# Osaka Higashi Line

The Osaka Higashi Line (おおさか東線, Ōsaka-Higashi-sen) (Literally: Osaka East Line) is a railway line in Osaka, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR-West). The line connects Ōsaka Station in northern Osaka with Kyūhōji Station in Yao, forming an arc around the northern and eastern suburbs of the city. Before being named on August 23, 2007, the line was constructed with the tentative name "Osaka Outer Loop Line (大阪外環状線, Ōsaka-soto-kanjōsen)".
The line is constructed and owned by the Osaka Soto-Kanjo Railway Co., Ltd. (大阪外環状鉄道株式会社, Ōsaka Sotokanjō Tetsudō Kabushiki Kaisha) as a Category-3 railway business under the Railway Business Act of Japan. JR-West and JR Freight operate trains as Category-2 railway business. The Kita-Umeda extension opened on March 18, 2023, replacing the above-ground Umeda Freight Line.

## History

Conceived in the 1950s during Japan's explosive postwar economic growth, it was planned as a grand "outer loop" of the city, using existing freight lines to link Amagasaki with Shin-Osaka, Suita, Awaji, Hanaten, Kami, Uriwari and Sugimotochō, with a newly constructed segment into Osaka's (then primarily industrial) Nankō Port Town. However, with JNR's financial situation deteriorating catastrophically (culminating in its privatization) and continuing issues surrounding land acquisition and squatting by local residents on railway property, the plan was cut back to Shin-Osaka and Kami, terminating at Kyūhōji in the south. (The Hanwa Freight Line, which would have carried the southern segment from Kami to Sugimotochō, was officially abandoned by JR Freight in 2009.) The line connects Shin-Osaka Station in northern Osaka with Kyūhōji Station in Yao, forming an arc around the northern and eastern suburbs of the city.
The southern part opened on 15 March 2008. But because of problems with the illegal occupation of a site, construction of the northern part was delayed. Construction of the northern segment started in 2011 and the section between Shin-Osaka and Hanaten has opened on 16 March 2019.
Incorporated into the second phase of the Osaka Higashi Line project is the construction of underground platforms at Osaka Station (known as Umekita). The project provides the basis for the future Naniwasuji Line while also providing a small shortcut on current services on the Haruka and Kuroshio limited express trains.
In February 2023, track switching work took place between the 11th and 13th of that month. The underground platforms began operation later in the year on 18 March.

## Stations

* ● : Direct Rapid service stops here
* | : Direct Rapid service does not stop here
Local trains stop at all stations. For limited express Mahoroba, please see their respective article.
| No. | Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Distance (km) | Direct Rapid | Transfers | Location |
| No. | Station | Japanese | Between Stations | Total | Direct Rapid | Transfers | Location |
| JR-F01 | Ōsaka | 大阪 | 3.8 | 3.8 | ● | JR Kōbe Line (JR-A47) JR Takarazuka Line (JR-G47) Osaka Loop Line (JR-O11) From Osaka-umeda Station: Hankyū Kōbe Main Line, Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line, Hankyu Kyoto Main Line (HK-01) From Osaka-Umeda Station: Hanshin Main Line (HS 01) From Umeda Station: Midōsuji Line (M16) From Higashi-Umeda Station: Tanimachi Line (T20) From Nishi-Umeda Station: Yotsubashi Line (Y11) From Kitashinchi Station: JR Tōzai Line (JR-H44) | Kita-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F02 | Shin-Ōsaka | 新大阪 | - | 0.0 | ● | JR Kyoto Line (JR-A46) Tokaido・Sanyo Shinkansen Osaka Metro Midōsuji Line (M13) | Yodogawa-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F03 | Minami-Suita | 南吹田 | 2.0 | 2.0 | | | | Suita |
| JR-F04 | JR-Awaji | JR淡路 | 1.3 | 3.3 | ● | From Awaji Station: Hankyu Kyoto Line (HK-63) Hankyu Senri Line (HK-63) | Higashiyodogawa-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F05 | Shirokitakōendōri | 城北公園通 | 2.1 | 5.4 | | | | Miyakojima-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F06 | JR-Noe | JR野江 | 2.2 | 7.6 | | | From Noe Station: Keihan Main Line (KH-05) From Noe-Uchindai Station: Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line (T16) | Joto-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F07 | Shigino | 鴫野 | 1.8 | 9.4 | | | Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line, JR-H40) Osaka Metro Imazatosuji Line | Joto-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F08 | Hanaten | 放出 | 1.6 | 11.0 | ● | Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line, JR-H39) | Tsurumi-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F09 | Takaida-Chūō | 高井田中央 | 1.7 | 12.7 | ● | From Takaida Station: Osaka Metro Chuo Line (C22) | Higashiosaka, Osaka |
| JR-F10 | JR Kawachi-Eiwa | JR河内永和 | 1.6 | 14.3 | ● | From Kawachi-Eiwa Station  A Kintetsu Nara Line (A07) | Higashiosaka, Osaka |
| JR-F11 | JR Shuntokumichi | JR俊徳道 | 0.6 | 14.9 | | | From Shuntokumichi Station:  D Osaka Line (D07) | Higashiosaka, Osaka |
| JR-F12 | JR Nagase | JR長瀬 | 1.0 | 15.9 | | | | Higashiosaka, Osaka |
| JR-F13 | Kizuri-Kamikita | 衣摺加美北 | 1.3 | 17.2 | | | | Higashiosaka, Osaka |
| JR-F14 | Shin-Kami | 新加美 | 1.4 | 18.6 | | | | Hirano-ku, Osaka |
| JR-F15 | Kyūhōji | 久宝寺 | 1.6 | 20.2 | ● | Yamatoji Line (Kansai Main Line) | Yao, Osaka |
| Direct Rapid service through to Nara via the Yamatoji Line ||||||||

### Notes
## Rolling stock
### Passenger

* 221 series (used for Local services from 12 March 2022 and Direct Rapid services from 18 March 2023)

#### Former

* 103 series (until 2018)
* 201 series (until 11 March 2022)
* 207 series (used for Direct Rapid Services from 12 March 2011 until 17 March 2023)
* 223-6000 series (used for Direct Rapid Services from 15 March 2008 until 11 March 2011)
* 321 series (Used for Direct Rapid Services until 17 March 2023)
The 103 and 201 series trains are based at Nara Depot, the 207 series trains are based at Aboshi Depot, while the 223-6000 series trains were based at Miyahara Depot.

### Freight

Locomotives seen hauling freight trains include the DD51, DE10, EF66, EF81 and EF210.
* A DD51 locomotive on the Osaka Higashi Line in November 2001
* An EF81 locomotive on the Akagawa Bridge in August 2013