Kareigawa Station (嘉例川駅, Kareigawa-eki) is a passenger railway station located in the Hayato neighborhood of the city of Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan. It is operated by of JR Kyushu and is on the Hisatsu Line.[1][2]

Kareigawa Station

嘉例川駅
Kyushu Railway Company
Kareigawa Station in December 2012
General information
Location2176 Kareigawa, Hayato-cho, Kirishima-shi, Kagoshima-ken 899-5113
Japan
Coordinates31°49′36″N 130°43′22″E / 31.82667°N 130.72278°E / 31.82667; 130.72278
Operated byLogo of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). JR Kyushu
Line(s)     Hisatsu Line
Distance112.3 km from Yatsushiro
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
Construction
Structure typeAt grade
Other information
StatusInstaffed
WebsiteOfficial website
History
Opened15 January 1903; 121 years ago (1903-01-15)
Passengers
201673 daily
Services
Preceding station Logo of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). JR Kyushu Following station
Kirishima-Onsen
towards Yatsushiro
Hisatsu Line Nakafukura
towards Hayato
Location
Kareigawa Station is located in Kagoshima Prefecture
Kareigawa Station
Kareigawa Station
Location within Kagoshima Prefecture
Kareigawa Station is located in Japan
Kareigawa Station
Kareigawa Station
Kareigawa Station (Japan)
Map

Lines

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The station is served by the Hisatsu Line and is located 112.3 km from the starting point of the line at Yatsushiro.[3]

Layout

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The station consists of one side platform serving a single track. An island platform that is no longer in use remains opposite the single platform. The plaza in front of the station is small and poses a safety problem for buses, so with the budget of Kagoshima Prefecture's "Attractive Tourist Destination Development Project" and the burden of Kirishima City, a parking area of approximately 1,550 square meters was constructed approximately 150 meters from the station. The station is unattended.[3][2] The wooden station building dates from the opening of the station and is the oldest in the prefecture. It is presumed that it was constructed based on the drawings for fifth-class stations, the smallest of the standard design drawings for station buildings stipulated in the "Station Ruler" of the Railway Works Bureau of the Ministry of Communications in 1900. In 2004, the former Hayato Town acquired it for protection, and in 2006 it was designated as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property, managed by the local government.[4] Until 2022, it was one of the few unmanned stations in the country to have a limited express train stop.

History

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The station opened on 1 January 1915 on the Kagoshima Main Line. The station was the gateway to the Myoken Onsen hot spring, and as such, it served as a hub for the transport of luggage and goods. The Yatsushiro-Yoshimatsu-Kagoshima portion of the Kagoshima Main Line was separated, becoming the Hisatsu Line on 17 October 1927. With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR), the successor of JGR, on 1 April 1987, the station came under the control of JR Kyushu.[5] The station was bustling with activity, as it served as a loading and unloading point for fertilizer and crops bound for the Jusanzuka plateau until it was unmanned in 1984. In 2003, former station employees organized a 100th anniversary celebration, but JR Kyushu did not take notice due to the station's small size. Nonetheless, the celebration attracted 1,300 people, and the station was purchased by JR Kyushu in 2004 for its commemorative and cultural value. After the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen, the limited express train "Hayato no Kaze" began stopping at the station to promote the economic benefits of the high-speed rail line.[6]

Passenger statistics

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In fiscal 2016, the station was used by an average of 73 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).

Surrounding area

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  • Kagoshima Airport
  • Kagoshima Prefectural Road Route 56
  • Shinkawa Keikoku Onsen
  • Kareigawa Post Office

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "JR Kyushu Route Map" (PDF). JR Kyushu. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b "表木山駅" [Hyōkiyama Station]. hacchi-no-he.net. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b Kawashima, Ryōzō (2013). 図説: 日本の鉄道 四国・九州ライン 全線・全駅・全配線・第7巻 宮崎・鹿児島・沖縄エリア [Japan Railways Illustrated. Shikoku and Kyushu. All lines, all stations, all track layouts. Volume 7 Miyazaki Kagoshima Okinawa Area] (in Japanese). Kodansha. pp. 62, 92. ISBN 9784062951661.
  4. ^ "JR肥薩線嘉例川駅駅舎" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  5. ^ Imao, Keisuke (2009). 日本鉄道旅行地図帳 12号 九州 沖縄―全線・全駅・全廃線 [Japan Rail Travel Atlas No. 12 Kyushu Okinawa - all lines, all stations and disused lines] (in Japanese). Mook. p. 49. ISBN 9784107900302.
  6. ^ "100 years Rail Hisatsu Line | 100 Year ANNIVERSARY OF HISATSU LINE". www.hisatsusen.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
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