Think of train stations in Japan and the mighty Shinjuku station is sure to come to mind for many people. That is the world’s busiest train station, and Japan monopolises the top 50 list with only five of them not in this country. However, at the other end of the scale are some tiny stations which are usually unstaffed and used by very few commuters.

Station: Mochida

Prefecture: Saitama

Line(s): Chichibu Main Line

Average No. of Daily Passengers: 938

When I was recently in the Gyoda area of Saitama Prefecture I visited the Daichoji statue (which featured in this ‘Top 10 sizable statues of note in Greater Tokyo‘ post) and Oshi Castle. Afterwards I realised that no buses were imminent so I frantically searched for the quickest way to get to Kumagaya station as I had to get somewhere by a certain time. Luckily, there were a couple of fairly equidistant options but I chose Mochida rather than the neighbouring Gyodashi station.

The private railway operator Chichibu Railway is in charge of Mochida station which opened 100 years ago in November 1924. It lies about five kilometres east of Kumagaya (Japan’s hottest city!) and can be found in the city of Gyoda which in itself is located in north-central Saitama, with the Tone River separating it from Gunma Prefecture.

Coins only!

It may be a small station but it has everything one may need such as toilet facilities, a car park, a bike shed, timetable information, a card reader and a ticket machine! However, when I was there the very old-fashioned machine had a piece of green tape covering the slot for notes (or bills if you prefer!) saying they were not accepted.

There is a single island platform serving two tracks featuring some old signage and a charming waiting area with a rusty roof for modest protection from the elements.

On my original approach to Mochida station I saw an elaborately anime-decorated train heading in the opposite direction to where I was going. Even though I’m not into animation I did half hope that a similar-looking train would take me to Kumagaya but it was sadly just a regular one and just six minutes later I was at my destination.

Click on the following links for previous ‘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