Fukuchiyama Station (福知山駅)
Located in Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture, Fukuchiyama Station is a station owned by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation (KTR).
It is a major station of the northern (kita) Kinki railway system. The station is located in the Fukuchiyama metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in northern Kinki. It is the starting point for lines to all destinations in northern Kinki.
Lines
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Sanin Main Line
Fukuchiyama Line *starting point and terminus
Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation (KTR)
KTR Miyafuku Line *starting point and terminus
Station layout
West Japan Railway Company (JR West) station
262 Amata [Amada] Danbata, Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture
The station was remodeled as an elevated station on November 26, 2005. It has two island platforms and one side platform serving a total of 5 tracks, with part of the old Fukuchiyama Station being visible from Platform 1.
* Platform 1 is located closest to the North Entrance, followed by Platforms 2 to 5 to the south, with Platform 5 being the side platform.
* The length of Platform 1 and 2 is 230 m. (This was long enough to accommodate the overnight train '(Sunrise) Izumo,' which could have up to 12 cars including freight cars. However, this service was discontinued on March 18, 2006.
Fukuchiyama Station is the hub station of the 'North Kinki Big X Network' (the cross point of the letter X represents Fukuchiyama Station), which is being publicized by the Fukuchiyama Branch Office of West Japan Railway Company to promote tourism in northern Kinki and, therefore, schemes such as the connection train fare system, which allows passengers to change Limited Express trains smoothly, are being considered.
At the same time that the station building was elevated, the size of the entire station was expanded substantially, and two exits, the north exit that used to be the only exit before elevation and the south exit, are now available. Additionally, escalators and elevators were installed. However, as before elevation, there are no automatic ticket gates.
A tenancy space, Vierra Fukuchiyama, is located on the ground floor of the western side of the north-south concourse.
The station has a waiting room, toilets and stores including cafe Hokuto (coffee shop), Fukushima Bunshindo (book store), Ble Grano (eat-in bakery), Gyoza no Ohsho (Chinese restaurant), Bank of Kyoto and Kyoto Hokuto Shinkin Bank ATMs, Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd (Tis), and Daily-in (convenience store). Most of the stores close relatively early (though Gyoza no Ohsho is open until midnight).
However, past the ticket gate there are now only a few beverage vending machines, and thus no other items, such as snacks and newspapers, are available and Ekiben (lunch boxes available at some stations and on some trains) and Oni Soba noodles, which used to be its specialty, are no longer sold.
All the clocks on the platforms are decorated with 'Dokko-chan,' the mascot of Fukuchiyama City. The BGM is now birds singing.
Trains for Kyoto always arrive at and depart from Platform 1 or 2 and Rapid and Local trains that run on the Fukuchiyama Line always arrive at and start from Platform 5; however, the platforms for other trains are not really determined. Passengers need to pay attention on arriving and departuring platforms as some Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation trains also use the JR platforms.
Local trains for Toyooka often arrive at or depart from Platform 1 or 2 so that passengers can change trains for Kyoto on the same platform; however, since the timetable was revised on March 15, 2008, not many local trains for Kyoto or Toyooka connect, and a lot of the local trains for Toyooka now use Platform 3 or 4 even in the daytime.
The timetable for Limited Express trains is carefully designed so that trains from Toyooka and trains from Miyazu stop at Platform 1 and 2 and trains for Toyooka and trains for Miyazu stop at Platform 3 and 4 respectively, allowing passengers to change trains on the same platform.
Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation (KTR Miyafuku Line) station
118-4 Amata [Amada], Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture
The station still uses one ground level island platform serving two tracks. This station is planned to be elevated in the future as well. Limited Express trains sharing the JR tracks use the JR elevated station for boarding and alighting (as mentioned above, some non-Limited Express trains also use the JR elevated station). Incidentally, the present KTR platform is located where the old Hokutan Railway's Fukuchiyama Station used to be located.
A temporary pass connects the north exit, which is in the grounds of the old JR station, with the JR elevated station. The KTR station will be integrated with the elevated JR station by continuing the elevating construction after the old JR station building is demolished. The elevated KTR station is scheduled to be completed at the end of fiscal year 2008.
Passenger Volume
Number of average daily passengers (in fiscal year 2006)
West Japan Railway Company: 3,992
Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation: 800
Total: 4,792
Number of annual passengers
West Japan Railway Company:
Numbers were around the 1.8 million mark until 1996 when they started decreasing, reaching about 1.46 million passengers in 2006.
Kitakinki Tango Railway Corporation:
Numbers peaked at 480,000 passengers in 1996 and remained around the 400,000 level after that, with 290,000 passengers in 2006.
Surroundings
The area to the south of the station has been developed as Fukuchiyama Station Minamiguchi Park (Fukuchiyama Station South exit Park). A taxi stand and a coach station are located next to the park. A budget hotel, which draws hot water from Fukuchiyama Onsen, has been built in front of the park. The number of national chains, including convenience stores, McDonald's, Yoshinoya, Curry House CoCo Ichibanya and TSUTAYA, has been increasing along National Highway 9. The area to the north of the station is currently being developed. A bus terminal is also located in this area. Several around-the-clock convenience stores, such as Lawson and Seven-Eleven, are located in the areas to both the north and south of the station.
