JR Tazawako Line Koiwai Station Bookstore

JR Tazawako Line Koiwai Station Main Building: A Century-Old Wooden Gateway to Mt. Iwate's Pastoral Heart

In the quiet town of Takizawa, Iwate Prefecture, stands a small wooden railway station that has welcomed travelers for more than a hundred years. The Koiwai Station Main Building (Koiwai-eki Hon'ya), located on the JR Tazawako Line, is a remarkably preserved Taisho-era station house that once served as the gateway to the famous Koiwai Farm. Designated as a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property in August 2025, this modest yet charming structure now lives a second life as both a working station and a beloved community gathering place.

A Living Witness to Japan's Railway History

Koiwai Station opened on June 25, 1921, during the Taisho era, as part of the newly inaugurated Hashiba Light Railway (Hashiba Keibensen)—the predecessor of today's JR Tazawako Line. The line connected Morioka with the foothills of Mt. Iwate and gave passengers a direct route to the surrounding agricultural districts and the celebrated Koiwai Farm, founded in 1891 by three pioneers including Iwasaki Yanosuke, the second president of Mitsubishi.

The station was built using the standard design plan that the Japanese national railway authority (kantetsu) used for its small rural stations of that period. Despite its modest scale, the building has retained the architectural character and atmosphere of a regional Taisho-era depot for over a century, making it one of the rare surviving examples of early-twentieth-century light railway station architecture in northern Japan.

Why It Was Designated a Cultural Property

On August 6, 2025, the Koiwai Station Main Building was officially registered as a Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The designation recognized the building's contribution to the historical landscape of Japan and its rare authenticity as an example of an early Taisho-period rural railway station.

Architectural Significance

The single-story wooden structure measures roughly 17.3 meters in length and 4.6 meters in width, with a gabled roof now finished in lightweight tile. Its most distinctive external feature is the projecting gabled porte-cochère (kuruma-yose) that shelters arriving passengers at the entrance—a hallmark of small Japanese station buildings of the early twentieth century. The plan closely matches the standard design used by the national railway for its smallest depots, making the building an unusually intact example of this once-common type.

Historical Significance

For more than a century, Koiwai Station served as the southern gateway to Koiwai Farm, located about 6 kilometers north. The poet Miyazawa Kenji is known to have used this station when visiting the farm in 1922, and he later evoked the place in his poetic anthology "Haru to Shura" (Spring and Asura), describing the station as one that "modestly hunched its shoulders." This literary connection adds to the building's cultural weight as a place where a beloved figure of modern Japanese literature once paused.

Preservation and Restoration

By the 2010s the aging building faced demolition, and rebuilding had been seriously considered. Instead, with cooperation from JR East and Koiwai Nomoku Co., Ltd., a careful restoration was carried out in 2023 that returned the exterior to its 1921 appearance. Original foundations, structural timbers, and exterior walls were retained wherever possible, while the interior was sensitively reconfigured for new community uses. The successful project received the 2024 All-Japan Construction Award (Zenken-sho) in the infrastructure category.

Highlights for Visitors

Although the station is small, every detail rewards careful observation. The understated wooden facade, the projecting gabled entrance, and the geometry of the roofline together capture the modest dignity that defined Japanese rural stations a century ago.

The Restored Exterior

Approaching the station from the front square, visitors immediately notice the gabled porte-cochère extending toward the road, framed by simple wooden columns. The proportions are deliberately humble, matching Miyazawa Kenji's image of a station "hunching its shoulders." The lightweight tiled roof catches the sunlight against the backdrop of fields and distant mountains, evoking the rural atmosphere of the early Showa years.

The Reborn Interior

Inside, the former ticket office and waiting area have been thoughtfully redesigned to function as a community salon. Visitors are welcome to step inside, rest on benches that echo the original waiting room, and enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the careful carpentry. Local residents staff the space, sell handmade crafts, and offer warm hospitality to travelers.

A Working Station and Community Space

Trains on the JR Tazawako Line still stop here several times a day. The fact that this century-old building remains in active service as a railway station—rather than serving as a static museum—is itself part of its appeal. Travelers who alight here can experience the rhythms of a small rural Japanese station while standing inside a registered cultural property.

Around Koiwai Station

The station is conveniently positioned for visitors exploring the Mt. Iwate region and is best combined with a visit to Koiwai Farm and other attractions in Takizawa City.

Koiwai Farm Makibaen

About 6 kilometers north of the station, Koiwai Farm is one of Japan's largest privately owned farms and a beloved tourism destination. The Makibaen visitor area offers tractor tours, sheep shows, hands-on dairy experiences, and seasonal events. From the station, buses or taxis can take visitors directly to the farm.

The Lone Cherry Tree of Koiwai

One of Iwate's most photographed scenes, the solitary cherry tree blooming against the backdrop of snowcapped Mt. Iwate, is located on a meadow within the Koiwai Farm grounds. Late April to early May is the prime viewing period.

Mt. Iwate

The graceful, twin-peaked symbol of the prefecture is visible from the station and dominates the landscape throughout this part of Iwate. Hiking trails up the mountain begin at several trailheads accessible by car from Takizawa City.

Morioka City

The prefectural capital, only about 25 minutes by train from Koiwai Station, offers excellent food (especially Wanko-soba and Reimen), historic streets, and the Hoonji Temple's hall of five hundred Rakan statues.