静岡の秘境走る大井川鉄道井川線　観光列車に特化し運行開始　生き残りかけた戦略とは【ワイド！スクランブル】(2026年7月3日)

The Oigawa Railway, a local railway in Shizuoka Prefecture known for its secluded routes, has launched a dedicated tourist train service. Amidst ongoing financial difficulties due to population decline, what is their strategy for survival? ■Visit Japan's only "Abt system" The Oigawa Railway, a local railway in Shizuoka Prefecture, has launched a dedicated tourist train service on its Ikawa Line, the "Southern Alps Abt Line," connecting Senzu Station and Ikawa Station, starting from the 1st. A charming red trolley train slowly travels the 25.5-kilometer route, taking approximately two hours. Operated as a travel package, the price is 3,500 yen for adults (1,750 yen for children) one way. Previously, the fare between Senzu and Ikawa was 1,340 yen, so this represents a significant increase of approximately 2.6 times. Oigawa Railway President Ryo Torizuka "(Q. What is the value of the 3,500 yen fare?) There are things here that you can't experience anywhere else. We believe the price is set so that you can fully enjoy and be satisfied with the experience." The Igawa Line was originally built by a power company to transport materials for the dam. About 40 minutes after departure, at the "Apt Ichishiro" station, you can see something unique and valuable, the only one of its kind in Japan. It's an "Apt-type locomotive," which climbs and descends steep inclines by engaging the locomotive's gears with toothed rails laid in the center of the track. The section between Apt Ichishiro station and the neighboring Nagashima Dam station has the steepest gradient of any ordinary railway in Japan. Currently, this is the only place in Japan that uses the Abt system. ■Secluded Stations: Rainbows Occasionally Appear There is a secluded station created by the construction of the Nagashima Dam. Located at the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the dam lake is Oku-Oigawa Lake Station. And beyond the station platform is a railway bridge. There's a pedestrian walkway above it, allowing you to cross on foot. The bridge is approximately 70 meters above the lake's surface. Rainbows often appear there, hence its name, "Rainbow Bridge." Why did the Oigawa Railway Ikawa Line, a local railway in Shizuoka Prefecture, adopt a new operating model specifically for tourist trains? This reflects President Torizuka's strong convictions. ■ "Specializing in Tourism" for Survival The Oigawa Railway Ikawa Line has adopted a new operating model focused on travel packages. We asked President Torizuka about the reasons behind this. "(Q. Why tourist trains?) The main reason is that 'we haven't had regular passengers for 15 years.' The railway fare system is designed assuming daily use by locals. It wouldn't make sense to apply the fares designed for locals to a railway that's mostly tourists. Therefore, we needed to create a system to get as much money as possible from tourists. This is something I've been thinking about since I took office." While offering discounted fares for residents along the line, the management strategy focuses on tourism revenue. In fact, President Torizuka, who took office in June 2024, is known as a "local railway revitalization specialist." He increased the visibility of the Isumi Railway in Chiba Prefecture, which was on the verge of closure, through various innovative ideas. He also launched a series of groundbreaking projects for the Echigo Tokimeki Railway in Niigata Prefecture, such as chartering a train for a wedding. "Today, this is a 'travel package' with a fixed price for a one-way trip, but (in the future) we plan to propose various routes and sightseeing courses. We believe that this transformation into a tourist train will create a system where we work together with local businesses," ■Customers who used the tourist train Tourists who actually used the tourist train said the following: Tourist from Osaka (60s): "If it were this expensive on a commuter train, I'd think, 'I can't ride it for this price!' But since it's a sightseeing train, I guess it's around 3000 yen." "I really enjoyed it. It's a charm you can only understand by coming here." Tourist from Tokyo (60s): "I think (3500 yen) is too cheap, honestly." (From the broadcast on July 3, 2026) [TV Asahi NEWS] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp