"
JR West," as it's more commonly known, is one of the main intercity rail companies in
Japan. It is headquartered in
Kita Ward,
Osaka, and operates over 5,000 kilometers of track in western
Honshu, running as far east as
Kyoto and
Nara (where the
Central Japan Railway takes over).
JR West also operates the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Shin-Osaka to Hakata, as well as a ferry service from Hiroshima to Miyajima, and prime commercial real estate in several major cities (most notably the Kyoto Station building). The company also owns several hospitals.
In 2001, they reported ¥870 billion (US$8.1 billion) in revenues.
The regular train lines within JR West's jurisdiction are: