JR East will resume service on the Rikuu West Line, which has been suspended since May 2022 due to safety measures for nearby national highway tunnel construction, with the first train departing on January 16 (Fri), 2026.
Road tunnel excavation delays significantly
National Route 47, which runs parallel to the Rikuu West Line and connects Shinjo City and Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture, is currently undergoing construction work to create a high-standard road shortcut through a section of Tozawa Village to address issues such as narrow road widths and road closures due to rainfall restrictions. The new Takaya Tunnel crosses the Second Takaya Tunnel between Furukuchi Station and Takaya Station on the Rikuu West Line, and the two tunnels are extremely close together, only about 3 meters apart. To ensure safety during the excavation work, which presents numerous technical challenges, all trains on the Rikuu West Line have been canceled during this period, and bus transportation has been provided instead.
During construction, geological surveys revealed widespread cracks in the bedrock, necessitating expanded reinforcement measures to minimize the impact on the railway tunnel. While the additional measures significantly increased the amount of work required for the Takaya Tunnel excavation, the project was completed in August 2025. JR East then began work on restoring the railway line in preparation for service resumption. Training runs began on October 8 (Wed).
Will this impact tourists taking the Mogami River Boat Ride?
Originally scheduled until March 2024, the bus replacement service has been delayed by approximately one year, finally concluding on January 15 (Thu), 2026. The number and schedule of trains resuming service after a hiatus of approximately three years and eight months will remain roughly the same as before construction, with five round trips per day between Shinjo Station and Amarume Station, and four round trips per day between Shinjo Station, Amarume Station, and Sakata Station.
However, due to “very low usage” at Uzen-Maenami Station and Takaya Station, all trains will be treated as passing trains upon the resumption of service. Takaya Station is the nearest station to the disembarkation point for the Mogami River sightseeing boat ride, but due to railway tunnel reinforcement work, the shuttle bus has already stopped stopping there, so the impact on tourist use is unlikely to be significant.
