Regardless of how underused rail lines are, it is still sad to see lines being shut. There will always be somebody who relies on these lines and it will suck for them.

I hope I can make it back to Japan before any of these lines close, they pass through some very scenic places that would be interesting as a tourist. I understand the need to close some lines but it always makes me sad.

Your videos are so well done and so interesting. I found your channel through a reddit submission, and I have been binge watching it ever since. Once again, you produced such a well researched piece, with such excellent graphics. It is crazy to see the effects Covid is having on so many areas of life throughout the world. Look forward to your next video. Stay safe . Wishing you good health from Philadelphia, Pa USA

Thank you for this video! I am a shareholder of JR West and your videos are an invaluable tool for research. I live in Europe so following Japanese news can be a challenge, I can not overstate how much your efforts are appreciated! Hope you have a nice weekend!

Now, what about JR East? Reasons why: State of Emergency Deficits in cities outside of Tokyo Loss of tourism

It would be too sad, if it gets reality. Still remember the beautiful section between Masuda and Hagi when traveling in summer 2019...

I always knew JR West had to really develop the Sanyo Shinkansen and the Urban Network in order to keep the Chugoku lines afloat, but if it's this bad, I fear many of these lines will go the way of the Sankō Line.

They need to start dual gauging these lines with standard guage and through running some Shinkansen trains absorbing these lines

They should have closed them temporarly when the demand is low because of covid and reopened when covid is open. But this sounds like they will forcefully keep it alive for a while and then finally have to close it when covid is over.

Very interesting as always and looking forward to the next one.

..if you close lines the problem is that the infrastructure (the tracks itself) is in most cases lost forever ( the tracks will be sold for scrap metal) and you can almost never re establish such loss...all happened here in Germany and many parts of Europe decades ago and now we are doomed to rely on cars, trucks and roads, which is, as we see now, not the smartest way (climate change) 🤔😣. To destroy an infrastructure that cost not much to maintain (tracks itself) is just dumb 😖😭🤯🤪. My advice: at least maintain the tracks, even if a line is closed temporarily...you never know what will be smart in the future ( see present days 😷😉). And...よくやった, ありがとうございました. 😊😁

Great video! Please, make a video about JR East deficit lines. It will be interesting to see them.

At least they look better than JR-Hokkaido...

Or they can close and replace these lines with low speed maglev with automated trains

Thanks for doing this video. Not sure if it will go through...but I have a planned trip to Japan this year. One of the rail sections I intend to travel is the section from Hagi to Masuda. I hope that JR West will be able to take steps to remain afloat without closing any lines permanently. Until travel restrictions are lifted, JR West can either temporarily shut down low traffic sections or use less train cars to save money. Perhaps shutting down on certain days would help or maybe only running during peak time hours. With the extreme reduction in tourism, I am surprised that JR West hasn't already taken steps. One thing that would really help is to abolish the mandatory 2-week quarantine and require a negative test result instead. Unless one can take a vacation that exceeds a month, the quarantine period is a death blow to any chance of making vacation plans. If you test negative, the quarantine is just punitive and nothing more. With the worldwide release of the vaccine, we SHOULD return to normality.

I think some of the deficit lines can be promoted via cycling tourism. Many cyclists want to venture into those far-off places. If they can be allowed to push their bicycles directly onto the trains, then some of the cyclists are willing to travel to those remote areas.

Would you consider doing a video on the Sotetsu-JR Chokutsu Line?

Well done

These lines are too windy and twisted it’s why many intercity trains in USA died off japan might be better off building replacement tunnels through these mountains and run more direct trains that are faster and more attractive to use

Also I find JR West's Hokuriku maps amusing as it might end up the first region without any JR conventional lines, only the vertical ones crossing the Shinkansen remain.

I really want to visit Etsumi-hoku since it's featured on this new anime called 2.43. I thought it has better density since it passes through Ono City.

It would be a real shame if the Oito line is closed before I get to ride on it...

No way, that's so sad :(

after checking the situation after the emergency is released, like some rail companies (JR East, JR Kyushu), others probably should step up and open up (temporarily) some 'local rail passes' for not just 'foriegners in japan regardless of visa types' but also japanese people. make it better than seishun, but less than say JR pass or JR (local) pass. that way, people would actually be keen to go visit stations like tsubojiri, bingo-ochiai, and it will be that "golden window" for people to enjoy what foreigners seem to be able to (through JR pass). :) overall very nice videos. thank you so much

First Hokkaido, then Shiikoku, now JRWest... the railwayclosing virus is spreading

Regardless of the effects of the pandemic, rural areas across Japan are continuing to depopulate as the birth rate declines and more young people move to cities to find work. These closures may ultimately be inevitable, but they’ll probably happen sooner rather than later now.

Great video! Now I really want to ride the section from Bingo-Ochiai to Tojo. Where is the second worst passenger density in Japan?

I rode the Kuzuryu line during 2019 Obon, it was packed both ways to Ono. But you wonder if Japanese people had European style 4 week summer holidays plus a post Covid tourism recovery perhaps some of these lInes could see a revival.

JUST 11 people!!!!!! Run buses

Japan and Corona. It is a beautiful chance for Japanese businesses to embrace work from home/work from anywhere, breaking the "work only at office" culture at least where it is possible (start from IT). but then, also encourage the employees to go back to "jikka" at the earliest, as they dont 'need to commute'. sadly, very very few companies are taking these steps. how would this help? not just decongest Tokyo, Osaka and few other cities, but with people moving back, at least on holidays and weekends to start with, expect the rail lines to start making some money. in the long run, it might lead to reduction of some trains on these routes rather than complete closure. sadly, corona is going to become a huge "iiwake" to close some unique lines~~

Lol bingo Ochiai do be a sad station despite being a transfer station with two lines it has almost nobody using it

Very interesting video! I think it will be bad to replace trains with buses, especially for foreign tourists. In many countries, bus terminals are often considered the most unsafe places in a town, and long haul buses are associated with drifters and vagrants. Even if Japan is a safe country, foreign tourists will not want to travel to rural areas if they are told they have to take a bus instead of just travel on a train.