Consider prepare stations in Japan and the mighty Shinjuku station is bound to return to thoughts for many individuals. That’s the world’s busiest prepare station, and Japan monopolises the highest 50 record with solely 5 of them not on this nation. Nonetheless, on the different finish of the dimensions are some tiny stations that are often unstaffed and utilized by only a few commuters.
Station: Takio
Prefecture: Oita
Line(s): Hohi Predominant Line
Common No. of Day by day Passengers: 408
Many, a few years in the past I noticed one thing about this station in a Japanese journal relating to a few of it’s pale signage. That was admittedly effectively over a decade in the past and maybe I ought to’ve recognized higher to imagine that it will nonetheless look that method however reality is that such rural stations hardly ever change their look. Not this one although!
Takio station, which initially opened in 1914, has had one thing of a fundamental makeover it appears within the type of a brand new metalic silver lined entrance level (I’m undecided it may be known as a station constructing!) with card-reader and ticket machine.
A while previously (if I might be so obscure!), a part of the previous Beppu Daigaku station constructing (situated 20 kilometres away) was relocated to Takio the place its title was then written over the previous one however these with an keen eye might nonetheless make out pale traces of the previous title. That issues not now because it’s sadly gone however the tiny hut for passengers to attend in nonetheless stays.
Chances are high that in the event you’re at this station you then’ll most likely have to attend as there are just one or two trains per hour. Oita station lies to the north-west of Takio, and is simply 5 minutes by prepare (210 yen) however strolling nonetheless takes almost an hour so you might as effectively simply look forward to the following prepare as solely train and never time can be saved! If heading in a southerly path (in direction of Bungo-Taketa or Kumamoto) then the opposite platform is required and that posseesses an much more fundamental shelter.
On that facet of the platform is a adorned backyard of types with spinning windmill flowers, windchimes, ornaments little toys and a large image of Kumamon who’s the mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture, and Japan’s most well-known bear.
Regardless of its shut proximity to Oita station, there isn’t an excessive amount of on this a part of Tsumori aside from a reasonably sizable park standing on a hill behind the station. Kumano Shrine is a serious a part of Ikariyama Park which options numerous haiku momuments and a Jizo statue nestled in a big rock which was what introduced the place to my consideration.
My whole time at Takio was round half an hour which was greater than sufficient! I went there as one thing of a detour earlier than heading again to Oita and taking a bus to the architectural surprise that’s Oita Large Eye Stadium. Sadly the match itself was far much less fascinating than this station!
Click on on the next hyperlinks for earlier ‘Unstaffed Stations of Japan’ posts…
1. Kamiyagi #2. Funamachi #3. Inazusa #4. Yodo #5. Nebukawa #6. Miyamae #7. Arao #8. Higashi-Abiko #9. Nukazawa #10. Shin Shibaura #11. Kubiki #12. Kamakurakōkōmae #13. Daishimae #14. Minami-Takada #15. Mochida #16. Minami-Takasaki #17. Display screen
