The JR Joban Line for Kashiwa, Tsuchiura, Mito, Iwaki and Narita

The JR Joban Line is a railway that links Tokyo with northern destinations in Chiba, Ibaraki, Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures. The official start of the Joban Line is Nippori Station in Tokyo, but in reality many Joban Line services begin as far south as Shinagawa Station and stop at Shimbashi, Tokyo, and Ueno stations before they reach Nippori. The official end of the Joban Line is Iwanuma Station, but in reality many services continue on past Iwanuma Station as far north as Sendai Station.

Joban Line services running from JR Ueno Station are all northbound. For southbound services towards Shinagawa, please see our article on the Ueno-Tokyo Line. Because the Joban Line is divided into separate sections, no services run the complete length of the line. The furthest destination you can reach directly from Ueno is Iwaki Station in Fukushima Prefecture. Beyond Iwaki a number of local services run along the rest of the line, but there is one section, between Tomioka and Namie, that has been closed since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. This section is expected to reopen in 2020, but for the time being replacement bus services are used to connect the Tomioka and Namie stations.

At JR Ueno Station, Joban Line services depart from platforms 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. As this is a JR line all services are fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Key Destinations from Ueno

There are variety of Joban Line services, including local, rapid, special rapid, and limited express services that run to destinations between Ueno and Iwaki. The following stations are on this section of the line:

Ueno > Nippori > Mikawashima > Minami-Senju > Kita-Senju > Ayase > Kameari > Kanamachi > Matsudo > Kita-Matsudo > Mabashi > Shim-Matsudo > Kita-Kogane > Minami-Kashiwa > Kashiwa > Kita-Kashiwa > Abiko > Tennodai > Toride > Fujishiro > Sanuki > Ushiku > Hitachino-Ushiku > Arakawaoki > Tsuchiura > Kandatsu > Takahama > Ishioka > Hatori > Iwama > Tomobe > Uchihara > Akatsuka > Kairakuen > Mito > Katsuta > Sawa > Tokai > Omika > Hitachi-Taga > Hitachi > Ogitsu > Juo > Takahagi > Minami-Nakago > Isohara > Otsuko > Nakoso > Ueda > Izumi > Yumoto > Uchigo >Iwaki

In addition to regular Joban Line services running from Ueno, are some rapid “Joban – Narita Line” services that run as far as Abiko Station on the Joban Line, before joining the Narita Line and continuing on to Narita Station. These trains stop at the following stations:

Ueno > Nippori > Mikawashima > Minami-Senju > Kita-Senju > Matsudo > Kashiwa > Abiko > Higashi-Abiko > Kohoku > Araki > Fusa > Kioroshi > Kobayashi > Ajiki > Shimosa-Manzaki > Narita

Please note that Narita Station serves the town of Narita, and not Narita Airport. Passengers who wish to continue on to Narita Airport should transfer at Narita Station.

Information about the key destinations on these lines is given below with example fares and train times given from JR Ueno Station.

Nippori Station

Nippori’s attractions include Yanaka Ginza: a traditional shopping street, the Yanaka Cemetery which is popular for cherry blossom viewing, Tennoji Temple which dates from 1274, and the view from Yuyake Dandan: the “Sunset Stairs”.

Transfer here to the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, the JR Yamanote Line, the Keisei Main Line, and the Nippori-Toneri Liner.

Minami-Senju Station

The Ichiyo Higuchi Memorial Museum is a 15 minute walk from Minami-Senju Station. Ichiyo Higuchi was a celebrated short story writer of the Meiji era whose face is depicted on the 5,000 yen note. The museum displays various artifacts from her life and is built on the site of her former home. The museum is closed on Mondays or on the following Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday.

Transfer here to the Tsukuba Express and the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.

Kita-Senju Station

Kita-Senju is a popular commercial district dominated by two large department stores: Lumine and Marui. There are also many shopping arcades around the station lined with cheap restaurants and bars.

Transfer here to the Tobu Skytree Line, the Tsukuba Express, and Tokyo Metro’s Chiyoda and Hibiya lines.

Ayase Station

Ayase Station is an 8 minute walk from the martial arts arena, Tokyo Budokan.

Transfer here to Tokyo Metro’s Chiyoda Line.

Kanamachi Station

Kanamachi Station is a 20 minute walk from Mizumoto Park; this is the largest park in Tokyo and is famous for its iris flower displays in June.

Transfers can be made at the nearby Keisei Kanamachi Station to the Keisei Kanamachi Line.

Matsudo Station

Tojogaoka Historical Park is a 15 minute walk south of Matsudo Station. In this park you can find the Tojo-tei house which was built as the family home of Akitake Tokugawa in 1884. Akitake was the younger brother of Japan’s last shogun, and he had his house built in a traditional Japanese style. There is also a museum in the park, and a western style lawn garden.
At Matsudo Station transfers can be made to the Shin-Keisei Line.

Mabashi Station

Manmanji Temple which dates from 1256 is a 5 minute walk from Mabashi Station.
Transfer at Mabashi Station to the Ryutetsu Nagareyama Line.

Shim-Matsudo Station

Transfer here to the JR Musashino Line.

Kashiwa Station

Transfer here to the Tobu Urban Park Line.

