Chiyokawa Station (千代川駅)
Chiyokawa Station, located in Imazu, Chiyokawa-cho of Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a stop on San'in Main Line of West Japan Railway Company (JR West).
The station-name telegraph code is 'フチチヨ.'
The ICOCA and J-Thru cards can be used (refer to the ICOCA paragraph for details on mutually usable IC cards). However, simple-type automated ticket gates can't handle the use of more than one J-Thru Card for a single transaction.
Station layout
It is an aboveground station having two platforms with two tracks at which trains can pass each other or allow the other to overtake, and the wooden station building that stood in the days of the station's inauguration remains. The platforms are connected by an overpass.
Platform 2, the side on which the station building stands, is the thoroughfare on which limited express trains pass through without stopping. The trains that stop are either rapids or locals. Rapid trains operate once every 20 to 30 minutes and local trains run once every 10 to 15 minutes during morning rush hours, but both rapid and local trains operate only once every hour during the daytime, which is a somewhat leisurely operational time schedule. Limited express trains pass through this station while obliging the above-mentioned to take refuge.
An unmanned service entrance also exists on Platform 1 side. Automated ticket gates to the station building and service entrance are both of the simplified type. The operations of the station are commissioned to JR West Japan Transportation Service Co., Ltd., and are unmanned during the late-night and early-morning hours.
Both inbound and outbound nonstop trains, as well as trains that stop but don't pass each other, go through on Platform 2.
A train, regardless of whether it's inbound or outbound, when stopping at this station to allow a nonstop train coming in from the opposite direction to pass it, does so on Platform 1.
When trains stop and pass each other at this station, the train heading toward Kyoto (inbound) comes in on Platform 1 and the train heading toward Sonobe (outbound) uses Platform 2.
Usage status
The number of passengers boarding at this station came to approximately 2,164 per day in fiscal year 2006.
(Source: Kyoto Prefecture Statistical Report)
The number of passengers continues to rise because the land around the station is becoming a satellite town for commuters to central Kyoto.
Station surroundings
Chiyokawa Station, as noted above, has ticket gates installed at two places, one manned (on the west side for track Platform 2) and the other unmanned (east side for Platform 1). A road-expansion project is going on in front of the manned ticket gates, the side that is relatively developed and mainly residential, but slightly further to the west is National Route 9, along which commercial facilities can be found along the roadside.
The (east) side on which unmanned ticket gates are installed is also mainly a residential area, and a somewhat uncommon municipal drivers' school, even from a national viewpoint (closed March 2007), is located nearby. The Kameoka Municipal Housing Public Corporation has constructed the Medias Housing Complex No. 3 in recent years. Further beyond flows the Katsura-gawa River (Yodo-gawa River system) (also known as the Hozu-gawa River or the Oi-gawa River). The Umaji-cho area east of the river is farmland, and Umaji-Dainagon Azuki beans (highest-class Tamba-Dainagon Azuki beans) are a specialty product of the region. Shino Farm, which has become known for producing and marketing extra-hot Habanero chili seedlings, is also established in the Umaji area.
The station has no renowned historical sites in its immediate surroundings, but Tango-Kokubun-ji Temple and Izumo-Daijingu Shrine are about 15 minutes away by bicycle after crossing the Katsura-gawa River; also, crossing National Route 9 and walking five minutes westward takes one to Kameyama Municipal Chiyokawa Elementary School, where the gate of (Tamba-no-kuni) Kameyama-jo Castle has been relocated.
Kyoto Prefectural Nantan High School
Kameoka Municipal Driving School
Kameoka Municipal Chiyokawa Elementary School
Matsumoto Chiyokawa Branch
Routed bus
History
July 20, 1935: The station was inaugurated as a Japan National Railways station. Only passenger-traffic was handled.
April 1, 1987: The station became a JR West station by the split privatization of Japan National Railways.
Neighboring stations
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
■Sagano Line (Sanin Main Line)
■Rapid Service/■Local
Namikawa Station - Chiyokawa Station - Yagi Station