Aso Station (Kumamoto)

Aso Station (阿蘇駅, Aso-eki) is a railway station on the Hōhi Main Line in Aso, Kumamoto, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu).[1][2]

Aso Station

阿蘇駅
Aso Station in September 2020
LocationKumamoto
Japan
Coordinates32°56′15″N 131°04′49″E
Operated by JR Kyushu
Line(s)■ Hōhi Main Line
Distance49.9 km from Kumamoto
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2 + 1 siding
Construction
Structure typeAt grade
Other information
StatusStaffed ticket window (outsourced)
WebsiteOfficial website
History
Opened25 January 1918 (1918-01-25)
Previous namesBōchū (until 20 March 1961)
Location
Aso Station
Location within Japan

Lines

Aso Station is served by the 148.0 km (92.0 mi) Hōhi Main Line, which runs between Kumamoto and Ōita and is located 49.9 km from the starting point of the line at Kumamoto.[3]

Layout

The station consists of two side platforms serving two tracks at grade. The station building is a wooden structure of traditional Japanese design and houses a staffed ticket window, a waiting area, a shop and a restaurant.[3][2]

Management of the station has been outsourced to the JR Kyushu Tetsudou Eigyou Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of JR Kyushu specialising in station services. It staffs the ticket window which is equipped with a POS machine but does not have a Midori no Madoguchi facility.[4][5]

  • A view of the platforms and tracks.

Adjacent stations
« Service »
Hōhi Main Line
Uchinomaki Local Ikoi-no-Mura

History

On 21 June 1914, Japanese Government Railways (JGR) opened the Miyaji Light Rail Line (宮地軽便線) (later the Miyagi Line) from Kumamoto eastwards to Higo-Ōzu. The line was extended eastward in phases and Miyaji was established as the eastern terminal on 25 January 1918. On the same day, Aso was opened as an intermediate station on the new track with the name Bōchū (坊中). On 2 December 1928, Miyaji was linked up with Tamarai, the western terminus of the Inukai Line (犬飼線), which had been extended westwards in phases from Ōita since 1914. Through-traffic was established between Kumamoto and Ōita. The two lines were merged and the entire stretch redesignated as the Hōhi Main Line. Bōchū was renamed Aso Station on 20 March 1961. With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the station came under the control of JR Kyushu.[6][7]

Because of track damage from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, service between Higo-Ōzu to Bungo-Ogi was suspended from April 2016. Service between Aso and Bungo-Ogi was restored by 9 July 2016.[8] The sector between Higo-Ōzu and Aso remains closed. JR Kyushu has commenced repair work, starting first with the track from Higo-Ōzu to Tateno but has not announced a targeted completion date.[9]

On 17 September 2017, Typhoon Talim (Typhoon 18) damaged the Hōhi Main Line at several locations. Services between Aso and Nakahanda were suspended and replaced by bus services. Rail service from Aso to Miemachi was restored by 22 September 2017[10] Normal rail services between Aso and Ōita were restored by 2 October 2017.[11]

Surrounding area

See also

References
  1. "JR Kyushu Route Map" (PDF). JR Kyushu. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  2. "阿蘇" [Aso]. hacchi-no-he.net. Retrieved 26 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. 37, 78. ISBN 9784062951654.
  4. "熊本支店内各駅" [Stations within the Kumamoto Branch]. JRTE website. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  5. "阿蘇駅" [Aso Station]. jr-mars.dyndns.org. Retrieved 26 April 2018. See images of tickets sold.
  6. 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). I. Tokyo: JTB Corporation. p. 228. ISBN 4533029809.
  7. 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. 745. ISBN 4533029809.
  8. "豊肥線 阿蘇〜豊後萩間で運行再開　九州横断特急が出発" [Hōhi Line Aso - Bungo-Ogi traffic to reopen. Kyushu Crossing Express to recommence.]. Kumamoto Prefecture Television Company website. 9 July 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  9. "JR九州、平成28年熊本地震で被害を受けた豊肥本線の復旧工事に4月着手" [JR Kyushu Restoration work commences in April on Hōhi Main Line track damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake]. Travel Watch. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  10. "豊肥本線の運休区間が縮小…阿蘇～三重町間再開" [Zone of suspended services on Hōhi Main Line reduced. Aso to Miemachi reopens]. Response.jp. 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  11. "10 月２日(月)からの日豊本線・豊肥本線の運転計画について(お知らせ)" [Operations plan for Nippo Main Line and Hōhi Main Line (notice)] (PDF). JR Kyushu. 29 September 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  12. "Aso Villa Park Hotel" (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 May 2014.
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