The 13 km (8.1 mi) Chayamachi - Kojima section opened on 20 March 1988,[1] and the 18 km (11 mi) Kojima - Utazu on 10 April 1988 in conjunction with the opening of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge system.
This provided the first rail connection between Honshu and Shikoku, prior to this passengers traveled via the Uno Line and train ferry to Takamatsu.
The opening of the line also facilitated electrification of the Yosan Line between Takamatsu and Matsuyama, enabling direct services from both cities to Okayama.
^"データで見るJR西日本 2022" [JR West Japan 2022 in Data] (PDF). westjr.co.jp (in Japanese). 2022. pp. 88–90. Archived from the original(PDF) on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.