Japan’s most remote train station

This station is not accessible by road. For a time, it was in danger of being closed but then kept.

In Japan, people use the term “hikyō-eki” to refer to remote stations. The term became popular in the 1990s. At that time, Takanobu Ushiyama, a writer with a great love for railways, wrote about stories on his train. From there, a movement to find remote train stations also began. Photo: Flickr. According to Atlas Obscura, Koboro Station in Toyoura, Hokkaido is the most famous spot on the list of “hikyō-eki”. It fits in the 100 m long space between the two tunnels. Photo: 1geso1. The three corners of the station are steep cliffs with dense forest trees. The other corner faces Uchiura Bay. If you want to go to the beach, you will have to follow a very bad road because it is not repaired. This station can only be reached by train or boat. Photo: 1geso1. Koboro Station has been open since 1943 – the time of the Pacific War. It was used as a signal station for steam locomotives transporting bombs and ammunition. It was not until 1987 that Koboro became an ordinary railway station. In an earlier period, the station was abandoned. Photo: Yoshiro.dagane. Currently, the station welcomes about 5 guests/day, most of them are train enthusiasts or local fishermen. Around 1960, the area around Koboro station also had a resort, camping by the sea. However, all of this gradually drifted into oblivion, leaving Koboro secluded in the mountains. Photo: Alex Bloom. In 2015, Koboro Station was almost closed. However, the town of Toyoura has funded the maintenance of the station to turn it into a tourist attraction. Photo: Dajamann. According to Atlas Obscura, the Hokkaidu railway company (which owns Koboro station) has not promised to maintain this station. Even so, at least the promotion for Koboro has been quite successful. Photo: Atlas Obscura.