Japan Railway Journal

Kominato Railway: Surviving with Wisdom and Ingenuity (2021x10)

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Kominato Railway is a 39.1km rural railway that operates in Chiba, the prefecture next to Tokyo. Unfortunately, damage caused by a typhoon in 2019 and the subsequent pandemic caused sales revenue to drop significantly. Now, the railway is working on ways to get back on track, including the operation of the Satoyama Trolley Train (a sightseeing train that runs through scenic valleys), old diesel trains manufactured more than 40 years ago, and a collaboration with a local art festival to attract tourists. See the strategies the company has implemented using wisdom and ingenuity to attract visitors.