Kansai’s Railway Heritage and the Mysteries of the Industrial Revolution
The Kansai region is home to numerous railroad heritage sites built during Japan’s Industrial Revolution. They range from facilities still in use today, such as Osaka Station, Kyoto Station, and Kobe Port, to forgotten abandoned railway tracks and demolished station buildings. These heritage sites are valuable evidence of Japan’s modernization and the history of the Industrial Revolution, but they also hold many mysteries. Why did railroads develop so rapidly in the Kansai region? How were private railways in Kansai able to develop to such an extent? The answers to these questions are not necessarily known to many people. In this issue, we will explore the hidden mysteries of Kansai’s railroad heritage and the Industrial Revolution.
Mysteries of Kansai’s Railway Heritage and the Industrial Revolution (1) Why did railroads develop so rapidly in the Kansai region?
The development of railroads in the Kansai region was extremely rapid compared to other parts of Japan, and in just a few decades the railroads that began operating between Osaka and Kobe in 1874 grew into an extensive network centered on Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. But how was such rapid development possible? The key to solving this mystery is thought to lie in the following factors. The factor of Osaka, which has flourished as a commercial city since the Edo period. In other words, the Kansai region had accumulated the capital necessary for the construction of the railroad. However, compared to other areas with similarly developed commerce (Edo, for example), the development of railroads in the Kansai region was outstanding. What was the cause of this difference? The answer is that the relatively close proximity of the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe was advantageous to the formation of the railroad network and promoted the development of railroads in the Kansai region more than in other regions.
The railroad heritage of the Kansai region and the mysteries of the Industrial Revolution (2): Was Japan’s first steam locomotive built in the Kansai region?
Japan’s first railroad opened between Shimbashi and Yokohama in 1872, but its preparation began in the Kansai region. Experiments on steam engines were conducted in Nagasaki in 1855, and in the 1870s, the first domestically produced steam locomotive was manufactured in Osaka. Many foreign engineers, including Edmund Morrell and other British engineers, were deeply involved in its production.
Japan’s first domestically produced steam locomotive was manufactured in 1893 at the Osaka Railway Bureau factory (the predecessor of JR West’s current Takatori factory). This steam locomotive was called “No. 221 locomotive” and was built under the guidance of Kenichi Masui, the chief engineer of the Railway Bureau at that time. Until then, Japanese railroads had depended mainly on locomotives imported from overseas, but this domestic production marked the first step toward the independence of Japanese railroad technology. The production of domestically produced steam locomotives in 1893 laid the foundation for the subsequent development of Japan’s railroad technology, and was an important first step in Japan’s ability to design and manufacture its own locomotives in the early 20th century.
“Kansai’s Railway Heritage and the Mystery of the Industrial Revolution (3): Why Did Kansai’s Private Railways Develop?”
Many private railways have developed in the Kansai region, including Hankyu Electric Railway and Nankai Electric Railway. Why have private railways developed particularly in the Kansai region? Geographical factors such as the relatively close proximity of the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, as well as the spreading plains and terrain suitable for the construction of railroads, were behind the development of private railways. Another economic factor was the high demand for population and logistics due to the development of commerce and industry centered in Osaka. Another reason for the development of private railways was that the network of Japan Railways (now JR) was not as developed as that of Tokyo, leaving much room for the development of private railways, and private railway companies created their own demand by aggressively developing their rail lines.
The Mystery of Kansai’s Railroad Heritage and the Industrial Revolution (4) What is the Missing Railroad Heritage?
While there are many railroad heritage sites in Kansai, there are also many that have disappeared. Among these “vanished heritage sites,” there are places where one can trace back to those days as railroad remains. In Hyogo Prefecture, the remains of the abandoned Miki Railway Miki Line can still be found. You can visit the remains of the railroad in various places and feel the atmosphere of those days. In Osaka Prefecture, there are also the remains of the “Hanwa Freight Line” and the “Nankai Hirano Line,” both of which have been closed down. Steel poles and stone markers from those days still remain. In Nara Prefecture, the little-known history of the “Daibutsu Railway” remains. This railroad was established as a branch line of the former Kansai Railway and ran from Kamo Station to Nara Station. Furthermore, it is a “phantom tunnel” in Kashiwabara City, Osaka Prefecture. An old railroad tunnel constructed in the Meiji and Taisho periods was discovered in the mountains of Kashiwabara City, Osaka Prefecture, around November 2023. This “phantom tunnel” was thought to have collapsed in a large-scale landslide in the early Showa period, but it was discovered through the enthusiasm of local local historians that it still remains today. As described above, there are many historical railroad heritage sites in the Kansai region. The railroad heritage of the Kansai region is valuable evidence of the history of the Industrial Revolution and modernization of Japan. However, many mysteries still remain, such as the details of the role of railroads in the Industrial Revolution and the background of the formation of the railroad development model unique to the Kansai region. Further clarification of these mysteries is expected in the future.
