About the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel
The Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel (旧北陸線芦谷トンネル, Kyū Hokurikusen Ashitani Tonneru) is a former railway tunnel in Ohida, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, completed in 1894 and entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 February 2016. It is a straight bore 223 m long and 3.7 m wide, set in the tightly packed run of tunnels where the old Hokuriku Main Line climbed over the Kinome mountains.
The Magaridani Tunnel lies about 100 m to the south and the Iradani Tunnel about 90 m to the north. Tsuruga City lists the location as spanning the Ohida and Motohida districts, a hint that the Ashitani Tunnel cuts through the ridge between them. The structure is owned by Fukui Prefecture.
Why the Ashitani Tunnel Was Registered
The Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel was registered together with the other twelve structures of the old line, as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. Much of that value lies in the plain fact that a Meiji railway tunnel still stands open on a mountainside road and can be driven or walked through.
What distinguishes this tunnel is the precision of the work. Tsuruga City's commentary for the Japan Heritage listing describes the interior as brick throughout, side walls and refuge niches included, with the walls in English bond and the arch in stretcher bond. The contract went to a consortium of local Hokuriku builders, and the work itself was carried out by Adachi-gumi using carefully selected materials supplied by the government. The city calls the result textbook work in both technique and design, a tunnel the others could be measured against.
It was finished in 1894, two years before the Tsuruga to Fukui section opened in 1896. Building a by-the-book tunnel on a rushed schedule is the quiet achievement here.
What to Look for at the Ashitani Tunnel
The portals are a contrast to the brick inside, built entirely of cut stone. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, like other tunnels associated with the Hokuriku Doboku company, the Ashitani portals carry pilasters, a coping and a string course, which give them a heavy, formal look. Two pilasters frame the arch, and the horizontal bands at the top close off the composition. Follow the joints across the stonework and you can see how hard the masons worked to keep every course level.
Inside, study the side walls. English bond alternates courses of stretchers, bricks laid lengthwise, with courses of headers, bricks laid end-on, so the pattern changes from one row to the next. Overhead the arch is all stretchers, and the line where wall turns into vault is easy to pick out. The recesses set into the walls at intervals are refuges, also lined in brick, where track workers once stood clear of passing trains.
Because the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel runs straight, the daylight at the far end is visible from the entrance 223 m away. From the south portal of the neighbouring Iradani Tunnel you can look back and see the mouths of the Ashitani and Magaridani tunnels one behind the other, a clear picture of how closely the bores follow each other on this part of the climb.
Visiting the Ashitani Tunnel
The Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel is part of the road along the old line and can be passed through by car or on foot. There is no fee and no reception point. At 3.7 m wide it takes only one lane of traffic, so if you are walking to look at the portals or lining, watch for vehicles from both directions and keep moving once inside.
The best places to study the portal stonework are the short open stretches on either side, toward the Magaridani Tunnel or toward the Iradani Tunnel. Each gap is about 100 m or less, so on foot you can compare three portals within a few minutes, with the Ashitani Tunnel in the middle. When taking photographs, remember that you are standing on a road and pick a spot that does not block traffic.
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Q&A
- Where is the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel?
- In Ohida, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, on the section of the old Hokuriku Main Line where tunnels follow one another almost without a break. The Magaridani Tunnel is about 100 m to the south and the Iradani Tunnel about 90 m to the north.
- When was the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel built, and when was it registered?
- It was completed in 1894 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 February 2016, together with the other twelve structures of the old line.
- How is the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel constructed?
- It is a straight bore 223 m long, lined entirely in brick, including the refuge niches. The walls are in English bond and the arch in stretcher bond, while the portals are cut stone with pilasters, a coping and a string course.
- Who built the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel?
- According to Tsuruga City, the contract was held by a consortium of local Hokuriku builders and the work was done by Adachi-gumi, using carefully selected materials supplied by the government.
- Can you drive or walk through the Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel, and is there a fee?
- Yes. It is part of the road along the old line and is open to cars and pedestrians, with no fee or reception. It is a single lane 3.7 m wide, so walkers should watch for traffic.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel |
|---|---|
| Location | Ohida, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2016 (Heisei 28), registered |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Length 223 m, width 3.7 m |
| Owner | Fukui Prefecture |
| Public Access | Open to traffic as part of a road; no fee or reception |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010959
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Hokuriku Line Ashitani Tunnel
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/298939
- Japan Heritage Portal: component property Ashitani Tunnel
- https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4970/
- Japan Heritage Portal: component property Iradani Tunnel
- https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4971/
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Meiji-era infrastructure sheet: Ashitani Tunnel
- https://www.mlit.go.jp/sogoseisaku/region/infratourism/assets/pdf/meiji/kinki063.pdf
- Tsuruga City: List of national and prefectural cultural properties
- https://www.city.tsuruga.lg.jp/page/4435.html
Last verified: 2026.10.07
