Kamiyonai Station in Morioka attracts a steady stream of visitors for its local lacquerware works and access to a popular cherry blossom-viewing site.

It also draws railway buffs who can glimpse the growing trend for turning an unstaffed station into a tourist attraction. 

“The station is a landmark in the local area,” said Kakuta Hosogoe, 61, representative director of the local Next-Generation Lacquer Association. “It provides residents with a sense of relief and offers an easy place for gathering for visitors from outside the community as well.”

NEW LIFE FOR UNSTAFFED STATIONS

The growing number of unmanned train stations across Japan has successively been resurrected as regional hubs, breathing renewed vitality into communities in close proximity.

These deserted train stops are increasingly tasked with a range of projects aimed at making the most of unstaffed establishments, as more than half of all stations nationwide operate with no rail employees.

Kamiyonai Station is a 15-minute train ride from JR Morioka Station along the Yamada Line. Kamiyonai Station started operations in 1923, coinciding with the Yamada Line’s opening.

The station, housed in a wooden single-story building in continuous use since its installation, is adorned with varnished wood coated with lacquer.

Hosogoe said that many people who stop by the station on their way to cherry blossom viewing take an interest in lacquerware. 

On display and available for purchase at the site are not only lacquerware but also writing utensils and fashion accessories coated with resinous varnish. The station in Iwate Prefecture is alike characterized by a hands-on workshop and cafe located within.

With Iwate Prefecture making up 80 percent of domestic lacquer shipment, the train stop is doubling as a center for promoting the culture linked to the traditional coating technique.

Taking into account rising concerns about a shortage of Japan-made varnish, the Next-Generation Lacquer Association is devoted to reinvigorating the local area via lacquer-treated items at the station. It is similarly committed to tree planting and other activities.

Ridership on the Yamada Line averaged upward of 1,000 passengers per day in fiscal 1987 at the time of the privatization of the Japanese National Railways and the founding of Japan Railway companies. The figure has recently fallen below 100.

Kamiyonai Station therefore became unstaffed in 2018.

A Next-Generation Lacquer Association proposal was adopted by East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) from among ideas solicited from the public under the rail operator’s endeavor to utilize staff-free stations.

Collecting funds through a crowdfunding campaign and elsewhere, the station building was remodeled and reopened in 2020.

JR WEST GIVES STATION TO CITY

According to data from the transport ministry, a total of 4,120 stations were operated without permanent workers in fiscal 2001. The number jumped to 4,776 in fiscal 2022.

The ratio of unmanned stations shot up to 50.9 percent from 43.3 percent, reaching a majority of the total in the end.

A challenge, particularly pointed to by Japan Railway companies, lies in how to properly maintain and manage equipment of such establishments, inclusive of keeping them clean.

Sanmi Station on the Sanin Line saw its staff withdrawn in 1991. Three decades later, the facility in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was reborn as a “livable station” in spring 2023.

Hagi city acquired the 100-year-old building from West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) free of charge, so that the 60-square-meter section, excluding primarily the waiting room, could be renovated into an accommodation with a bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen.

The refurbished station is utilized as a “home for trial living,” allowing individuals considering moving to Hagi to experience life in the city. A group of up to four people can stay for six nights and seven days at one time at a cost of 7,000 yen ($47).

The accommodation is outfitted with a refrigerator, air conditioner and Wi-Fi. Eight trains arrive and depart daily each way from the platform directly in front, making the house an “ultimate station-side property.”

Hagi city officials said that the station-turned-inn had an occupancy rate of nearly 80 percent in fiscal 2024. It is so popular that reservations are constantly booked several months in advance.

Three groups of visitors to the test residence have, so far, reportedly moved to the municipality.

UNMANNED STATION TURNS TO 'GLAMPING'

Another station-based facility has succeeded in injecting energy into the rural region around it in an unconventional fashion.

Doai Station along the Joetsu Line in Minakami, Gunma Prefecture, famed as the gateway for hiking Mount Tanigawadake, had been operating without rail workers since 1985.

In 2020, a “glamping” (glamorous camping) site was put into service on the station grounds, along with an outdoor sauna as well as tents for guests. The former station office was transformed into a cafe while serving as the campsite’s reception desk, too.

The glamping ground has already emerged as a particularly high-profile destination for people to enjoy nature without having to pack in camping gear themselves.

More than 400 guests show up annually, prompting the addition of morning and night markets to highlight local specialties and delicacies.

Regaining its former glory, the space in front of the station is now home to a restaurant newly opened by a resident.

A JR East representative described the train stop as important for both residents and outsiders.

“The station is an exchange hub for the local community and a place that attracts visitors from outside at the same time,” the rail official said. “Working closely with locals and startups, among other entities, we will continue taking on the challenge of utilizing unstaffed stations to revitalize surrounding communities.”