Abiko Station

Abiko’s top attractions are The Abiko City Museum of Birds and Akebonoyama Agricultural Park. The Museum of Birds is located on the shore of Lake Teganuma and its exhibits provide a great introduction to the variety of bird species that live around the lake. After visiting the museum you can take a stroll along a nature trail through the Teganuma marshes and observe the birdlife for yourself. Akebonoyama Park has a variety of shops and dining facilities, colorful seasonal flower displays, a barbecue site, a lotus pond, a waterfall and a windmill!

Transfers can be made at Abiko Station to the Narita Line.

Toride Station

Transfer here to the Kanto Railway Joso Line.

Sanuki Station

Transfer here to the Kanto Railway Ryugasaki Line.

Ushiku Station

Ushiku is a small city in Ibaraki with a couple of unique attractions. Ushiku Daibutsu is the world’s largest statue of the Buddha, which stands 120 meters tall. Visitors can go inside the statue and take an elevator up to the observation deck. Chateau Kamiya (also called Ushiku Chateau) is a historic wine chateau dating from 1901. In addition to the stately Meiji era buildings and gardens the chateau has two restaurants and a barbecue garden where you can enjoy fine wines or craft beers along with your meal.

Tsuchiura Station

This station is a 15 minute walk from Kijo Park and the reconstructed Tsuchiura Castle. The nearby Tsuchiura City Museum gives a good introduction to Tsuchiura’s history as an Edo era castle town.

Tomobe Station

Transfer here to the JR Mito Line.

Kairakuen Station

This station serves the local Kairakuen Garden which is considered to be one of the most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan. The station is only open during the plum blossom season in February and March when many visitors come to view the garden’s 3,000 plum trees. In other seasons the garden can be accessed by a 30 minute lakeside stroll from Mito Station.

Mito Station

Mito is the capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture. In addition to the Kairakuen Garden, Mito has a number of sites of cultural interest. These include the historic Edo era buildings of the Kodokan school, Art Tower Mito, Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of History, the Tokugawa Art Museum, and Mito Municipal Botanical Park.

Transfer at Mito Station to the JR Suigun Line, and the Kashima Rinkai Railway Oarai-Kashima Line.

Katsuta Station

Transfer here to the Hitachinaka Seaside Railway Minato Line.

Izumi Station

Izumi Station is the closest station to Iwaki Lalamew. This seafood “theme park” has a large seafood market, lots of sea view restaurants, shops, a kids play zone, and a seafood barbecue center. Iwaki Lalamew is also the access point for cruises around Onohama Bay. Iwaki Lalamew is a 15 minute taxi ride from Izumi Station.

Yumoto Station

Yumoto Station serves the historic hot spring spa resort town of Iwaki Yumoto Onsen. The natural mineral waters of the hot spring baths are said to be good for all kinds of health problems such as stiff shoulders, high blood pressure, poor circulation and general fatigue. Also close to the station is the Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum, which has a reconstructed mine and several complete dinosaur skeletons on display. Yumoto Station is also the closest station to the resort and theme park, Spa Resort Hawaiians. This theme park is famous for its Hawaiian dance troupe and for having the world’s biggest outdoor bath. Iwaki Yumoto Onsen can be accessed directly from the station. Iwaki Coal and Fossil Museum is a ten minute walk to the north of the station. Spa Resort Hawaiians can be accessed from the station in 15 minutes by bus, or 10 minutes by taxi. Recommended resort hotels at Iwaki Yumoto Onsen are Ryokan Koito and Yuyutei.

Uchigo Station

Exit here for the Shiramizu Amidado Temple which is a designated National Treasure first constructed in 1160 and famous for its Pure Land garden. The temple is a 30 minute walk from Uchigo Station.

Iwaki Station

Iwaki Station is the main station for Iwaki City which is the largest city in Fukushima Prefecture. Iwaki City Art Museum exhibits works by Picasso, Matisse and Warhol and is a 13 minute walk from the station. One of Iwaki’s most famous locations is the Shioyazaki Lighhouse which is a working lighthouse and museum overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Visitors can enter and climb the lighthouse to enjoy spectacular views of the coastline. The lighthouse can be reached by bus from Iwaki Station in 15 minutes.

Transfer here to the JR Banetsu East Line. Passengers who wish to travel further north along the Joban Line should also transfer here.

Through Services on the Narita Line to Narita Station

Narita Station

Some through services from Ueno travel along the Joban Line as far as Abiko before changing to the Abiko Branch Line of the Narita Line. The main destination of interest on this line is the final stop of Narita Station which serves the city of Narita.

The city’s most famous attraction is Naritasan Shinshoji Temple which dates from 940. Several of the temple buildings, including the pagoda and main gate, are designated as Important Cultural Properties. This large temple complex holds several popular festivals throughout the year. Particularly well known is the Narita Drum Festival in April and the Narita Gion Festival in July.

The road from Narita Station to the temple is called Naritsan Omotesando Street and is lined with many historical shops and restaurants selling traditional food and souvenirs. Nearby Naritasan Park is a large scenic public garden which is well known for its plum blossoms in February and March, and for its autumn foliage in the fall.

At Narita Station passengers can transfer to the Narita Line’s Main Line and also to the Airport Branch Line. Passengers can also transfer to the Keisei Main Line and the Keisei Higashi-Narita Line at nearby Keisei Narita Station.

Useful Links

To plan your journey via the Joban Line use English language route finders like the Japan Transit Planner or Hyperdia. JR East has a PDF route map of their railway network in which the Joban Line is numbered 21 and the Joban – Narita Line through service is numbered 22.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.