Shizuoka Railway Explained

The, also known as "Shizutetsu", is a private railway in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and is majority owned by Tokyu Corporation. In addition to its railway business, the Shizuoka Railway Company owns large bus and taxi services, a department store, supermarkets, a construction company and real estate holdings.

History

The first Shizuoka Railway Company was founded in 1906. It was initially built to connect downtown Shizuoka with Shimizu Port, to facilitate the export of green tea, the major agricultural product of Shizuoka prefecture at the time. It became the Shizuoka branch of, a privately held narrow gauge railway operator with operations in many locations around Japan in 1908. The line was electrified in 1919 and became standard gauge in 1920. In 1923, the Shizuoka branch became independent as the . In 1943, the company was nationalized by the central government, and was merged with smaller railroad operations around Shizuoka Prefecture, under the new name of Shizuoka Railway. Its first chairman was Keita Gotō, founder of the Tokyu Corporation, which emerged as Shizuoka Railway’s primary shareholder after the end of World War II. Most of the rolling stock used by the Shizuoka Railway is used equipment purchased from the Tokyu Corporation.

Lines

The company operates the Shizuoka–Shimizu Line, which runs for 11km (07miles) from Shin-Shizuoka Station to Shin-Shimizu Station with 13 intermediate stations, and the Nihondaira Ropeway. Its highway bus system was spun off to a subsidiary company, Shizutetsu Justline, in 2002.

Former tram lines operated by the company include:

• , 1922–1962
• , 1928–1975
• , 1911-1970
• , 1902–1962