A Steep Gable over the Entrance
The Kominato Railway Yorokeikoku Station Building (小湊鉄道養老渓谷駅本屋, Yōrō-Keikoku) is a single-storey timber station built around 1928 in the Asanohara district of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture; enlarged in 1932, it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on May 2, 2017.
Yorokeikoku lies about 2 kilometers south of the Fourth Yorogawa Bridge, on the third section of the line that opened on May 16, 1928. In normal times it is the end of the run for the Satoyama Torocco tourist train.
An Elegant Timber Station with a Porch
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the Kominato Railway Yorokeikoku Station Building as single-storey timber with a tiled roof and a building area of 96 square meters, the largest of the line's registered stations. Its core, holding the waiting room and office, measures 8.2 meters by 6.4 meters, with a bath house and other rooms added.
The walls are clad in horizontal boards. Over the front entrance rises a gable pitched at close to 45 degrees, and in front of it a porch two ken wide (about 3.6 meters). The agency calls it an elegant timber station.
Like Tsukizaki, the stations of the later sections face the road with a gable end and a porch, and Yorokeikoku shows that type at its fullest.
Seeing It
Stand in the forecourt of the Kominato Railway Yorokeikoku Station Building to take in the steep gable and porch together; walk round the side to see where the later additions join the core.
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.
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Q&A
- When was the Kominato Railway Yorokeikoku Station Building built?
- Around 1928, with enlargement in 1932.
- What should I look for at Yorokeikoku Station?
- The steep gable over the entrance and the two-ken porch in front of it.
- How big is the Kominato Railway Yorokeikoku Station Building?
- Its building area is 96 square meters, with a core of 8.2 meters by 6.4 meters.
- Is Yorokeikoku linked to the Satoyama Torocco?
- In normal times it is the train's terminus. The company's update of September 25, 2026 says the train is expected to run only between Goi and Kazusa Ushiku from October.
- Can I visit Yorokeikoku Station now?
- Not by train. The line beyond Kazusa Ushiku has been suspended since typhoon damage in September 2026.
Basic Information
| Name | Kominato Railway Yorokeikoku Station Building (小湊鉄道養老渓谷駅本屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 177 Kubo, Asanohara, 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 96 square meters (core 8.2 meters by 6.4 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: 小湊鉄道養老渓谷駅本屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011478
- Cultural Heritage Online: 小湊鉄道養老渓谷駅本屋
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/222334
- 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
- Kominato Railway: Boso Satoyama Torocco (Japanese)
- https://www.kominato.co.jp/satoyamatorocco/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
