JR Freight is the predominate rail freight carrier in Japan, which operates freight services across Kyushu, Honshu and Hokkaido and also Shikoku. There are also few private railways that carry freight, either small port area railways or small private railways.
Here at TS Japan Rail we can help you plan your trip or outing; including where are the best places to see many freight trains, to where you can get that scenic shot and importantly when! Whether your object is just freight trains or you want to include as part of a wider trip we have the information to help you make those plans, including providing directions to the best photography spots.
JR Freight and its affiliates, together with some of their major customers who own their own containers, have a variety of different types of containers. Due to limited gauge of much of Japan’s railways however there are only a small number of routes that international size shipping containers can be carried.
In recent years, rail has seen a decline in freight volume, now making up only about 10% of total freight transport. Road and inland shipping have become its main competitors.
Driver shortages and new regulations limiting truck driver hours (from April 2024) have sparked renewed interest in rail freight. In response, JR Freight is expanding operations by running longer and more frequent trains on key trunk routes.
Annual Freight Timetable published by the Japan Rail Freight Association – A valuable resource for understanding Japan’s rail freight network.
Such companies include Kanagawa Ringai Tetsudo that operates in the Keihin Industrial areas of Yokohama and Kawasaki; Nagoya Rinkai Tetsudo, which operates in the Nagoya Port area and Fukushima Rinkai Tetsudo. They are very sensitive to local industry, so the number of such railways has declined in recent years.
The busiest of the main freight routes mostly using the Tokaido Main Line, Sanyo Mainline and Kagoshima Main Line linking Kanto, Tokai, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku & Kyushu regions.
At some places you will see far more freight traffic than passenger traffic, particularly at certain times of the day.
Tokaido Main Line (Tokaido Freight Line), Kansai Main Line, Sanyo Main Line, Yosan Line, Kagoshima Main Line, Nippo Line
Locomotives: EF210, EF65, EF66, EF510, DF200 [Kansai Main Line]
This route links Kanto with the Tohoku and Hokkaido Regions.
An important point about this route is that it operates on two different electric power systems (1500V DC and 20KV AC) meaning that most trains have to be hauled by Dual Voltage locomotives, and for those trains going through the Seikan Tunnel linking Honshu with Hokkaido 25KV AC / 20KV AC EH800 series locomotives have to be used between Aomori and Kikonai / Goryokaku.
Tohoku Main Line, Joban Line, Iwate Galaxy Railway Aoimori Railway.
Trains on this route use the Iwate Galaxy Railway, Aoimori Railway and the South Hokkaido Railway
Locomotives: EF65 & EF66 ( as far as Utsunomiya ] EH500, EH800 [Aomori~Kikonai / Goryokaku]
As well as serving the major sea ports and industries such as Kanazawa, Toyama, Niigata, Sakata & Akita along the Japan Sea side this route also provides a back up route linking Kansai, Kanto (via the Joetsu Line), Tohoku and Hokkaido in case of trouble on the Tokaido & Tohoku routes.
Kosei Line, Hokuriku Main Line, Shin Etsu Main Line, Hakushin Line, Uetsu Main Line & Ou Main Line
Trains on this route also travel over the Hapi-Line Fukui, IR Ishikawa Railway, Ainokaze Toyama Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Railway providing much needed access Fees to these 3rd sector railways,
Locomotives: EF510
This route links Kanto with Koshinetsu Region and also services running through to the Japan sea Route.
The Chuo Main Line sees oil tanker traffic travelling from the Yokohama area as well as container traffic. The Joetsu Line has container traffic between Niigata and Tokyo area, including train going to / from Sakata (Yamagata Pref) and Akita. Some trains al operate to / from Sakaki & Nishi Ueda on the Shinano Railway Line.
There is also freight traffic on the Chuo Line West between Nagoya area and Nagano area.
The EH200 locomotives were specially built for these routes, although nowadays you will also see them on the Tokaido Main Line.
Chuo Main Line, Chuo Main Line West, Takasaki Line, Shinonoi Line, Joetsu Line, Shin Etsu Line, Shinano Railway.
Locomotives: EF64, EF65, EH200, EF210 [Takasaki Line]
A lot of freight travels between Hokkaido and Honshu by rail.
Most Rail Freight in Hokkaido is Diesel Locomotive hauled using the DF200 (DL) which was specially developed by JR Freight for Hokkaido with its severe weather.
That being said, since 2016 when the Seikan Tunnel was converted for the Hokkaido Shinkansen (which takes power at 25KV AC) JR Freight introduced a new EH800 locomotive which is dual voltage (25KV AC and 20KV AC). These locomotives only operate between Aomori on the Honshu Side and Kikonai / Goryokaku on the Hokkaido side.
Freight traffic travelling to / from Honshu uses the South Hokkaido Railway Line between Kikonai and Goryokaku near Hakodate which is still electrified.
Hakodate Main Line, Muroran Main Line, Chitose Line, Sekihoku Main Line, Sekisho Line, Nemuro Main Line, Soya Main Line, South Hokkaido Railway
Locomotives: DF200 (DL) and EH800
Chichibu, Sangi and Watarse Railways, originally built for freight, now carry passengers too.
Many rural lines began this way.
Major non JR railways like Tobu and Seibu also once handled freight.
Freight-only non JR railways:
Hachinohe Rinkai Railway (Iwate); Iwate Kaihatsu Railway (Iwate); Sendai Rinkai Railway (Miyagi); Fukushima Rinkai Railway (Fukushima); Keiyo Rinkai Railway (Chiba) ; Kanagawa Rinkai Railway (Kanagawa); Seino Railway (Gifu); Nagoya Rinkai Railway (Aichi); Kinuura Rinkai Railway (Aichi).
Non JR Freight & Passenger Railways
Chichibu Railway (Saitama) Sangi Railway (Mie) Kashima Rinkai Railway (Ibaraki), Mizushima Rinkai Railway (Okayama)
