Spot

The Akenobe Mine Meishin Train was a six-kilometer electric railway built in 1929 to carry ore from Akenobe through the mountain tunnel to Mikobata’s ore processing plant. In addition to freight cars, the railway also operated passenger cars for the convenience of the mine workers and others commuting between the two towns. The passenger cars cost just one yen to ride, so the train became known as the One-Yen Train (ichi-en densha). It operated from 1945 until 1985. Three of the passenger cars remain on display near the Akenobe mine, and one has even been restored for visitor rides on a newly constructed 70-meter section of track.