Rail transport in Okinawa

Rail transport in Okinawa (沖縄県の鉄道) consists of only the Okinawa Urban Monorail, the only rail line providing rail transportation in Okinawa Prefecture. In the past, Okinawa Island had railroad, trams, and horse drawn streetcar service. Moreover, Minamidaitōjima and other islands had rail lines to transport sugarcane and other commodities.

The first rail line laid down in Okinawa was during the Meiji period when in 1902, in Minami Daitō, a line opened with handcars. Okinawa Island's first railway opened in 1910, for the transportation of sugar cane.

Along with the development of roadways, automobile traffic increased, and railroads experienced competition from buses. Okinawa Electric responded by introducing gasoline cars, but users of their trolleys and the Itoman horse drawn trolley line declined, and the lines were abandoned. As a result, the only lines still operating on Okinawa Island were the prefectural railway and the Okinawa Railway (the former Okinawa horse drawn line). Both ceased operations in 1944 1945, and aerial bombardment and the ensuing ground war devastated the rail systems.

Under the American Occupation, the road system of Okinawa developed markedly, and the prefectural railway and the Okinawa trolley line disappeared. The industrial rail systems disappeared, too, with the exception of the Minami Daito sugar cane line, which returned to operation and continued to operate until 1983. After the return of Okinawa to Japanese administration in 1972, the prefecture considered plans to develop rail lines, and opened the Okinawa Monorail in August, 2003. A people mover operated within the grounds of the Expo '75, the Okinawa International Maritime Exposition, from July 20, 1975 to January 18, 1976. The 1.4 km line connected North Gate Station and South Gate Station, making an intermediate stop at International Plaza Station.

Saiga Tokichi, operator of Saiga Electric Company of Kyoto, established Okinawa Electric in 1909. In 1911, he established the Okinawa Electric Railway to link Naha and Shuri with a trolley line. The segment from Daimon mae to Shuri opened in 1914, and that from Daimon mae to Tsudo began operation in 1917. However, the line lost passengers to competition from buses, and the line ceased operations in 1933.

Although the original intent was to transport sugar cane by handcar to the refinery in Nishihara, the line was unused in the off season, and the operator set up a separate company to provide passenger service on the line. It opened in November 1914, providing service between Yonabaru and Konaha. In 1916 it extended its route to Awase. It ceased operations in 1944.

The Itoman line directly connected Naha and Itoman by horse drawn carriage. In June 1919 the segment from Kakihana to China opened. In May 1920, the rest of the line opened. Under competition from buses, the line lost ridership, and operations came to an end in 1935. The line formally ended in 1939.

From July 20, 1975 to January 18, 1976, a people mover built by Kobe Steel, operated within the grounds of Expo '75. It was the first people mover line to operate in Japan. The monorail is a venture of the prefecture and private enterprise. There are 19 stations on the line.