The was the sole line operated by the Kashima Railway Company in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It operated between Ishioka Station and Hokota Station. It closed on 31 March 2007.
Stations The line had 17 stations as shown below. As of 2002, only two stations, Ishioka and Hitachi-Ogawa, were staffed.
Station name Japanese Date opened Distance (km) Transfers Location 石岡 8 June 19240.0 Jōban LineIshioka, Ibaraki Ishioka-Minamidai 石岡南台 16 June 19871.5 Higashi-Tanaka 東田中 18 November 19642.5 Tamari 玉里 1 November 19513.6Omitama, Ibaraki Shin-Takahama 新高浜 8 June 19244.2 Shikamura 四箇村 1 October 19515.1 Hitachi-Ogawa 常陸小川 8 June 19247.1 Ogawakōkō-shita 小川高校下 1 April 19887.8 Momoura 桃浦 15 August 192610.7Namegata, Ibaraki Yakimaki 八木蒔 1 October 195112.8 Hama 浜 15 August 192614.4 玉造町 1 February 192815.8 Enokimoto 榎本 6 May 192919.5 Kariyado-mae 借宿前 1 October 195121.4Hokota, Ibaraki Tomoegawa 巴川 16 April 192923.7 坂戸 19 November 195625.0 鉾田 6 May 192927.1
History The line first opened on 8 June 1924 as the steam-operated , using steam operation between Ishioka and Hitachi-Ogawa. The full line to Hokota was opened on 16 May 1929.
Diesel operation commenced on 6 September 1930.
From 1 June 1965, the railway became the Kantō Railway Hokota Line, and from 1 April 1979, it became the separate Kashima Railway.
Freight operations ceased in 2002.
In 2006, the company announced the planned closure of the line, and the line finally closed on 31 March 2007.
The section between Ishioka and Shikamura stations was replaced with a BRT in August 2010.
References