Kino Station (木野駅)
Kino Station, located in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto City, is a stop on the Kurama Line of the Eizan-dentetsu (Eizan Electric Railway).
Station layout
It's an unmanned station with two platforms serving two tracks that face each other. The roofs cover the entirety of the platforms. Entrances are located on the Demachiyanagi Station side of the platforms. Two platforms are accessed by a level crossing in the station (Class 1 Ko), which many people and bicycles cross since the station is usually unmanned and the ticket gates used when the station staff are at work are installed on the platforms (refer to the image). Although a ramp is installed, because of its steep slope caretakers are needed for persons in wheelchairs.
Station surroundings
The station is located several tens of meters from the Koyama-Iwakura Teishajo Line Kyoto Prefectural Route 106. The surroundings comprise a residential area, mainly of free-standing homes. Many rice and vegetable fields could formerly be seen except for the area along the Prefectural Route, but in recent years land readjustment has been promoted.
Previously, the station was located along the railroad crossing that lay several 100 meters to the west, or adjacent to the center of a small settlement (the final stop of the Kyoto Bus) where the roads crossed. After the 1968 establishment of the former Kyoto Seika University until 1989, when the Kyoto Seikadaimae Station opened, the station served as the nearest station from the university, and many rental apartments for students were built along the road (currently Prefectural Route 106) between the station and the university. The station was located in front of the Kyoto Prefectural Hokuryo Senior High School, which was established in 1980. However, after the Kyoto Seikadaimae Station opened in 1990 and, for the purpose of double-tracking, the station was transferred to the current location close to the residential area in the south side, where land readjustment had been implemented.
Kyoto Prefectural Hokuryo Senior High School
Anta-bashi Bridge
Ichijosan (a small hill next to the current station. It became famous because it was left as a bald hill due to the temporary halt of development.)
Entsu-ji Temple (Kyoto City) is located a kilometer to the southwest.
History
December 1, 1928: The station opened under the ownership of the Kurama Electric Railway. The station was located on the east side (the current station) of the level crossing, several hundred meters west of the current location. The station had a train depot.
August 1, 1942: The station came under the ownership of the Keifuku Electric Railroad due to the amalgamation.
November 10, 1944: The line between Yamabana Station (currently called Takaragaike Station) and Nikenchaya Station (Kyoto Prefecture), including Kino Station, became a single track for the delivery of supplies for the war. The station was transferred to the west side of the level crossing. The train depot supposedly didn't exist at the time, but the details are unknown.
April 1, 1986: The station came under the ownership of the Eizan Electric Railway due to the transfer of the company.
September 28, 1990: The line between Iwakura Station (Kyoto Prefecture) and Nikenchaya Station became a double track again, thereby to transfer the station several hundred meters eastward.
Neighboring stations
Eizan Electric Railway
Kurama Line
Iwakura Station (Kyoto Prefecture) - Kino Station - Kyoto Seikadaimae Station