Kameoka Station (亀岡駅)
Kameoka Station, located in Tanisuji, Oiwake-cho, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a facility of the Sanin Main Line (Sagano Line), which is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). This station is responsible for the administration of the section between Tanbaguchi Station and Sonobe Station.
The abbreviated station name (for telegraph) is 'Fuchioka.'
ICOCA and J-through cards can be used at this station (refer to the column on ICOCA for information regarding IC cards that are mutually usable).
At this station, each local train makes a turn and all limited express trains stop. Rapid trains running toward the Sonobe side also stop at all stations after stopping at this station.
Station layout
This station is a ground station that has two island-style platforms for four tracks and a station building on the bridge, where trains can wait for other trains to pass as well as an inbound and outbound trains can pass each other.
The old station building (existent until February 2006), which was constructed during wartime (1943), was demolished due to the construction work of a new station building on the bridge. During the period of renovation work of the station building, the temporary station building and overpass were set on the Kyoto side of the station, but on April 12, 2008, a new station building on the bridge and the free passage that runs north and south were placed in service. Along with the completion of the station building on the bridge, the station square was also completed on the north side of the station. Route 1, 2 and 3 of Kameoka Furusato Bus, as well as shuttle bus for the Hozu-gawa River Boat Ride, depart from and arrive at the north exit of the station. The free passage that runs north and south was called 'Nodo-Kame Road' (a synthesized term of 'nodoka' (calm) and 'Kameoka'), which was chosen from entries submitted by the public.
The platform number is usually allocated in order starting from the side of the main station building, but in the case of this station it is allocated in reverse from the side of the old station building (south side) (and many other stations on the Sagano Line employ this formula).
Even after completion of the new station building, Platform 2 isn't in service for the time being. In the near future, the work of shifting Platform 2 slightly toward the Platform 3 side and expanding the platform is expected to be carried out. Under such circumstances, the platform of Platform 2 is narrow at the moment due to a temporary fence.
Passenger use
According to statistics compiled by the Kyoto Prefectural Government, the average number of passengers daily in fiscal year 2006 was 9,877.
Because this is the central station of Kameoka City, which has developed as a bedroom suburb of Kyoto and Osaka, the number of passengers is very large and, depending on the time zone, the congestion on trains bound for Kyoto is relatively heavy. From 10 a.m. till 4 p.m., passengers are required to cross the overpass (an elevator is provided) in order to transfer to local trains from rapid trains that have come from Sonobe. This is because the track for local trains, which make a turn at this station, was changed from Platform 1 to Platform 4 due to the process of renovating the station building. Instead, passengers of trains coming from Kyoto, for which this is the terminal station, can transfer to trains bound for Sonobe on the same platform. The above seems to be a temporary measure in effect until the completion of the suspension in the use of Platform 2, which is associated with renovation work of the station building.
Among the stations of Sagano Line (Kyoto Station - Sonobe Station), the number of passengers of this station is the third largest after Kyoto Station and Nijo Station.
Sightseeing
The Hozu-gawa River Boat Ride, which goes down the Hozu-gawa River to Arashiyama, Kyoto City, is available at the north side of the station (a ten-minute walk).
Station surroundings
The Kameoka post office
Kameoka City Hall
The Kameoka police station
The Kameoka fire station
Kameyama-jo Castle (Tanba Province)
Kameoka City Library
Rakurakuso
Kyoto Prefectural Kameoka High School
Kameoka Junior High School, Kameoka City
Kameoka Elementary School, Kameoka City
Josei Elementary School, Kameoka City
Kyoto Gakuen University
Yunohana Onsen (a natural hot-spring resort), in Kyoto Prefecture
The "Galleria Kameoka" roadside station (also, facilities for lifelong learning)
Kameoka SATY (a chain store)
Seiyu Kameoka Store
Matsumoto (Kyoto Prefecture) Arazuka Store
Matsumoto Chuo Store
Kameoka Shopping Center Amity
Knittelfeld Street
National Route 9 (Sanin Expressway)
National Route 372
Kameoka Branch, {The Bank of Kyoto, Ltd}.
Kameoka Branch, The Kyoto Shinkin Bank
Bus route
Keihan Kyoto Kotsu: buses bound for Hankyu Katsura Station, JR Kyoto Station, Kyoto Gakuen University and Sonobe Station, etc.
Kameoka City Community Bus
History
August 15, 1899: The station commenced operation as a facility of Kyoto Electric Railway. It offered passenger service as well as freight service.
August 1, 1907: Kyoto Electric Railway was nationalized.
September 30, 1980: Freight service was abolished.
April 1, 1987: The station became a facility of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) due to the division and privatization of Japan National Railway (JNR).
April 12, 2008: The station building on the bridge was completed and placed in service.
Adjacent stations
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Sagano Line (Sanin Main Line)
Limited Express 'Tanba,' Limited Express 'Kinosaki,' Limited Express 'Hashidate,' Limited Express 'Maizuru' and Limited Express 'Tango Discovery' stop at this station.
Rapid (stopping at all stations located toward the Sonobe side of this station)
Saga-Arashiyama Station - Kameoka Station - Namikawa Station
Local
Umahori Station - Kameoka Station - Namikawa Station