Watarase Keikoku Line

The Watarase Keikoku Line (わたらせ渓谷線^?, -sen) is a Japanese railway line connecting Kiryū Station in Kiryū, Gunma and Matō Station in , . This is the only railway line that the third-sector company Watarase Keikoku Railway (わたらせ渓谷鐵道^?, Watarase Keikoku Tetsudō) operates. The company and line are also known as Watakei (わた渓^?) or Watetsu (わ鐵^?). The company acquired the line from the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in 1989. As the name suggests, the line runs along the Watarase River through a deep valley.

The Ashio Railway Co. opened the line to Ashio-Motoyama (2km beyond Mato) in 1911/12 to service the Ashio Copper Mine, and leased the line to JNR in 1913. Passenger services were introduced in 1914, and the line was nationalised in 1918.

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