International Railroad Discussion > Japan Trip Part 6 - Kintetsu Railway

One of my favorite private railways in Japan is the Kintetsu Railway (officially the Kinki-Nippon Railway), which is the largest of the private operators in Japan.  Their system links Osaka and Kyoto with Nagoya and the Ise-Shima area.  The system is very complex, running both standard gauge and Cape gauge (3'6") lines, and they used to operate a 762mm line as well, though that has now been transferred to the Yokkaichi-Asunaro Railway.    They operate through train services into the Osaka and Kyoto subways, and have through services with the Hanshin Railway, another private operator.  They run many levels of service on very tight headways - locals, rapids, semi-express, limited express (and probably a few others), all on frequent headways on a mostly double-track railroad.  And they have a dizzying variety of rolling stock, making for excellent trainwatching wherever you are on the system.  Because they own so many different classes of EMUs, I won’t attempt to classify them all in the captions. 

1)  A local to Tsu Shimmachi taking the station siding at Yokkaichi.  This to me is classic Kintetsu, with the red and cream paint scheme.
2)  A Limited-Express from Nagoya approaching Yokkaichi bound for Kashikojima.    Limited Express trains are all reserved seats. 
3)  Express to Matsusaka approaching Yokkaichi. 

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/25 20:05 by dwatry.

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4)  A Limited Express leaving Yokkaichi for Nagoya. 
5)  Semi-Express for Osaka approaching Yamato-Yagi. 
6)  Limited-Express approaching Yamato-Yagi. 
 

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7) Suburban Semi-Express for Yamato-Asakura approaches Yamato-Yagi after having met an 80000-series "Hinotori" train on a Limited-Express.
8) Express to Aoyamacho approaches Yamato-Yagi.
9) "Vista Car" Limited-Express heading to Kyoto approaching Takanohara.
 

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10)  Express to Tenri approaching Kujo.   Not sure of the origin of this paint scheme, but it appears to be kept to trains in and out of Osaka.  If anyone knows the story, glad to hear it. 
11)  Local seen across the fallow fields at Kujo. 
12)  Limited-Express approaching Kujo. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/25 18:00 by dwatry.

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13)  Semi-Express from Osaka to Namba approaching Yamato-Saidaji.
14)  "Vista Car" train from Kyoto approaching Yamato-Saidaji.
15)  Rapid Express from Nara through to Kobe (over Hanshin Railway) approaching Yamato-Saidaji.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/25 20:03 by dwatry.

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16)  Special sightseeing train at Kizugawadai. 
17)  Express approaching Kizugawadai. 
18)  Kyoto Metro train on joint trackage at Takeda popping up from the subway. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/25 20:07 by dwatry.

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And one of the joys of riding the Kintetsu is, of course, riding right behind the driver and watching the railroad unfold.

19)  Heading south out of Kyoto and meeting a northbound subway train.
20)  Meeting a train just south of Nagoya.
21)  Meeting a local for Kyoto on the elevated alignment just south of Kyoto.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/25 20:09 by dwatry.

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Super pictures Duncan!

One more!

22)  Here's a train of the new 8A stock arriving Yamato-Saidaiji from Kyoto on a local train to Kashiharajingu-mae.  This stock was first delivered in 2024.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/25 20:24 by dwatry.

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Nice series. I am planning to visit Japan in the end of this year. Your posts will be good for my trip plans.

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Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

dwatry Wrote:
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> 14)  "Vista Car" train from Kyoto
> approaching Yamato-Saidaji.

My first impression of Kintetsu is the Vista Car, specifically the first and early generation cars from 1950s-1980s. Not from riding them, but reading articles about them in railfan magazines. In fact, shot #16, the joyful train "Aoinishi" is a modified previous generation Class 12000 Vista Car without the doubledecker cars.

Here's an English wikipedia entry for Class 3220, your shot #10:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintetsu_3220_series

Class 3220 was designed primarily for "ride through" to/from subway lines. That's also true for Class 3200, shot #17.

Thank you for the great report!

Very enjoyable series!!

Larry

Very nice! So much variety in Japanese passenger equipment.

Great variety in Japan. Thanks.