Your Next Travel Fix via Streetcars and Trams! 16 Top Lines Selected by a Lifelong Streetcar Enthusiast

The “Shiden” streetcar in Sapporo is quite the interesting ride. A good many streetcars are positioned to run down the center of the road, but the one in Sapporo has a new curbside circle section that was newly opened between the Nishi 4 Chome and Susukino stops. You can hop on right from the side of the street, making it especially easily to come and go, even more so than other streetcars or sections on the same line in Sapporo. You can see tourists with this easy air of like “Huh, ok this works!”.

The lovingly nicknamed “Tokyo Sakura Tram”, the Toden-Arakawa Line is the only “Toden” city tram left in Tokyo. The section between Asukayama Station and Oji Station is the only section of the Toden Line that runs alone the street. This is a pretty rare moment to experience, that just so happens to run over a very steep slope. Too step for a standard railway train, the tram trolleys up and down with great eae.
It’s quite the spectacle to watch. There are no special cars or upgrades, it’s the same city tram running on the same city tracks up and down like the trams of yesteryear.

Enoden is the world-famous nickname for the Enoshima Electric Railway. Some of you may have even seen the famous snap of a scared mikoshi shrine being carried alongside the streetcar as it goes. The section between Enoshima and Koshigoe stations is the sole area where it trolleys through the streets before returning to its dedicated track. This one of a kind paved section cuts across the middle of the road in a peculiar way that’s all its own. Take a look on Google maps to see what I mean.

Over in the Chubu Region, let’s start with the Toyohashi Railway City Line. There’s one line that branches off from Ibara Station towards Undo Koen-mae Station. The original main line continues on a straightaway but the curving section after Ibara Station is a dramatically sharp curve. It’s unusual even on curves, but at this point the car of the axels under the tram jut out as if nearly drifting. If you see it careening around even just once it’s sure to leave quite the impression.

Another must in the Chubu Region is a slightly odd variant, it’s the city tram that waits over in Meiji Village. The train here resembles Japan’s first streetcars that use to run in Kyoto. The electric turns the motor, and to stop you simply hit the breaks. It’s a straightforward old school train that you can see up close. Many also love to see the trolley pole drawing electricity from overhead wires as they train turns around.

Turn your eyes over to the Hokuriku Region and the first streetcar most people mention is the Toyama Chiho Dentetsu city tram.
The big draw here is the single-track section that opened in 2009 between Marunouchi Station and Nishimachi Station on Line 3 (Loop Line). The tracks are designed into the interlocking pavement in a way that almost nods at the cobblestone streetscapes in European towns. The tram stops have stylish designs that have a more global flair, complete with transparent back wall and roof. Towering all of this is Toyama Castle. Buzzing with a blend of east meets west, the finished look of this urban landscape is one that makes you want to stop and stare.

For Kansai, it’s all about the “Hankai Tramway”, or “Hankai Densha” as the nickname goes in Japanese.
There at the foot of Abeno Harukas, the famed 300m-tall skyscraper you might look down to find a tramline scooting along the streets between Abeno and Tennoji Station, the start of the Uemachi Line. If you happen to catch one of the more retro builds it looks especially snapworthy as it scoots by the modern buildings.
To top it off, the Sakai area around the Uemachi Line is always worth a visit. From Ayanomachi to Goryomae the track runs straight down the center of the road in Sakai’s Old Town district. The road along the way is dotted with old-timey shops like confectioneries, food stalls and crafts stores that make for a perfect stopover if you want to get out and explore.

Another name in the Kansai Region that can’t be missed is the Keishin Line by Keihan Electric. Kick off in Kyoto and head over the mountains into Otsu City where it starts cutting through the middle of the road. The line has a direct connection to the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line, so in a special feat the normal train cars run above the street pavement. Usually streetcars are registered at 30 meters in length or less, but cars on the Keishin Line measure in at 66m, with a total 4-car build. There is no other place where you’ll see the trains running on the street pavement like this. They also bank across dramatic curves that are almost as fun to watch as they are to ride.

The Chugoku and Shikoku Region are so hard because there are so many candidates, but let’s take a look at the Okayama Electric Tramway, or “Okaden” as it’s known for short.
The big reason here are the stops. There’s a stop called Chunagon on the Higashiyama Line, but it is literally nothing more than line drawn on the road, something I’ve only seen in traffic manuals (haha). There’s absolutely no platform, and no zones or precautions that life it above the level of the road. Even so you’ll fin dlocals hopping on and off like usual. There’s a veteran kibi dango shop in front of this shop that you might also want to grab as souvenirs.

