Inari Station (稲荷駅)
Inari Station, located in the Fushimi ward of Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a stop on the Nara Line of West Japan Railway Company (JR West).
It is a station situated within 'Kyoto Municipality' in accordance with JR's Specific Ward Municipal System.
This is the nearest station to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (Oinari-san), and during the New Year holidays the rapid trains, which ordinarily do not stop, make temporary stops at this station in order to cope with the challenge of transporting the large numbers of worshipers.
Station layout
It is an above-ground station with double tracks and two rather curved platforms opposite each other. The station building is on the side of outbound Platform 2 and is connected to the inbound Platform 1 by a passengers' overpass. Station operations are commissioned to JR West Japan Transportation Service Co., Ltd. ICOCA cards and J-Thru cards can be used at this station, and PiTaPa Cards (Surutto KANSAI Association) can also be used subject to mutual use with ICOCA cards.
Inari Station is the nearest station in order to go and worship at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, and the station, aware of the circumstances, has some of its pillars painted vermilion. The oldest of the Japan National Railways lamp sheds (quasi-railroad monument), a reminder of this station's legacy as a Tokaido Main Line station in bygone days, exists within the station premises. Admission is also possible, but booking in advance with Uji Station (JR West), the administrative station, is required.
Usage status
The number of passengers boarding at this station came to approximately 5,233 per day in fiscal year 2006.
(Source: Kyoto Prefecture Statistical Report)
Measures such as installing extra windows, temporarily stopping rapid trains and mobilizing extra trains are taken in order to cope with the extreme congestion during the New Year holidays created by the crowds of worshipers.
Station surroundings
Exiting the station immediately connects to the approach to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine.
Fushimi-Inari Station (Keihan Main Line)--some five minutes on foot to the west
Fukakusa Station (Keihan Main Line)--some seven minutes on foot south-southwest
Ryukoku University Fukakusa Campus
Ritsumeikan Senior High School, Ritsumeikan Junior High School
Kyoto Municipal Fushimi Technical Senior High School is known for its having been the stage of the drama 'School Wars.'
Fushimi-Inari Post Office
History
It was inaugurated in 1879 when the section between Kyoto and Otani (which later became a part of the Tokaido Main Line) commenced operations. It was extended from Otani to Otsu the following year, and in 1889 it became a station on the Tokaido Main Line when the entire line between Shimbashi and Kobe reached completion. In 1921, the section of the route between Baba (now Zeze Station) and Kyoto on the Tokaido Main Line was switched to its present form via the Higashiyama Tunnel route and, at the same time, the remaining section between Kyoto and Inari was connected to the new line of the Nara Line from Momoyama Station and was incorporated into it (refer to "Nara Line" for details). Ever since then, Inari Station has been a Nara Line station.
August 18, 1879: The station was inaugurated as a station between Kyoto and Otani, which in later years became a part of the Tokaido Main Line.
August 1, 1921: The station became a Nara Line station when a change was made to the route of the Tokaido Main Line.
April 1, 1987: The station became a JR West station incidental to the split privatization of Japan National Railways.
Others
It was voted one of the Most Famous Stations in the Kinki Region at the first of such selections.
Neighboring stations
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
■Nara Line
■Miyakoji Rapid Service/■Rapid Service/■Regional Rapid Service
Nonstop
■Local
Tofukuji Station - Inari Station - JR-Fujinomori Station
※Miyakoji Rapid Service makes extraordinary stops during the New Year holidays.
Lines which once existed
Government railways
Tokaido Main Line (old line)
Yamashina Station - Inari Station (- Kyoto Station)
※Yamashina Station in those days was located not where it is today. Tofukuji Station still had not opened when this station was on the Tokaido Main Line.