Kyushu's Oldest Railway Tunnel
The Ishizaka Tunnel (Second Tunnel) (石坂トンネル（第２隧道）) is a brick railway tunnel dug by the Hoshu Railway of 1895 in Aka Village, Tagawa District, and Miyako Town, Miyako District, Fukuoka Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on November 18, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a brick tunnel 75 metres long and 8.1 metres wide, with stone and brick portals; registration number 40-0012.
A Horseshoe Portal Built for Double Track
The Ishizaka Tunnel (Second Tunnel) is a curved brick tunnel 75 metres long, cut by the Hoshu Railway Company through the bedrock of Mount Osaka near the Ishizaka pass (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its flattened horseshoe portals were built for double track. The portals are of cut stone with only the arches in brick, and gatepost-like projections at their ends frame them. The engineer in charge was Nobeji Hisaki.
According to Fukuoka Prefecture's public magazine, it was built in 1895 and is the oldest surviving railway tunnel in Kyushu, still used by Heisei Chikuho Railway trains. It can be seen from a bridge at the nearby Genjii no Mori park.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape. Fukuoka Prefecture describes it as the oldest surviving railway tunnel in Kyushu.
What to Look For
Look for the cut-stone portals with brick arches and the gatepost-like projections at their ends (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Heisei Chikuho Railway Co., Ltd., and trains still run through it (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Fukuoka Prefecture). The tunnel is on the line itself; Fukuoka Prefecture notes that it can be seen from a bridge at Genjii no Mori.
Q&A
- When was the tunnel built?
- In 1895 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Who dug it?
- The Hoshu Railway Company, with Nobeji Hisaki as engineer.
- Why is it notable?
- It is the oldest surviving railway tunnel in Kyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture).
- Where can I see it?
- From a bridge at Genjii no Mori.
- When was the Ishizaka Tunnel (Second Tunnel) registered?
- On November 18, 1999 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Ishizaka Tunnel (Second Tunnel) (石坂トンネル（第２隧道）) |
|---|---|
| Location | Aka, Aka Village, Tagawa District, to Sakiyama, Miyako Town, Miyako District, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1999/11/18 (Heisei 11) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Brick, 75 m long, 8.1 m wide, stone and brick portals |
| Owner | Heisei Chikuho Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | On the railway line; visible from a bridge at Genjii no Mori |
References
- Ishizaka Tunnel (Second Tunnel) (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00001459
- Feature: Local Railways of Fukuoka (Graph Fukuoka, Autumn 2016, Fukuoka Prefecture)
- https://www.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/somu/graph-f/2016autumn/plan/index.html
Last verified: 2026.10.23