Next up is Hiroshima. The “Hinoden”, as many lovingly call it is, is the nickname for the Hiroshima Electric Railway. This is another one with peculiar stops.
A quick look at Koamicho Station on the Miyajima and 3 city lines and you’ll notice that this stop also has no physical platform. There’s a white line of paint on the pavement that’s labeled “Platform”. This is the last stop on the Hinoden that doesn’t have a physical platform. It would even make more sense if it was a single-car tram, but with multiple cars and people get off at different doors it seems rather peculiar.
Here’s another note about the Hinoden that’s all the buzz over at Hiroshima Station. in August 2025 the first ever direct connection between a streetcar and 2nd level of the JR station building was unveiled via elevated transfer. I went and tried it out, and I have to say this really streamlined the JR transfer.

Over in the Shikoku Region, you have to note the Botchan Train run by Iyo Railway in Matsuyama City.
The sightseeing trolly operates only on weekends and holidays, but if you time a visit you’ll find a line of passenger cars pulled by a diesel locomotive designed like the train from Natsume Soseki’s novel of the same name. The interior of the cars and crew uniforms have all be restored for an extra old-world flavor you can’t resist. Even if you’re not a full-on fan like me, the view and ride itself are undeniably charming.

Next up in the Shikoku Region is the Tosaden over in Kochi. The roads are an easy grid format, known to run short north and south but especially long across east and west.
Along those roads a few lucky travelers might just see the “Diamond Crossing”. This four-way intersection just begs to be photographed. Among tram fans, we like to use the world “triple cross” to describe the magical moment when streetcars come from 3 different directions and pass at the same time (haha). The track areas are also manicured with grass along some points. The route seems almost romantic as the cars trolley along lush green grass.

Kyushu is another hot hub for streetcars, but one especially noteworthy line is the Chikuho Electric Railway in Fukuoka Prefecture.
The line is warmly coined the “Chikutetsu”, referring to the line that connects Kurosaki Ekimae Station in Kitakyushu City with Chikuho-Nogata Station in Nogata City. What makes this one special is that even though it’s a streetcar, it doesn’t run on the streets (haha). It has a dedicated track made specially for tram-type cars, a remnant that nods to the days when it originally ran the tram section of the Nishitetsu Kitakyushu Line.

Now we’ve made it to my own hometown in Nagasaki, so I’ll have to hold back a bit to note play favorites (haha).
Let’s start with the stops. Over at Sofukuji Station, the terminus of Line 1, you’ll find a river underneath the tracks as the platform just out over the water. Then there’s the line. Between Dejima Station and Shinchi Chinatown Station, the old track system remains intact, with tracks laid in two lanes of the three-lane road. As there is only one lane for cars in each direction, this is the only section of Nagasaki Electric Tramway where cars are allowed to run onto the tracks. And then, the scenery. Sakuramachi Street near Nagasaki City Hall, as its name suggests, has beautiful cherry blossom trees flanking its sides. You can see them from the tram, and you can even take photos of the train and cherry blossoms together for something truly splendid.

Next up is Kumamoto City Tram, a streetcar operated by the Kumamoto City Transportaton Bureau.
The hands-down draw here is the view of Kumamoto Castle, one of the 3 most famed castles in all of Japan. Riding from the Torichusuji tram stop through the Kumamoto city downtown, you can watch as Kumamoto Castle looms right before your eyes. This is the perfect spot to snap a photo of a castle and streetcar in the same frame. It’s obviously gorgeous in daylight, but the view after dark is especially dazzling when the castle is all lit up. You might want to make a few rounds to catch all the different Kumamoto-tastic views during your stay.

The last, but certainly not least, is my take on the Kagoshima City Tramway.
When most people bring up Kagoshima, they have to mention Sakurajima, too. With the city tram you can get around the city sights easily, but there’s the added bonus of these amazing views of Sakurajima along the way. The only catch is that the spots where you can see it from inside the tram or where you can see the tram running with the mountain in the background are a limited few.
I have an absolute best spot, over at Takenohashi Bridge between the two Shinyashiki and Takenohashi stops aong Route 1. From there there’s a wide open view of Sakurajima without any buildings getting in the way. Obviously the view from inside the tram is great, but you might also want to get off at the next stop, Takenohashi, and wait for a chance to snap the next tram as it goes by in the foreground. It’s a rare moment that’s truly worth the stop.