Kashima-Port(鹿島港), and Kashima
Seaside indestrial park(鹿島臨海工業団地) is formed 1969.Kamisu is also industrialized
and has begun to prosper as a commuter town for Kashima, In 2005, Kamisu
merged with an adjacent town, Hasaki(波崎町), and moved to the city. Currently,
Kamisu city is more populous than any neighboring city. But, why there
is no railroad with passengers in this town? ... At first, JR Kashima line(鹿島線)
is connected Katori city(香取市) and Kashima city(鹿嶋市), so Kamisu is off the
route. Second, freight lines that used to be a passenger business, extends
from Kashima. So... it's a detour to get to Tokyo. Last, East Kanto motorway/highway(東関東自動車道)
is near, peopke go to Tokyo by private car or highway bus.
| Top 10 without overseas island | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | City | Prefecture | Populations (2020/10) |
Link for Wikipedia (en/ja) |
Note. |
| 1 | Kanoya （鹿屋市） |
Kagoshima （鹿児島県） |
100,830 | en/ja | Ōsumi Line, JNR, abolished 1987. |
| 2 | Kamisu （神栖市） |
Ibaraki （茨城県） |
95,435 | en/ja | Kashima Seaside Railway(鹿島臨海鉄道)'s passenger business abolished 1983. But the railroad tracks still remain, freight runs. |
| 3 | Ayase （綾瀬市） |
Kanagawa （神奈川県） |
84,312 | en/ja | Tokaido Shinkansen(東海道新幹線) pass es through the city limits,but there is
no station. Also, The Tomei Expressway(東名高速道路) passes through too, but there is no interchange. |
| 4 | Musashi- Murayama （武蔵村山市） |
Tokyo （東京都） |
71,270 | en/ja | There is an extension plan for the Tama Monorail(多摩モノレール). |
| 5 | South-Alps/ MinamiAlps （南アルプス市） |
Yamanashi （山梨県） |
69,608 | en/ja | There was a train line of Yamanashi Kotsu(山梨交通), but it was abolished in 1962. |
| 6 | Towada （十和田市） |
Aomori | 60,408 | en/ja | There used to be the Towada Kankō Electric Railway(十和田観光鉄道), but it was
abolished 2012. Even now,Tohoku Shinkansen(東北新幹線) pass es through the city limits, adjacent town, Shichinohe(七戸町) has station, "Shichinohe-Towada"(七戸十和田). |
| 7 | Yame (八女市) |
Fukuoka | 60,222 | en/ja | There used to be the Nishitetsu Fukushima Line(西鉄福島線) and the JNR Yabe Line(国鉄矢部線), but it was abolished 1985. |
| 8 | Ishikari （石狩市） |
Hokkaido | 58,258 | en/ja | There used to be Garuishi orbit(軽石軌道), but it was abolished 1940. after WW2, railroad extension for Ishikari, plans exist, but no prospects. |
| 9 | Tomiya （富谷市） |
Miyagi | 51,771 | en/ja | There used to be Sendai Railway(仙台鉄道), but it was abolished 1950. after Heisei, railroad extension for Tomiya, plans exist, but no prospects. |
| 10 | Bando （坂東市） |
Ibaraki | 51,615 | en/ja | Railroads have never existed in the past. Tokyo Line 8(Yurakucho Line/Toyosumi Line, 有楽町線/豊住線) extension plan once existed,but it's almost gone now. |