Light Railway

Okinawa is the only prefecture in Japan without a railway.

However, three prefectural railways had existed around Naha on the main island of Okinawa before the War: Yonabaru line, Kadena line, and Itoman line, with a total length of 46.8 kilometers. All three were light railways with a narrow gauge of 762 millimeters wide, and a small steam locomotive to lead the wooden passenger cars. According to a timetable from around 1935, each line made 10~14 roundtrips a day, and some of them ran on gasoline. The girl students who passed away so young¹ also attended school by this train. 

All of the railways were lost during the Battle of Okinawa, and only a few traces of bridges and other constructions remain today. Countless bullet holes can be seen on the abutment.

We can appreciate those bygone days only in photographs, but it was a delight to hear that a phonograph record of “Keibin-Tetsudō-bushi” (Light Railway Tune) still remained. 

　Keibin kisha nutwi Mākaiga

　Nāfwa nu machi gwanu Tarugāyā

　Kōtwi mudoyai Sātādē

　Datēn moukitwi Yā fuchun

　Shitai! Ahigwa Chibariyō

　Nayuru kitekin Afī! Afī!

　On the light railway Where do you go

　To the town of Naha At the sugar shop

　Buy and bring back The sugar penny

　Earn a lot And get a home

　Hooray! Boy Go for it 

　The whistle blows Afī! Darling, Afī!

Roughly translated: “Trade sugar and earn money to build a home, good luck boy.” The sentimental tune of the scale unique to Okinawan folksongs and the railway-like rhythm join together to create this charming railway song. The song goes up to four verses; the above is the first. The lyrics were written by Tokuda Anshu and the song was composed by Mita Shinichi (RBC Records.) 

Fifty years after the loss of the light railways in the war, today, a monorail system² is being built³ from the Naha Airport to Shuri. Restoration of Okinawan railways seems not to be so far away.