About the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel
The Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel (旧北陸線鮒ヶ谷トンネル, Kyū Hokurikusen Funagaya Tonneru) is a former railway tunnel in Aso, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, completed around 1895 and entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 February 2016. It is a straight bore 64 m long and 4.1 m wide, the shortest of the eleven surviving tunnels.
The Habara Tunnel lies about 1.1 km to the south and the Sorojidani Tunnel about 200 m to the north. Its cross-section is the same single-track horseshoe shape as the others. It is owned by Tsuruga City.
Why the Funagaya Tunnel Was Registered
The Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel was registered with the other twelve structures of the old line, as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. Short as it is, it is one link in the line's climb across the hillside toward the pass.
Its value lies in what it records about local builders tackling railway work for the first time. Tsuruga City's commentary for the Japan Heritage listing says the contract went to a consortium of local Hokuriku firms, and that the handling of the portal stones, the arrangements for water and a certain unfamiliarity in the brickwork suggest that the Funagaya and Sorojidani tunnels were built by contractors with no previous railway or tunnel experience, who gained skill and capital through the job.
A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism sheet dates the start of work to 1893. It notes a record that the contract with the Hokuriku Doboku company was cancelled in September 1894, though the firm seems to have carried on building, probably through local subcontractors.
What to Look for at the Funagaya Tunnel
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the lining has cut-stone side walls and a brick arch in stretcher bond, and the portals are stone. The detail to find is at the north portal, where the top of the portal is sloped to follow the hillside behind it. Most portals finish in a level line; here the crest runs at an angle with the ground, a careful touch that belongs to the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel alone.
So alongside the inexperience the city describes, there is work that was clearly thought through. At only 64 m, you can see straight through from one end to the other and follow the junction of stone wall and brick arch along its whole length.
Visiting the Funagaya Tunnel
The Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya 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. It is short but only one lane wide, so walkers should watch for vehicles from both directions.
The sloping crest of the north portal is easiest to see if you walk out and turn round. About 200 m farther north is the south portal of the Sorojidani Tunnel, thought to be the work of the same local firms, so you can compare the two in one short walk. When taking photographs, remember that you are on a road and choose a spot that keeps clear of traffic.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Fukui
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel
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Q&A
- How do you read the name of the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel, and where is it?
- It is read Funagaya. The tunnel is in Aso, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture, with the Habara Tunnel about 1.1 km to the south and the Sorojidani Tunnel about 200 m to the north.
- When was the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel built, and when was it registered?
- Work began in 1893 according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the tunnel was completed around 1895. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 February 2016.
- How long is the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel?
- It is 64 m long and 4.1 m wide, the shortest of the eleven surviving tunnels on the old line, and runs straight.
- What should you look for at the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel?
- The north portal, whose crest is sloped to follow the hillside. Inside, cut-stone side walls carry a brick arch in stretcher bond.
- Can you go through the Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya 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, so walkers should take care with traffic.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel |
|---|---|
| Location | Aso, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2016 (Heisei 28), registered |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Length 64 m, width 4.1 m |
| Owner | Tsuruga City |
| 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 Funagaya Tunnel
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010953
- Cultural Heritage Online: Former Hokuriku Line Funagaya Tunnel
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/220814
- Japan Heritage Portal: component property Funagaya Tunnel
- https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4964/
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Meiji-era infrastructure sheet: Funagaya Tunnel
- https://www.mlit.go.jp/sogoseisaku/region/infratourism/assets/pdf/meiji/kinki077.pdf
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Former Hokuriku Line Sorojidani Tunnel
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010954
- Tsuruga City: List of national and prefectural cultural properties
- https://www.city.tsuruga.lg.jp/page/4435.html
Last verified: 2026.10.07
