Yamada Line Suspension Oct. 5 to Dec. 4: How to Plan Morioka to Miyako

JR East will run a sharply reduced Yamada Line between Morioka and Miyako in Iwate Prefecture for 61 days, from Monday, October 5, through Friday, December 4, 2026, the railway says. No trains will run between Kamiyonai and Kawauchi for the whole period, and the outer sections will have only a handful of short shuttle runs.

The cuts are two weeks longer than last year’s 47 day plan, and JR East will not run replacement buses, but JR tickets will be accepted on Iwate Kenpoku Bus route 106 express and limited express buses between Morioka and Miyako, Norimono News reports. The railway blames falling leaves, which make train wheels slip on the rails each autumn and cause long delays.

Yamada Line Suspension Dates and Sections

The Yamada Line is a 102 kilometer rural line across the Kitakami Mountains from Morioka, the Iwate capital, to Miyako on the Sanriku coast. From October 5 to December 4, JR East says, trains between Morioka and Kamiyonai will turn back at Kamiyonai all day, with some departure times changed. Between Kamiyonai and Kawauchi there are no passenger trains at all.

At the Miyako end, trains will run between Kawauchi, Moichi and Miyako mainly in the morning and evening. Norimono News reports that the Morioka to Kamiyonai shuttle runs seven round trips on weekdays and six on weekends and holidays, and the Kawauchi to Miyako section gets three round trips in total. Toward Miyako, the only train from Kawauchi to Moichi leaves Kawauchi at 6:32 a.m., which makes it the last train of the day on that stretch.

Why JR East Cuts the Yamada Line Every Autumn

JR East says leaves and other debris on the rails cause wheel slip from around October each year, leading to large delays. By cutting trains during the leaf fall season, the railway aims to keep service stable at the busiest commuting and school times. Even in normal times the line is one of JR East’s quietest, with only three round trips a day running the full distance between Morioka and Miyako, according to Norimono News.

How to Travel Between Morioka and Miyako

For most visitors, the practical way between Morioka and the Sanriku coast during the suspension is the Iwate Kenpoku Bus route 106, which runs express and limited express buses between Morioka and Miyako. JR East says JR tickets are valid on those buses during the period, and the release adds that some special tickets, including Seishun 18 tickets and certain online ekinet tickets, are also accepted.

If you are planning a Sanriku coast trip from Morioka, build the bus into your itinerary rather than counting on the train, and check the bus timetable for your travel day. If you are making a day trip from Morioka to Miyako and back, note the time of the last route 106 bus to Morioka before you set out, because there is no through train to fall back on until the line returns to normal after December 4. The plan covers only JR East’s Yamada Line; the release does not mention the Sanriku Railway Rias Line, which also serves Miyako station.

Seasonal Trips and Rail Passes in Iwate

The suspension covers the autumn color weeks in the Kitakami Mountains. During the cut, the middle section between Kamiyonai and Kawauchi has no trains, so a rail pass trip on the line itself is not possible. Holders of JR passes should confirm with JR East or the bus operator whether their pass is accepted on route 106, since the release names specific ticket types.