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: Takio

Prefecture: Oita

Line(s): Hohi Main Line

Average No. of Daily Passengers: 408

Many, many years ago I saw something about this station in a Japanese magazine regarding some of it’s faded signage. That was admittedly well over a decade ago and perhaps I should’ve known better to believe that it would still look that way but fact is that such rural stations rarely change their appearance. Not this one though!

Takio station, which originally opened in 1914, has had something of a basic makeover it seems in the form of a new metalic silver covered entrance point (I’m not sure it can be called a station building!) with card-reader and ticket machine.

Some time in the past (if I can be so vague!), part of the former Beppu Daigaku station building (located 20 kilometres away) was relocated to Takio where its name was then written over the old one but those with an eager eye could still make out faded traces of the old name. That matters not now as it’s sadly gone but the tiny hut for passengers to wait in still remains.

Likelihood is that if you’re at this station then you’ll probably have to wait as there are only one or two trains per hour. Oita station lies to the north-west of Takio, and is just five minutes by train (210 yen) but walking still takes nearly an hour so you may as well just wait for the next train as only exercise and not time would be saved! If heading in a southerly direction (towards Bungo-Taketa or Kumamoto) then the other platform is needed and that posseesses an even more basic shelter.

On that side of the platform is a decorated garden of sorts with spinning windmill flowers, windchimes, ornaments little toys and a sizable picture of Kumamon who is the mascot of Kumamoto Prefecture, and Japan’s most famous bear.

Despite its close proximity to Oita station, there isn’t too much in this part of Tsumori other than a fairly sizable park standing on a hill behind the station. Kumano Shrine is a major part of Ikariyama Park which features various haiku momuments and a Jizo statue nestled in a large rock which was what brought the place to my attention.

My total time at Takio was around half an hour which was more than enough! I went there as something of a detour before heading back to Oita and taking a bus to the architectural wonder that is Oita Big Eye Stadium. Sadly the match itself was far less interesting than this station!

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   #15. Mochida   #16. Minami-Takasaki   #17. Screen