The Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot
The Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot (旧小坂鉄道小坂駅機関車庫) is a steel-framed engine shed built in 1962 in the yard of the old Kosaka Station, Kosaka Town, Kazuno District, Akita Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 26, 2015 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey steel-framed building with a sheet-metal roof and a building area of 1163 square metres, altered in 1969 and 2014; registration number 05-0206.
Built in the Year of Regauging
The Kosaka Station locomotive depot went up in 1962, the year the Kosaka Railway widened its track to 1,067 mm and switched the whole line to diesel power. According to the Rail Park's chronology, regauging was approved in April and the new service began that October; in December 1967 DD130 diesel locomotives were brought in to carry more freight.
After the railway closed, Kosaka Town leased the depot from Kosaka Smelting and Refining in 2011 and finished renovating it in March 2014 (Kosaka Railway Rail Park).
Why It Was Registered
The Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot stands at the north end of the station yard: a gabled, single-storey steel building 75 metres long and 15 metres wide, running east to west over 2 sidings, and clad in corrugated slate (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Its frame is a gabled rigid frame built up from Truss members, giving a large open interior suited to an industrial building. The Agency registered it as a model of design.
What to Look For
Inside the Kosaka Station locomotive depot, look up. The gabled frames, posts and rafters made as one, are built of trussed members and repeat at regular intervals down the 75-metre length. Few columns break the space, leaving room to service locomotives on 2 tracks side by side.
From outside, the corrugated walls and long gabled roof stretch east to west, a piece of Showa-era industrial building in plain contrast with the timber eaves of the station.
Visiting the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot
The Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot is inside the Kosaka Railway Rail Park, and the park admission ticket covers it (Kosaka Railway Rail Park). It can be seen only during the park season, April 1 through November 23. Hours, fees and directions are on the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station page.
Q&A
- When was the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot built?
- In 1962; it was altered in 1969 and 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot registered?
- On March 26, 2015 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot?
- 75 metres long and 15 metres wide, with a building area of 1163 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is special about the structure of the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot?
- A gabled rigid frame built from trussed members creates a large open interior (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I go inside the Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot?
- Yes, with a Rail Park ticket during the season, April 1 through November 23 (Kosaka Railway Rail Park).
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot (旧小坂鉄道小坂駅機関車庫) |
|---|---|
| Location | 20-3 Furukawa, Kosaka Kozan, Kosaka Town, Kazuno District, Akita Prefecture, and others |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2015/03/26 (Heisei 27) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Steel frame, 1 storey, sheet-metal roof, building area 1163 m², 75 m by 15 m |
| Owner | Kosaka Town |
| Public Access | Open as part of the Kosaka Railway Rail Park (admission charged, closed in winter) |
References
- Former Kosaka Railway Kosaka Station Locomotive Depot (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010408
- About the Rail Park and history of the Kosaka Railway (Kosaka Railway Rail Park, Japanese)
- https://kosaka-rp.com/pages/9/
- Opening hours and admission (Kosaka Railway Rail Park, Japanese)
- https://kosaka-rp.com/pages/159/
Last verified: 2026.11.08
