 The line was extended to Sakai in 1888, and the Namba - Sumiyoshitaisha section was duplicated in 1892.In 1897 the then separate Nankai Railway opened the Sakai - Sano (present-day Izumisano) section as 1067mm gauge, with the Namba - Sano section regauged to match, and the Sumiyoshitaisha - Sano section duplicated the same year.The following year the Hankai Co. merged with Nankai Railway, and the line was extended to Wakayama.