Hozukyo Station (保津峡駅)
Hozukyo Station, located over the boundary of Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture and Hozu-cho, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a stop on the Sanin Main Line (Sagano Line) of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The former Hozukyo Station was located in Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, but part of the platform of the present station and its station house are situated on the Kameoka City side because the Hozu-gawa River, which constitutes a boundary between the ward and the city, flows just under the central part of the platform, and therefore its location is listed as Hozu-cho, Kameoka City.
The telegraphic address for the station name is 'Osahotsu.'
However, given the history of the station, in which it was opened and later moved, the special train-fare calculation method, which applies to long-distance travels on trains arriving at and/or departing from specific city areas, also applies to this station, and therefore it can be said that from the business perspective this station is included among the 'stations in Kyoto City.'
In this station, ICOCA/J-through cards can be used (for interchangeably usable IC cards, refer to ICOCA). However, the simplified gate-passing check machines used in the station can't handle more than one J-through card at a time.
Station layout
Two separate platforms (with two tracks served between them) are provided, and although no station officer is on duty an automatic ticket vending machine and a simplified automatic ticket gate (supporting IC cards such as ICOCA) are provided. Passengers use an underground passage provided on the Umahori Station side when moving between the two platforms.
The views of the Hozu-gawa River and of pleasure boats on Hozukyo Gorge from the platforms are truly remarkable. Because the platforms are partially located immediately above a bridge, the boats pass immediately under them.
The station house is fairly small, and the platforms are narrow as well. Even after the new line started its operation, the former Hozukyo Station was used for a period of time before the present station house and the area in front of the new station became normally usable, and for this reason a path reaching the east ends of the platforms of the new station by walking along the former Sanin Main Line was provided; today, however, the path is unusable.
The special trains that run on New Year's Eve are local ones, but they don't stop at this station.
Apparently, no track number is displayed anywhere, but in fact the timetable displayed in the station gives such information as described above.
Passenger use
The number of persons getting on board at this station was approximately 260 a day in fiscal year 2006.
(According to the Kyoto Prefecture Statistics Report)
Station surroundings
The station itself is located in the Hozu-gawa River Gorge, so no one lives around it. Mizuo Village, which has lately become famous for its hot citron bath, is located about four kilometers north of this station, and the residents' association operates its own bus.
(Four trips a day)
Byobu-Iwa (sheer cliff)
Lion Rock
Hozukyo Torokko Station (on the Saga Sightseeing Tram Line of the Sagano Scenic Railway)
The distance between two stations is approximately 1,100 m. With no means of transportation available between the two stations, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach one of the two stations from the other because the road connecting them goes around a valley of the Mizuo-gawa River. When the station was moved to the new site, the construction of its station house had not been completed; consequently, to enter or exit the station, the former station house was in fact used via a passage for maintenance (a temporary passage on the former tram track) (at that time, the former tram track was a dead track, and the operation of the tram was still under contemplation).
Today, this passage isn't usable by the general public.
History
August 17, 1929: The Matsuoyama signal station was established by Japan National Railways.
April 15, 1936: With the status of the station thus elevated, operations commenced as Hozukyo Station. Passenger operations started.
Around the present-day Hozukyo Torokko Station
April 1, 1987: Due to the division and privatization of JNR, it became a station of JR West.
March 5, 1989: The portion between Saga-Arashiyama Station and Umahori Station was changed to a new line. At the same time, the station was moved to the present site.
April 27, 1991: The former station restarted its operation as Hozukyo Torokko Station.
Adjacent stations
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Sagano Line (Sanin Main Line)
Rapid
No stops are made at this station.
Local
Saga-Arashiyama Station - Hozukyo Station - Umahori Station