Arao Station (Kumamoto)

Arao Station (荒尾駅, Arao-eki) is a railway station on the Kagoshima Main Line operated by JR Kyushu in Arao, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.[1][2]

JB  28  Arao Station 荒尾駅
Arao Station in 2016
Location	Japan
Coordinates	32°59′39.4″N 130°26′3.2″E
Operated by	JR Kyushu
Line(s)	■ Kagoshima Main Line,
Distance	151.6 km from Mojikō
Platforms	2 island platforms
Tracks	4 + 3 passing loops
Connections	Bus stop
Construction
Structure type	At grade
Parking	Available
Disabled access	No - platforms linked by footbridge
Other information
Status	JR Kyushu ticket window (Midori no Madoguchi)
Website	Official website
History
Opened	1 November 1912
Previous names	Manda (until 15 June 1943)
Passengers
FY2016	1,172 daily
Rank	143rd (among JR Kyushu stations)
Location
JB  28  Arao Station Location within Japan

Lines

The station is served by the Kagoshima Main Line and is located 151.6 km from the starting point of the line at Mojiko.[3] Both local and rapid services on the line stop at the station.

Layout

The station consists of two island platforms serving four tracks with passing loops to the north and south. The station building is wooden structure of traditional Japanese design with a tiled roof. It houses a staffed ticket window (with a Midori no Madoguchi facility) and a waiting area. Access to the island platforms is by means of a footbridge.[2][3][4]

• 
  Passing loops run between the station building (left) and the first platform.
• 
  A view of the station forecourt.

Adjacent stations

←		Service		→
Kagoshima Main Line
JB  27  Ōmuta		Local	Minami-Arao
JB  27  Ōmuta		Rapid	Minami-Arao

History

Japanese Government Railways (JGR) opened the station with the name Manda (万田) on 1 November 1912 as an additional station on the existing track of the Kagoshima Main Line. On 15 June 1943, the station name was changed to Arao. With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR), the successor of JGR, on 1 April 1987, JR Kyushu took over control of the station.[5]

Passenger statistics

In fiscal 2016, the station was used by an average of 1,172 passengers daily (boarding passengers only), and it ranked 143rd among the busiest stations of JR Kyushu.[6]

References

1. "JR Kyushu Route Map" (PDF). JR Kyushu. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
2. "荒尾" [Arao]. hacchi-no-he.net. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
3. Kawashima, Ryōzō (2013). 図説: 日本の鉄道 四国・九州ライン 全線・全駅・全配線・第6巻 熊本 大分 エリア [Japan Railways Illustrated. Shikoku and Kyushu. All lines, all stations, all track layouts. Volume 6 Kumamoto Ōita Area] (in Japanese). Kodansha. pp. 18, 67. ISBN 9784062951654.
4. "荒尾駅に訪問" [Visit to Arao Station]. Dridorichi's railroad blog. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2018. See especially for photographic coverage of station facilities.
5. Ishino, Tetsu; et al., eds. (1998). 停車場変遷大事典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR] (in Japanese). II. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 682. ISBN 4533029809.
6. "駅別乗車人員上位300駅（平成28年度）" [Passengers embarking by station - Top 300 stations (Fiscal 2016)] (PDF). JR Kyushu. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2018.

External links

• Arao Station (JR Kyushu)(in Japanese)