The Nagano Line was constructed and opened between 1898 and 1902 as the sole line of who aimed to connect inland town Kawachinagano to Kashiwara on the
Kansai Main Line (then of ). The company renamed itself the Osaka Railway Co. in 1919 (being the second company of that name) and decided and built its own line directly to Osaka, branching from Dōmyōji. The company then opened a line diverting from Furuichi to
Nara Prefecture, to complete present
Minami Osaka Line. Thus the line to Kawachi-Nagano became a branch line, present Nagano Line. The line was electrified at 1500 VDC in 1923, and the company merged with Kintetsu in 1944. The Furuichi - Kishi section was duplicated in 1957, and extended to Tondabayashi in 1974. In September 2024, services had to be reduced due to a shortage of drivers. ==Operation==