# Sankō Line

The Sankō Line (三江線, Sankō-sen) is a former railway line and current bus line in western Japan operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The 108.1 km (67.2 mi) line connected Gōtsu in Shimane Prefecture to Miyoshi in Hiroshima Prefecture and featured 30 tunnels. Whilst the first section opened in 1930, the line was not completed until 1975. Owing to declining patronage, the entire rail line ceased operation on 31 March 2018, to be replaced by a bus service on 1 April 2018.

## Stations

| Name | Name | Between (km) | Distance (km) | Transfers | Location | Location |
| Gōtsu | 江津 | - | 0.0 | Sanin Main Line | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Gōtsuhommachi | 江津本町 | 1.1 | 1.1 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Chigane | 千金 | 2.4 | 3.3 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Kawahira | 川平 | 3.7 | 7.0 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Kawado | 川戸 | 6.9 | 13.9 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Tazu | 田津 | 5.4 | 19.3 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Iwami Kawagoe | 石見川越 | 3.0 | 22.3 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Shikaga | 鹿賀 | 3.5 | 25.8 | | Gōtsu | Shimane Prefecture |
| Inbara | 因原 | 3.1 | 28.9 | | Kawamoto Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Iwami Kawamoto | 石見川本 | 3.7 | 32.6 | | Kawamoto Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Kirohara | 木路原 | 2.0 | 34.6 | | Kawamoto Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Take | 竹 | 3.0 | 37.6 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Onbara | 乙原 | 2.2 | 39.8 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Iwami Yanaze | 石見簗瀬 | 2.9 | 42.7 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Akatsuka | 明塚 | 2.3 | 45.0 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Kasubuchi | 粕淵 | 3.1 | 48.1 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Hamahara | 浜原 | 2.0 | 50.1 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Sawadani | 沢谷 | 3.7 | 53.8 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Ushio | 潮 | 5.8 | 59.6 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Iwami Matsubara | 石見松原 | 3.2 | 62.8 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Iwami Tsuga | 石見都賀 | 5.6 | 68.4 | | Misato Ōchi District | Shimane Prefecture |
| Uzui | 宇都井 | 6.4 | 74.8 | | Ōnan, Ōchi | Shimane Prefecture |
| Ikawashi | 伊賀和志 | 3.4 | 78.2 | | Miyoshi, Hiroshima | Miyoshi, Hiroshima |
| Kuchiba | 口羽 | 1.5 | 79.7 | | Ōnan, Ōchi, Shimane | Ōnan, Ōchi, Shimane |
| Gōbira | 江平 | 3.6 | 83.2 | | Ōnan, Ōchi, Shimane | Ōnan, Ōchi, Shimane |
| Sakugiguchi | 作木口 | 1.7 | 84.9 | | Ōnan, Ōchi, Shimane | Ōnan, Ōchi, Shimane |
| Kōyodo | 香淀 | 4.8 | 89.7 | | Miyoshi | Hiroshima |
| Shikijiki | 式敷 | 3.6 | 93.3 | | Akitakata | Hiroshima |
| Nobuki | 信木 | 1.8 | 95.1 | | Akitakata | Hiroshima |
| Tokorogi | 所木 | 1.9 | 97.0 | | Akitakata | Hiroshima |
| Funasa | 船佐 | 1.4 | 98.4 | | Akitakata | Hiroshima |
| Nagatani | 長谷 | 2.2 | 100.6 | | Miyoshi | Hiroshima |
| Awaya | 粟屋 | 2.5 | 103.1 | | Miyoshi | Hiroshima |
| Ozekiyama | 尾関山 | 3.0 | 106.1 | | Miyoshi | Hiroshima |
| Miyoshi | 三次 | 2.0 | 108.1 | Geibi Line Fukuen Line | Miyoshi | Hiroshima |

## Rolling stock

Services on the line were operated by JR West single-car KiHa 120 diesel multiple units.

## History

The Gotsu to Kawado section opened in 1930, and the line was extended progressively east, reaching Hamahara in 1937. The Miyoshi to Shikijiki section opened in 1955 as a passenger-only line, and was extended to Kuchiba in 1963, and Hamahara in 1975, completing the line.

### Closure

On 16 October 2015, JR West announced that it was considering closing the line owing to poor patronage, and was in discussion with the two prefectures served by the line, Shimane and Hiroshima, as well as other municipalities served, concerning future plans. In fiscal 2014, the line carried an average of 50 passengers per km per day, compared to 458 per km per day in 1987. On 29 September 2016, JR West announced that the entire line would close on 31 March 2018. The line then closed on March 31, 2018, with an event hosted by JR West.