The line traverses the cities of Kawanishi and Takarazuka in the northwestern corner of the Osaka metropolitan area.

Some trains operate through services to/from the JR Tozai Line via Amagasaki Station.

The Hankaku Railway converted the line to 1067mm gauge and extended it to Takarazuka in 1897 and to Fukuchiyama in 1899.

The Takarazuka – Shin-Sanda section was duplicated in 1986 in conjunction with the opening of the 2,970 m (9,744 ft) Najio tunnel and associated deviation, which shortened the route by 1.8 km (1.1 mi).

CTC signalling was commissioned between Fukuchiyama and Sasayamaguchi in 1982, extended to Hirono in 1984 and to Amagasaki in 1986.

Operations on the affected part of the line remained suspended until trial runs began on June 7, 2005.