LastUpDate: March 31, 2023

Hakata Culture vol.194

Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line Extension to Make Access More Convenient

 Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line Extension to Make Access More Convenient

The extension of the Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line to Hakata Station will go into operation on March 27, 2023. This is expected to further improve accessibility between various parts of the city and Hakata Station. The Fukuoka City Subway, which now has three lines—the Airport Line (No. 1), the Hakozaki Line (No. 2), and the Nanakuma Line (No. 3)—was initially planned in the 1970s. The plan called for the No. 1 Line to run from Meinohama to Hakata and the No. 2 Line from Nakasu-Kawabata to Kaizuka, and a portion of the No. 1 Line, from Muromi to Tenjin, opened in 1981.


After that, construction progressed gradually, eventually lengthening the total distance of the subway line. In 1983, the No. 1 Line was connected to Hakata Station and began mutual direct service with the Chikuhi Line operated by JR Kyushu (formerly Japan National Railways). Then, in 1986, the No. 2 Line was extended to Kaizuka, which created a connection with the Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line (formerly the Nishitetsu Miyajidake Line). Next, in 1993, service between Hakata and Fukuoka Airport began, making access to and from the airport much more convenient by connecting Fukuoka Airport to the city center in about 5 minutes.


The newest of the planned three lines is the Nanakuma Line, which connects Hashimoto to Tenjin-Minami. Considering construction costs and other factors, this line uses a so-called mini-subway with smaller tunnels and cars than the two older lines. Since this is a magnet-driven iron-wheeled linear motor subway, it is quieter and smoother and generates less noise than conventional subways. The Nanakuma Line opened in 2005, thereby improving access from the southwestern part of the city to downtown.


The new extension on the Nanakuma Line will connect Tenjin-Minami to Hakata, with a new station, Kushida Shrine Station, in between. Each station has a logo related to its neighborhood. The logo for the new Kushida Shrine Station is a combination of the Kushida Shrine’s massive gingko tree and kakinawa, the ropes that runners use when carrying the floats in the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. Riders should be aware that, with this extension, discounted transfers between the Nanakuma Line (Tenjin-Minami) and the Airport Line (Tenjin) will be eliminated and will now be available at Hakata Station.



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七隈線延伸で便利になる福岡市地下鉄

2023年3月27日に博多駅まで延伸される福岡市地下鉄の七隈線。これで各方面と博多駅とのアクセスがさらに良くなることが期待されています。現在、空港線(1号線)、箱崎線(2号線)、七隈線(3号線)の3路線がある福岡市地下鉄が計画されたのは1970年代。姪浜〜博多の1号線と中洲川端〜貝塚の2号線が計画され、1981年には1号線の一部である室見〜天神間が開業しました。


その後も少しずつ工事を進め、地下鉄の総距離も長くなっていきます。1983年には博多駅とつながったことで、JR九州(旧・国鉄)筑肥線と相互直通運転を開始しました。1986年には貝塚まで延伸され、西鉄貝塚線(旧・西鉄宮地岳線)と接続します。さらに1993年には博多〜福岡空港間が開業し、空港とのアクセスがぐんと便利になり、福岡空港と市街地を5分程度で結ぶようになります。


3路線の中で最も最近計画されたのが橋本〜天神南を結ぶ七隈線です。この路線は工事費用などの要因を考えて、それまでの路線よりトンネルも車両も小さいミニ地下鉄が採用されています。磁気を利用して走る鉄輪式リニアモーター方式なので、従来の地下鉄より騒音が少なく静かでスムーズなのも特徴です。七隈線は2005年に開業し、福岡市南西部と都心部のアクセスに貢献しています。


今回延伸されるのは七隈線の天神南〜博多間で、中間には櫛田神社前駅が新設されます。各駅にはそのエリアに関連したシンボルマークが設置されていますが、櫛田神社前駅のシンボルマークは櫛田神社の「銀杏」と博多祇園山笠の「舁き縄」を組み合わせたデザイン。今回の延伸では、これまで可能だった天神駅・天神南駅での乗り換えが廃止され、博多駅での乗り換えとなるのでご注意を。