[2] The 1000 and 6000 series EMUs purchased new are unusual in having the driver's seat on the right-hand side facing the direction of travel.

The line opened on 10 May 1897, as a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge steam-hauled railway line from Takasaki to Fukushima (present-day Jōshū-Fukushima), operated by the Kōzuke Railway (上野鉄道, Kōzuke Tetsudō).

[1] The line was planned to be extended southward from Shimonita to connect with the Saku Railway (present-day Koumi Line) at Haguroshita, and the owning company was accordingly renamed Joshin Electric Railway (上信電鉄, Jōshin Denki Tetsudō) from 25 August 1921.

The line was ultimately never extended, but the track was regauged to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and electrified with an overhead wire at 1,500 V DC.

[1] On 30 November 2003, Takasaki Fairy Land[5] which was a leisure complex being established as "Kappa Pia" in 1961 was discontinued.