The Tokaido Main Line for Gifu, Ogaki, Okazaki, and Toyohashi

The Tokaido Main Line is a railway line operated by JR East, JR Central, and JR West that connects Tokyo and Kobe stations. However, there are no trains that run the complete length of this line. JR Central operates the section of the line between Atami Station in Shizuoka Prefecture and Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture.

At Nagoya Station, services on the Tokaido Main Line run southeast as far as Okazaki and Toyohashi, and northwest as far as Gifu and Ogaki. The local and rapid services covered in this article can be used with the Japan Rail Pass.

Key Destinations between Nagoya and Toyohashi

At Nagoya Station, trains for Okazaki and Toyohashi generally depart from platforms 2, 3, and 4. Check the live departure board before boarding, as platform assignments can change. These trains stop at the following stations.

Nagoya – Otobashi – Kanayama – Atsuta – Kasadera – Odaka – Minami-Odaka – Kyowa – Obu – Aizuma – Kariya – Noda-Shimmachi – Higashi-Kariya – Mikawa-Anjo – Anjo – Nishi-Okazaki – Okazaki – Aimi – Koda – Sangane – Mikawa-Shiotsu – Gamagori – Mikawa-Miya – Mikawa-Otsuka – Aichi-Mito – Nishi-Kozakai – Toyohashi

There are also some through trains bound for Taketoyo that are diverted onto the Taketoyo branch line at Obu Station. Below are the key destinations and transfer points between Nagoya and Toyohashi, with example fares and train times from Nagoya Station. The amounts shown are adult paper-ticket fares. IC card fares may differ, and journey times vary by service and connection.

Kanayama Station

Transfer here to the JR Chuo Main Line, Meitetsu Railway services, and Nagoya Municipal Subway’s Meijo and Meiko lines. Kanayama Station is an important transportation hub in Nagoya, and Meitetsu Railway express services to and from Chubu Centrair Airport stop here.

Atsuta Station

Exit here for Atsuta Shrine, which was founded around 1,900 years ago and is one of Nagoya’s top attractions.

Obu Station

Transfer here to the Taketoyo Line for services bound for Higashiura, Handa, and Taketoyo. Some through train services from Nagoya run directly to Taketoyo via Obu Station.

Kariya Station

Transfer here to the Meitetsu Mikawa Line.

Okazaki Station

Okazaki’s attractions include Okazaki Castle, which dates from 1455, and Takisanji Temple, which dates from the 7th century and holds a fire festival every February. Okazaki is also famous for a variety of red miso paste called “hatcho miso”. The Maruya Hatcho Miso factory dates from 1337 and offers tours where visitors can learn how miso is made. Check the current tour schedule before visiting. Transfer at Okazaki Station to the Aichi Loop Line.

Gamagori Station

There are several onsen hot spring resorts within the city of Gamagori. Gamagori is also home to Kongoji Temple, which is famous for its giant statue of the monk Kobo Daishi, and Laguna Ten Bosch, whose Lagunasia theme park has rides and a Ferris wheel, while the resort complex also includes spa facilities. Transfer at Gamagori Station to the Meitetsu Gamagori Line.

Nishi-Kozakai Station

This station is within the city of Toyokawa. The city’s best-known attraction is Toyokawa Inari, the Soto Zen Buddhist temple Myogonji, which was founded in 1441. Its Reiko-zuka area has about 1,000 fox statues associated with Dakini Shinten and the white fox. However, Nishi-Kozakai is not the most practical rail station for the temple. From Nagoya, continue to Toyohashi, transfer to the JR Iida Line for Toyokawa Station, and walk about five minutes from there.

Toyohashi Station

Toyohashi’s main attractions are Yoshida Castle, whose predecessor Imahashi Castle was built in 1505, Toyohashi City Museum of Art and History, the Futagawa-juku Honjin Museum, which preserves an Edo-era inn, and the Romanesque-style Toyohashi Public Hall, which dates from 1931 and is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. Transfer at Toyohashi Station to the JR Iida Line, the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line, and the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Key Destinations between Nagoya and Ogaki

Trains for Gifu and Ogaki generally depart from platforms 3, 4, 5, and 6. Check the live departure board before boarding, as platform assignments can change. These trains stop at the following stations.

Nagoya – Biwajima – Kiyosu – Inazawa – Owari-Ichinomiya – Kisogawa – Gifu – Nishi-Gifu – Hozumi – Ogaki

Below are the key destinations and transfer points between Nagoya and Ogaki, with example adult paper-ticket fares and representative train times from Nagoya Station.

Biwajima Station

Transfer at Biwajima Station to Johoku Line services bound for Kachigawa Station.

Kiyosu Station

Kiyosu’s main attraction is Kiyosu Castle, a reconstruction built in 1989 of the original castle founded in 1405 and demolished in the early 17th century. The interior of the castle is a museum of local history, and there are fine views from the top.

Owari-Ichinomiya Station

This station serves the city of Ichinomiya in Aichi Prefecture. The city’s main points of interest are Masumida Shrine, which has more than 1,400 years of history, and 138 Tower Park. The park features Twin Arch 138, a 138-meter observation tower and Japan’s first arch-style tower. Transfer from Owari-Ichinomiya to the adjoining Meitetsu-Ichinomiya Station for the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line and the Meitetsu Bisai Line.

Gifu Station

Gifu is the capital city of Gifu Prefecture. The city is best known for Gifu Castle on top of Mount Kinka, but the castle has been closed since May 19, 2026, for structural and earthquake-resistance work. It is currently scheduled to reopen in November 2027, and scaffolding is expected to cover the building from around August 2026 through April 2027. The Mount Kinka Ropeway, mountaintop restaurant, and squirrel village remain open.

Other attractions include Gifu Park, the Great Buddha Statue in Shohoji Temple, and cormorant fishing on the Nagara River, which normally runs from May 11 to October 15, subject to operating conditions.

Transfer at Gifu Station to Takayama Main Line services bound for Mino-Ota and Takayama. Transfer at nearby Meitetsu Gifu Station to the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line and the Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line.

Ogaki Station

Ogaki City in Gifu Prefecture was the endpoint of Matsuo Basho’s Oku no Hosomichi journey. The city preserves this connection at Basho’s Oku no Hosomichi Haiku Journey Museum; check the city’s current event calendar for Basho-related programs. Another attraction is the reconstructed Ogaki Castle, which was founded in 1535, destroyed in 1945, and rebuilt in 1959.

Transfer here to the Mino-Akasaka Branch Line, the Tarumi Railway’s Tarumi Line, and the Yoro Railway’s Yoro Line.

Useful Links

For current fares, train times, and connections, use the official JR Central Access Search. JR Central also publishes English travel information. The English-language Jorudan route finder is another option for planning connections.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 13-Jul-2026.