The longest undersea tunnel in the world JR北海道および津軽海峡線 |
JR-Hokkaido
Hokkaido, formerly known as Ezo, is the second largest island of Japan and locates at the northernmost of its
47 prefectures. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected
by the underwater SeikanTunnel. The capital is Sapporo, the most populated city in Hokkaido. The population
of Hokkaido is about 5,470,000 in 2019.
(L) The island of Hokkaido (R) Lake Toya, a volcanic lake in Hokkaido The 2008 G8 Summit was held here.
The Hokkaido Railway Company is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group, and thus often known
as JR-Hokkaido. It operates inter-city-rail services in Hokkaido. A privatization from Government-owned railway is
carried out in 1987. The length of railway tracks operated at that time was over 3,000 km. This has dwindled to below
2,500 km, as unprofitable lines have been shut down. The ferry service has been replaced by the Seikan Tunnel.
Hokkaido Railway's headquarter is located in Sapporo.
(L) Red line indicates the Seikan Tunnel, the world's longest undersea tunnel.
(R) Satellite picture of Hokkaido
(L) Aomori-side entrance of Seikan Tunnel (R) Illustration of the under-sea tunnel
Now, Shinkansen super-express train only runs between Aomori and Hakodate: The travel time from Tokyo to Hakodate is four hours.
Hakodate-side exit of Seikan Tunnel (Picture source: BS Asahi )
The Seikan Tunnel is a 53.85 km railway tunnel, with a 23.3 km long portion under the seabed. Track level is about
140 meters below the seabed and 240 meters below sea level. It is the longest undersea tunnel in the world.
However, the Channel Tunnel, which connects the land of United Kingdom and France, has a longer under-sea portion.
The train of Kaikyo Line travels beneath the Tsugaru Syrait, which lays between the Aomori Prefectute of Honshu island
and the island of Hokkaido.
Undersea station in the tunnel connecting the northern Honshu and Hokkaido:
The pictures were taken in October 2012. Here is not open to the general public anymore.
青函海底トンネル駅（廃止）
Tour in the undersea station in the tunnel connecting the northern Honshu and Hokkaido
津軽海峡線特急車窓 2012
An express train is linking northern Honshu and Hokkaido through the undersea tunnel.
Hokkaido Railway Company 青函トンネル情報
青函トンネは、本州の青森県と北海道とを結ぶ鉄道トンネルである。世界最長の海底トンネルおよび三線軌条のトンネルであり、
2016年にスイスの「ゴッタルドベーストンネル」が開通するまでは、世界最長のトンネルであった。 日本鉄道建設公団に
よって建設され、後身の鉄道建設・運輸施設整備支援機構が保有し、JR北海道が管理および列車運行を行っている。
津軽海峡の海底下約100 mの地中を穿って設けられたトンネルで、全長53.85 kmは交通機関用のトンネルとしては日本一であり、
海底トンネルおよび三線軌条のトンネルとしては、いまなお世界一の長さと深さを持つトンネルである。
長さ約1.2 kmの第1湯の里トンネルは青函トンネルに一体化しており、これらを含めたトンネル状構造物の総延長は約55 kmになる。
Source:wikipedia
Gotthard Base Tunnel, between Swiss and Italia
Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido Asahikawa 2018 Sapporo 2018 Hakodate 2018 Railway Travel from Sapporo to Hakodate, via Kutchan, Hokkaido Smoking Ban in JR Hokkaido Trains 
A smoke-free railway that runs a beautiful Hokkaido Three major Japanese railway companies think that the smoking car and/or
smoking booth in a train are the superb service to train passengers.
東海道・山陽新幹線列車・近鉄特急喫煙ルーム
JR-East RailwayJR-TokaiAn anti-smoking measurer of the JR-Tokai and JR-West is really putting the clock back!
The Japanese Government does not prohibit smoking in a train vehicle.
The smoking room in the train infringes the health of the passengers. Kinki-Nippon Railway company still operates smoking vehicles.The railway company leading a passenger to health damage
The smoking room in the train adversely affects the health of the passengers. 人口減と危機に瀕する鉄道経営 全面禁煙化したJR北海道
JR北海道および津軽海峡線2006年10月執筆 2009年9月加筆 2012年12月加筆 2020年6月再編集
執筆 医学博士 宮本順伯
The article was written in October 2006, and revised in September 2009 and December 2012,
and two pictures were added in October 2012,
and last revised in June 2020 and March 2024,
by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D., PhD.
竜飛海底駅の画像4枚は朝日デジタルより引用
Copyright (C) 2006 Junhaku Miyamoto, PhD. All right is reserved.
