The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan. The line is split up into two parts; in the east, it runs between Meinohama Station in Fukuoka, Fukuoka and Karatsu Station in Karatsu, Saga, and in the west, between Yamamoto Station in Karatsu to Imari Station in Imari, Saga.
On the eastern section, most trains run via through service on both ends onto the Fukuoka City Subway's Airport Line toward Hakata Station, and to Nishi-Karatsu on the JR Karatsu Line. On the western section, all trains continue past Yamamoto onto the Karatsu Line to reach Karatsu Station, effectively connecting the two halves of the line.
The Kita-Kyushu Railway opened the Fukuyoshi to Hamasaki section in 1923, extending it west to Higashi-Karatsu (situated on the east bank of the Matsuura River, opposite the Karatsu Line on the west bank) by 1925 and east to Hakata by 1926. The line was again extended west to Yamamoto where it junctioned with the Karatsu line (establishing Higashi-Karatsu as a reversing station in the process) in 1929, and to Imari in 1935. The company was nationalised in 1937 after which Japanese Government Railways (JGR) designated the track as the Chikuhi Line.
In 1983, the Hakata to Meinohama section was closed and replaced by a link to the Fukuoka City Subway Airport Line. A new line from Nijinomatsubara to Karatsu opened (including a new station called Higashi-Karatsu, situated about southeast of the original station of that name) and the entire section was electrified at 1,500 V DC to allow through running to Fukuoka via the subway. At the same time, the original Nijinomatsubara to Yamamoto section closed.
All trains running on this section stop at all stations.
Former Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit Rinkai Line TWR 70-000 series - to be operated as 2-car trains replacing the 103-1500 series trains on services between Chikuzen-Maebaru and Karatsu/Nishi-Karatsu.
Used in through services to Chikuzen-Maebaru.