The is a local rail line in Gunma, Japan, and is part of the East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 (JR East) network. Roughly following the Agatsuma River

Agatsuma River

The is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is 76.22 km in length and has a drainage area of 1,366 km². Located entirely within Gunma Prefecture, it is one of the prefecture's major rivers. It is also a major tributary of the Tone River.- Geography :...

, it runs 55.6 km between and stations.

Although the official start of the line is at Shibukawa, all trains run through on the Jōetsu Line

Joetsu Line

The is a major rail line in Japan. Part of the JR East system, it runs from Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, to Miyauchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kantō region and the Sea of Japan coast of the Chūbu region...

 to/from .

History

The Agatsuma Line was opened in 1945 and ran from to . The line was extended to in 1971. The newest station, , was opened in 1992.

Yanba Dam construction

The Yanba Dam

Yanba Dam

is a dam project that is under construction in Naganohara, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The project is currently frozen pending further action by the government. Planning for the dam began in 1947, and it was planned to be completed by 2015...

 was expected to cause part of the line between and stations to become submerged. The dam project was ultimately cancelled, but the new section of railway line and roads under construction may be completed to serve the onsen

Onsen

An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...

hot spring resorts in the area and increase road and rail capacity. However, with the dam's future in question, what will happen with the line is unclear.

Points of interest

The Agatsuma Line is noted for numerous onsen

Onsen

An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...

hot springs along the route. The famous hot springs at Kusatsu are some distance north of the line, but several rural onsen such as those at Shima, Sawatari, Kawarayu, and Shiriyaki are more accessible.

Mount Asama

Mount Asama

is an active complex volcano in central Honshū, the main island of Japan. The volcano is the most active on Honshū. The Japan Meteorological Agency classifies Mount Asama as rank A. It stands above sea level on the border of Gunma and Nagano prefectures...

, Mount Kusatsu-Shirane

Mount Kusatsu-Shirane

is a 2160 meter active volcano in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan. It is called Kusatsu Shirane to differentiate it from the Mount Nikkō-Shirane on the other side of Gunma Prefecture. The summit of Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, located immediately north of Asama volcano, consists of a series of overlapping...

, and the Agatsuma Canyon can all be seen from the Agatsuma Line.

Japan's shortest railroad tunnel, the Tarusawa Tunnel, is on the Agatsuma Line.

Stations

Station	Japanese	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		Between stations	Total
	渋川		0.0	Jōetsu Line Joetsu Line The is a major rail line in Japan. Part of the JR East system, it runs from Takasaki Station in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, to Miyauchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kantō region and the Sea of Japan coast of the Chūbu region...  (all trains through to )	Shibukawa Shibukawa, Gunma is a city located in the extreme northwest of the Kantō Plain, in the center of landlocked Gunma, Japan. Encompassing the juncture of the Tone River and Agatsuma River, it is about 120km from Tokyo...	Gunma Gunma Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
	金島	5.5	5.5
	祖母島	2.2	7.7
	小野上	4.2	11.9
	小野上温泉	1.8	13.7
	市城	2.3	16.4		Nakanojō Nakanojo, Gunma is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the town has an estimated population of 17,931 and a population density of 40.8 persons per km². There are a total of 6,059 households in town. The total area is 439.28 km² and an elevation of 400 m above sea level. The town's... , Agatsuma District Agatsuma District, Gunma is a district located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the district has an estimated population of 60,253 and a population density of 47.1 persons per km²...
	中之条	3.4	19.8
	群馬原町	3.1	22.9		Higashiagatsuma Higashiagatsuma, Gunma is a town located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The town was created on March 27, 2006 by the merger of the town of Agatsuma, and the village of Azuma, both from Agatsuma District.-Geography:... , Agatsuma District
	郷原	3.4	26.3
	矢倉	1.7	28.0
	岩島	5.5	30.5
	川原湯温泉	5.9	36.4		Naganohara Naganohara, Gunma is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 6,361 and a density of 47.50 persons per km². The total area is 133.93 km².-Geography:... , Agatsuma District
	長野原草津口	5.9	42.3
	群馬大津	2.2	44.5
	羽根尾	2.2	46.7
	袋倉	2.9	49.6		Tsumagoi Tsumagoi, Gunma is a village located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 10,743 and a density of 31.19 persons per km². The total area is 337.51 km².-Geography:... , Agatsuma District
	万座・鹿沢口	2.9	52.5
	大前	3.1	55.6