The Yoshino Railway (吉野鉄道) Co. opened the Yoshino - Muda section in 1912, and extended the line to Kashiharajingū-mae in 1923, electrifying the entire line at 1500 VDC at that time.

[1] Amongst the rolling stock were three Bo'Bo' goodtrain locomotives delivered from Brown, Boveri & Cie in Switzerland.

Freight services ceased in 1984, and CTC signalling was commissioned in 2001.

Kintetsu Railway introduced the Blue Symphony sight-seeing train on this line in 2018.

The special train runs twice a day in both directions.