Utsunomiya Light Rail Transit (Light Line)

Japan's first entirely new street railway in about 75 years, opened on 26 August 2023. The 14.6 km line links Utsunomiya Station East Exit with the Haga-Kaminokawa Industrial Park through 19 stops.

Use

Bridge

Area

Utsunomiya City / Haga District

Completed

2023

Developer

Utsunomiya City & Haga Town (infrastructure) / Utsunomiya LRT Co., Ltd. (operations)

A New Track After 75 Years

The Utsunomiya Haga Light Rail Transit Line — locally known as “Light Line” — opened on 26 August 2023, becoming Japan’s first entirely new urban railway laid from scratch in roughly 75 years. Stretching 14.6 km from the east exit of Utsunomiya Station to the Haga-Kaminokawa Industrial Park in Tochigi Prefecture, the line serves 19 stops. The project drew national attention as proof that a mid-sized regional city could build and operate a modern low-floor tram in the twenty-first century.

The rolling stock is the HU300 series, a low-floor light rail vehicle (LRV) manufactured by Niigata Transys, distinguished by a yellow livery and a large curved front windshield. Infrastructure is owned by Utsunomiya City and Haga Town under a public-private separation model, while Utsunomiya LRT Co., Ltd. handles operations. The estimated project cost at the planning stage was approximately ¥45.8 billion.

Linking a Factory Belt to the City Core

The eastern corridor served by Light Line includes the Haga-Kaminokawa Industrial Park, home to major manufacturers such as Honda and Teijin, where commuting by car had been the default for decades. With the LRT now running, the journey from Utsunomiya Station to the industrial zone is possible by rail for the first time, dramatically improving access. In fiscal 2023, the line carried approximately 2.717 million passengers, surpassing its opening-year demand forecast by 23.3%. Residential and commercial development has accelerated along the route, and an eventual westward extension beyond Utsunomiya Station is already under planning, which would join the eastern and western halves of the city into a single transit axis.

Summary

Light Line, which opened in August 2023, is Japan’s first all-new LRT in about 75 years: 14.6 km, 19 stops, and a planned project cost of approximately ¥45.8 billion. Ridership has already exceeded projections, and the line is taking root as a commuter service between the city centre and its industrial district. At Utsunomiya Station East Exit, you can watch the bright yellow, curved-glass LRVs glide silently into a new chapter of the city’s transport history.