The Station Registered for Its Design
The Kominato Railway Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building (小湊鉄道上総鶴舞駅本屋) is a single-storey timber station built around 1925 in the Ikewada district of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture; altered in the Shōwa era, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on May 2, 2017. It is one of only two of the line's twenty-two listings registered as a model of good design.
Kazusa Tsurumai lies about 3.5 kilometers southeast of Kazusa Ushiku. Its yard also holds the registered freight shed and the former Tsurumai power station, so three listings stand together here.
A Diagonal-Jointed Floor and a Ticket Window
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the Kominato Railway Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building as single-storey timber with a tiled roof and a building area of 61 square meters, built to the line's standard opening-era design.
The agency points to the waiting room: its ceiling, a concrete floor scored with joints on the diagonal like laid square tiles, and the joinery of the ticket window all keep the atmosphere of the early railway. It also notes that the station is widely loved.
The agency's record is inconsistent on the date of the alterations, giving Shōwa 7 in the Japanese-era field but 1937 in the Western-year field. Shōwa 7 corresponds to 1932. This article leaves the question open and gives both figures.
Seeing It
In the waiting room of the Kominato Railway Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building, look down at the diagonal grid scored into the floor, then at the timber frame of the ticket window. Across the tracks, diagonally opposite, stands the former power station.
Since Typhoon No. 25 struck in September 2026, the line between Kazusa Ushiku and Kazusa-Nakano has been suspended until further notice, with no replacement buses (company statement of September 24, 2026), so for now it cannot be reached by train. Check the company's website for news of reopening.
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Q&A
- When was the Kominato Railway Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building built?
- Around 1925. The agency's record gives the later alteration as Shōwa 7 (1932) in one field and 1937 in another.
- What should I look for at the Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building?
- The waiting room ceiling, the concrete floor jointed on the diagonal, and the ticket window joinery.
- Why was the Kominato Railway Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building registered?
- As a model of good design, a criterion applied to only two of the line's twenty-two listings.
- Can I visit Kazusa Tsurumai Station now?
- Not by train. Typhoon damage in September 2026 suspended the line beyond Kazusa Ushiku, and the company said on September 24 that no replacement buses were planned.
- Are there other registered structures at Kazusa Tsurumai?
- Yes, the freight shed and the former Tsurumai power station stand in the same station yard.
Basic Information
| Name | Kominato Railway Kazusa Tsurumai Station Building (小湊鉄道上総鶴舞駅本屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 898-2 Yanagimachi, Ikewada, Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/5/2 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof, building area 61 square meters |
| Owner | Kominato Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Working station (section suspended after 2026 typhoon damage) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 小湊鉄道上総鶴舞駅本屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011468
- Cultural Heritage Online: 小湊鉄道上総鶴舞駅本屋
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/222324
- Kominato Railway: 22 facilities registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.kominato.co.jp/corporate/topics/heritage/index.html
- Kominato Railway: Damage from Typhoon No. 25 and recovery outlook, September 24, 2026 (Japanese)
- https://www.kominato.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/30216b45daba750194c363de3f54800f.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
