Michinori Holdings
# Michinori Holdings

Michinori Holdings, Inc. (株式会社みちのりホールディングス, Kabushiki-gaisha Michinori Hōrudingusu) is a holding company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Industrial Growth Platform, Inc. Michinori Holdings rehabilitates deficit companies which have so much liability that they cannot act as an administrator of assets. It manages them by acquiring and holding their shares until they return to financial stability and viability.

As of 2022, Michinori Holdings currently holds and operates subsidiaries in the transportation sector, including bus, railway, and monorail companies. They are:

* Fukushima Transportation, since 2008
* Shonan Monorail, since 2015
* Sado Kisen (ferry company), since 2022
* Aizu Bus, since 2011
* Kanto Transportation, since 2012
* Northern Iwate Transportation, since 2010
* Ibaraki Kotsu (bus company), since 2009
* Higashinihon Kotsu (bus company), since 2018

Some expressway bus routes operated by affiliated companies of Michinori Holdings are named "Michinori Express" (MEX), designed by Yasuyuki Kawanishi, who also designed West Express Ginga.

## Aizu Bus

The Aizu Bus Co., Ltd. (会津乗合自動車株式会社, Aizu Noriai Jidōsha Kabushiki-gaisha) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Michinori Holdings. Tobu Group had shares of this company until 2011.

Its subsidiaries include Aizu Travel Service and Aizu Bus/Auto Service. It also owns Aizu Taxi.

### Outline

Aizu Bus Company was established in 1943. It operates bus routes around Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, many of which are based at Aizu-Tajima Station, Aizukōgen-Ozeguchi Station, and Aizu-Wakamatsu Station. Service area has many tourist spots, including Ōuchi-juku, Tō-no-Hetsuri, Aizuwakamatsu Castle, Lake Inawashiro, Mount Bandai, and Oze National Park.

Its headquarters are located at 195 Byakkocho, Aizuwakamatsu. Until 2011, the company also had a headquarters with Tobu Railway in Oshiage, Sumida, Tokyo.

### History

* 21 March 1943 – Company was established. Later that year, due to unification during World War II, additional routes were transferred to it, including those of Kihan Motor.
* December 1953 – Transferred bus routes between Aizu-Tajima Station and Kinugawaonsen Station from Tobu Railway
* 10 July – "Aizu-Wakamatsu – Koriyama – Iwaki Line" was operated as "limited express" with Fukushima Transportation and Joban Kotsu Motor
* 9 October 1987 – Discontinued bus routes between Aizu-Tajima and Kinugawaonsen due to opening of Yagan Railway.
* 20 January 1996 – "Aizu-Wakamatsu – Koriyama – Iwaki Line" was operated as "Expressway bus" and ran via Joban Expressway
* 24 May 1996 – Commenced operating Low Emission Bus between Aizu-Tajima Station and Oze National Park
* 2 October 1997 – Commenced operating "Aizu-Wakamatsu – Niigata Line" as "Expressway bus" with Niigata Kotsu
* 1 October 2009 – Aizu Taxi merged into Aizu Bus
* 2 December 2010 – Received support from "Regional Economy Vitalization Corporation of Japan"
* 2 August 2013 – "Regional Economy Vitalization Corporation of Japan" transferred its shares of Aizu Bus Company to Michinori Holdings. On 30 August, the transfer was completed, and since then, the bus company has belonged to Michinori Holdings.

### Bus routes

Routemap

Aizu Bus – Highway Buses :

| Name | Stops | Note |
| - | - | - |
| Yumekaido Aizu Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Koriyama Station・Ikebukuro Station・Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu – Sendai Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Koriyama Station・Fukushima Station・Sendai Station (Miyagi) |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu – Niigata Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Kitakata Station・Niitsu Station・Niigata Station | operates with Niigata Kotsu |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu – Fukushima – Sendai Airport Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Koriyama Station・Fukushima Station・Sendai Airport |
| Kitakata – Koriyama Line | Kitakata Office・Shiokawa Green Plaza・Koriyama Women's University・Koriyama Station |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu – Nozawa Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Kitakata Station・Nozawa Station |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu – Ouchijuku – To no Hetsuri Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Ouchijuku・To no Hetsuri・Aizu-Shimogo Station・Shin-Shirakawa Station・Shirakawa Station | operates with Fukushima Transportation |
| Aizu-Wakamatsu – Narita Airport Line | Aizu-Wakamatsu Station・Koriyama Station (Fukushima)・Narita Airport | operates with Chiba Kotsu |
| Urabandai – Tokyo Line | Urabandai Kogen・Lake Goshiki・Tokyo Station・Haneda Airport |
