In 2019, Ibara Railway (Ibara Tetsudo) celebrated its 20th anniversary.
It operates just one line, the Ibara Line, a local railway connecting Soja City in Okayama Prefecture with Fukuyama City in Hiroshima Prefecture.
The writer lives in Ibara City and rides the Ibara Railway to work almost every day.
Since the station is close to home, the Ibara Railway is also the writer’s main way of getting around when heading to Kurashiki or Okayama.
Even if you’ve never ridden the Ibara Railway because you don’t use it to commute to work or school, try taking a leisurely ride while enjoying the view from the train window, whether for a little outing or sightseeing. You’re sure to enjoy it.
The Ibara Railway is very important to the writer.
This article introduces the Ibara Line, which has become an indispensable means of transportation for the local community.
The information presented was current when this article was published in January 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Ibara Line
The Ibara Line is a local railway connecting Soja City in Okayama Prefecture with Fukuyama City in Hiroshima Prefecture, with a total length of 41.7 kilometers.
It opened at 11:11:11 a.m. on January 11, 1999, and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.
Counting on my fingers, the Ibara Line has been around for a greater part of my life.
Looking back, I have so many memories of it.
Lately, I’ve been hearing more and more news about local railway lines being discontinued.
With the population declining and difficult times continuing for rural areas, it is truly remarkable that a new railway company was established and has continued to operate.
This also shows how the railway is used as an indispensable means of transportation by local residents.
How do you ride the Ibara Line?
Have you ever wondered, “How does the Ibara Line’s ticketing system work?”
Most Ibara Line stations are unstaffed. The only staffed stations (stations with station staff) are Kiyone Station, Yakage Station, Ibara Station, and Kannabe Station.
Except during events and similar occasions, trains are generally operated by a single crew member (the driver alone).
So, unlike JR, you pay the fare in cash to the driver rather than using a ticket or transit e-money such as ICOCA.
Some stations do sell tickets, including connecting tickets for JR.
The boarding system is like a bus, with passengers boarding at the rear and getting off at the front, so please board from the rear of the train.
When boarding, press the button beside the door to open it, enter the train, and take a numbered ticket.
There is a fare chart inside the train, which is handy for checking the fare.
There is also a change machine, like on a bus.
The machine only changes 1,000-yen bills, and accepts 500-, 100-, and 50-yen coins for change.
Pay your fare when you get off.
Put it in the fare slot of the change machine, or hand it directly to the driver.
When transferring to JR at Kiyone Station or Kannabe Station, if you have a connecting ticket, you only need to show it to the driver.
To travel toward Okayama Station or JR Kurashiki Station on the Ibara Line, take a train heading toward Soja (northbound).
However, since the line terminates at JR Soja Station, trains do not run directly to Okayama or Kurashiki.
To get to Okayama or Kurashiki, you need to transfer to the Hakubi Line at JR Kiyone Station.
Of course, you can buy a ticket at JR Kiyone Station when transferring.
In the opposite direction, to travel toward Fukuyama Station on the Ibara Line, take a train heading toward Kannabe (southbound).
Three times a day, trains run from Kannabe Station along the Fukuen Line and continue directly to JR Fukuyama Station.
At other times, Kannabe Station is the terminus.
Normally, to travel from the Soja Station area to Fukuyama Station on the Ibara Line, you need to transfer to the Fukuen Line at JR Kannabe Station.
The direct trains seem to be scheduled at convenient times for commuting to work and school.
Trains that run directly to Fukuyama Station operate in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
It’s convenient because you don’t need to transfer.
A leisurely one-car train
When I’m with someone who is riding the Ibara Line for the first time,
most people are surprised that the Ibara Line’s trains consist of just one car.
Twenty years since it opened.
A one-car train passes through the leisurely rural countryside.
It has become a familiar sight along the line.
Two-car trains run only during commuting hours or when special events are held.
During the daytime on weekdays, it’s common for there to be only a handful of passengers on the train, including the writer.
What makes the Ibara Line special?
What makes the Ibara Line special?
In the writer’s view, it’s that it is the quintessential local railway.
It doesn’t operate in a tourist destination or a major city. Its greatest appeal may be that it is part of everyday life as an everyday means of transportation.
It has a different feel from the kind of “flashy” appeal that draws tourists from all over the country, such as beautiful scenery that looks great on social media.
But the Ibara Line’s appeal also lies in being a friendly, handmade-feeling local railway.
Rather than being something you take for a special occasion, it has an appeal as everyday transportation for commuting, going to school, and shopping.
The station name signs at each stop, each reflecting the character of the area where it is located, are also well worth a look.
In an interesting initiative, the Ibara Line has joined the “Tetsu Cards” created by local private railway companies across Japan.
There is also a retro-style train called the Yume Yasuragi, and you often see people taking photos of it.
The interior of the Yume Yasuragi is made with natural solid wood, giving the train a calm atmosphere.
By the way, you can buy Choro-Q toys of the Yume Yasuragi at Ibara, Kiyone, and Yakage stations.
The role of a local railway
During the July 2018 torrential rains, the Ibara Line’s tracks were also damaged, and services were suspended.
As a result, the disruption was significant, with replacement bus services operating between JR Soja Station and Mitani Station.
In Ibara City, where I live, we were spared severe damage, but we were affected by the suspension of services for a long time.
Experiencing the scale of the damage caused by the torrential rains became a turning point that changed my understanding of how disasters can happen even in the area where I live.
The days following the July 2018 torrential rains made me keenly aware that “what we take for granted cannot be taken for granted.”
Local buses also run along the Ibara Line, but there are many situations where “the Ibara Line is better,” such as in terms of service frequency and passenger capacity.
The Ibara Line also holds events in which various works by children at local nursery schools and kindergartens, as well as people at care facilities, are displayed inside the trains under the title “Gallery Train.”
I feel that this, too, conveys the railway’s commitment to “fulfilling its role as a local railway.”
The Ibara Line serves as a vital local connection
When I ride the Ibara Line, I share the train with middle and high school students, university students, and others.
There are schools along the Ibara Line, and since it covers a wide area from Soja City to Fukuyama City, it seems to have become firmly established as a means of getting to school.
It also works with local events, helping to boost tourism.
On Sunday, January 12, 2020, Ibara Line Appreciation Day was held, with events centered around Ibara Station.
In regional cities with poor transport access, people rely on cars, don’t they?
Some households may have one car per person rather than one per family.
But for people who cannot drive, calling a taxi every time is a hassle.
With public transportation, they can go shopping or to the hospital, and visit friends and relatives.
I have increasingly felt, from riding the Ibara Line every day, that “there are things only a local railway can do.”
The Ibara Line will continue to serve commuters, students, and tourists.
Why not ride the Ibara Line and explore the areas along the route?
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
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