Fukuchiyama-jo Castle (Sato Taisei Memorial Art Museum, Fukuchiyama City Folk Museum)
From Fukuchiyama Station, take any Kyoto Kotsu Bus to Shiyakusho-mae (City Hall bus stop) or take the Osadano Route to Shirokoen-mae (Castle Park bus stop).
Goryo-jinja Shrine (in Goryo park)
From Fukuchiyama Station, take the Kyoto Kotsu Bus Kawakita Route to Koseikaikan-mae (Welfare Hall bus stop).
Sandanike Park
From Fukuchiyama Station, take the Kyoto Kotsu Bus Kawakita Route to Sandanike Koen (Sandanike Park bus stop) (from April to November, services are available only on Sundays and national holidays).
The Bank of Kyoto, Fukuchiyama Office (former Tanwa Bank, Head Office Sales Department)
From Fukuchiyama Station, take the Kyoto Kotsu Bus Kawakita Route or the Tango Kairiku Kotsu Bus (Tankai Bus) for Kasamatsu Cable-shita (Kono-jinja/ Ichinomiya Josenjo-mae) or for Kyoei-koko-mae (Kyoei High School bus stop), to Nishi-honmachi (bus stop), or walk.
Kyoto Hokuto Shinkin Bank, Fukuchiyama Central Branch Office
"Poppo Land" Fukuchiyama Railway Hall
It displays relia (including steam locomotive models that in fact run on steam and model railways) and materials related to railway of Fukuchiyama. It also has a shop that sells original goods, Fukuchiyama's specialties and souvenirs related to railway. In the No.2 building, the JNR C58 Class steam locomotive, model No. 56, which used to run in Fukuchiyama City, is stored and displayed.
(Operated by Poppo Land Department, Shinmachi Shopping District Promotion Association)
From Fukuchiyama Station, take the Kyoto Kotsu Bus Kawakita Route to Hirokoji (bus stop).
Bus services
Bus stop name: Fukuchiyama Station
West Japan JR Bus Company
Enfuku Route (Fukuchiyama Station - Taiikukan-mae (Osadano Kogyo-danchi) (bus stop)) - Ubara (bus stop) - Hiyama (bus stop) - Sonobe-ekimae (bus stop))
Bus stop name: Fukuchiyama-ekimae
Kyoto Kotsu Bus (Maizuru)
All routes running in Fukuchiyama area begin at this bus stop. Fukuchiyama Route (to Ayabe-ekimae (bus stop)), Hori-City Loop Route, Osadano Route, Muro Loop Route, Kawakita Route, Komaki Route, Yakuno Route, etc. Tango Kairiku Kotsu Co., Ltd.
Yosa Fukuchiyama Route (to Higashi-machi/Kasamatsu Cable (Kasamatsu Keburu) (bus stop), and to Kyoei Koko-mae (bus stop))
In addition, independent bus services to Mitake, Anga, and Nakamutobe are also available.
There also used to be the JNR Bus Ariji Route to Minami-Ariji.
Taxi services
Nihon Kotsu Co., Ltd. (Fukuchiyama City)
Kyotan Taxi
History
November 3, 1904: Opened as station of Japan National Railways (JNR) (at the same time, section between Fukuchiyama Station and Higashi-Maizuru Station opened). At the same time, section between Hankaku Railway's Fukuchi Station and this station opened to traffic. Passenger and freight services started.
August 1, 1907: Hankaku Railway nationalized.
September 22, 1923: Hokutan Railway Line opened.
March 2, 1971: Services suspended on Hokutan Railway Line. 1974: Hokutan Railway Line discontinued.
November 1, 1986: Freight services discontinued. Fukuchiyama Off-rail-station freight handling facility set up. Entire Fukuchiyama Line and section of Sanin Main Line up to Kinosakionsen Station electrified.
April 1, 1987: Came under control of JR West following division and privatization of JNR.
July 16, 1988: Miyafuku Line of Miyafuku Railway Company (current Kitakinki Tango Railway) opened.
April 20, 1995: Section between Ayabe Station and Fukuchiyama Station electrified.
November 26, 2005: JR tracks around station elevated.
End of fiscal year 2008: Kitakinki Tango Railway tracks around station to be elevated.
Adjacent stations
West Japan Railway Company
Sanin Main Line
Fukuchiyama Station is the starting station of the Limited Express 'Tanba' and the Limited Expresses 'Kitakinki,' 'Kinosaki,' 'Hashidate,' and 'Tango Discovery' all stop at the station.
Local train service (including trains which are operated as Rapid trains from Sonobe Station)
Isa Station (Kyoto Prefecture) - Fukuchiyama Station - Kami-Kawaguchi Station
Fukuchiyama Line
This station is a stop for the Limited Expresses 'Kita-Kinki,' 'Monju' and 'Tango Explorer.'
Rapid train service (trains stop at every station up to Sanda Station (Hyogo Prefecture))/ Local train service
Tanba Takeda Station - Fukuchiyama Station
Kitakinki Tango Railway
Miyafuku Line
This station is a stop for the Limited Expresses 'Tango Explorer,' 'Tango Discovery,' 'Hashidate' and 'Monju.'
Rapid service
Fukuchiyama Station - Oe Station (Kyoto Prefecture)
Rapid service 'Oeyama-go'
Fukuchiyama Station - Araga-Kashinokidai Station
Local train service
Fukuchiyama Station - Atsunakatonya Station