A station that faces a mountain shrine
Step off the train at Kotohira and the first thing that meets you is a low wooden building looking out toward the southwest, in the direction of Konpira-san, the great mountain shrine that has drawn travelers to this corner of Kagawa for centuries. The main building (honya) went up in 1922, when the line was extended toward Awa-Ikeda and the station was shifted to its present ground in Enai. It is the third station to serve Kotohira, and the one that has stayed.
The plan is straightforward and generous. A single-storey timber waiting hall runs 27.2 metres along the front and 11.8 metres deep, under a hipped tile roof (yosemune-zukuri). At the centre of the facade a small gabled porch, the kuruma-yose, pushes forward to shelter arriving passengers, and a separate gabled wing on the north side holds the station offices. The footprint comes to 584 square metres.
Why it earned protection
In 2012 the honya was entered on the national register of tangible cultural properties, together with four other structures at the station, under the criterion for buildings that contribute to the historic character of the landscape. Its value is not in rarity of material but in how completely it holds the look of an early-Taisho railway approach to a famous shrine.
The detailing rewards a second look. Circular maru-kin crests, the emblem of Konpira Shrine, appear as small ornaments under the eaves, tying the railway to the sacred mountain it was built to reach. Large half-round windows lighten the long waiting hall and give the front its relaxed, almost civic expression. When JR Shikoku completed restoration work in 2016, the aim was to bring the exterior back to its 1922 appearance.
What to look for on a visit
Stand back on the forecourt before you go in. The honya reads as the calm middle of a wider composition: the long platform canopies stretch away behind it, and the steel transfer bridge rises at the far end. The gabled porch marks the entrance without shouting, and the half-round windows repeat along the wall in an easy rhythm.
Look up as you pass under the eaves for the maru-kin emblems, then find them again echoed on the platform ironwork. All trains on the Dosan Line, limited expresses included, call here, so the building is a working station rather than a museum piece. From the door it is a short, level walk to the shrine approach, where the 785 stone steps to the main hall begin.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near JR Kotohira Station Bookstore
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- When was the station building completed?
- The current main building dates from 1922 (Taisho 11), when the station moved to its present site in Enai as the line was extended toward Awa-Ikeda. It is the third station building at Kotohira.
- Is it still a working station?
- Yes. All Dosan Line trains, including limited expresses, stop here, and the building functions as an ordinary station. It was restored to its 1922 exterior in 2016.
- What are the maru-kin emblems?
- Maru-kin is the circular crest of Konpira Shrine (the character 'kin' in a ring). It appears as ornament under the eaves and on the platform ironwork, linking the railway to the shrine it served.
- How big is the building?
- It is single-storey timber, 27.2 metres wide and 11.8 metres deep, with a hipped tile roof and a gabled entrance porch. The floor area is about 584 square metres.
- How far is the shrine from here?
- The approach to Konpira Shrine begins a short, level walk from the station. From there the climb to the main hall runs up 785 stone steps.
Basic Information
| Name | JR Kotohira Station Main Building (ＪＲ琴平駅本屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 860 Yokose, Enai, Kotohira-cho, Nakatado-gun, Kagawa (香川県仲多度郡琴平町榎井字横瀬860他) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (登録有形文化財), registered 13 Aug 2012 (reg. no. 37-0378) |
| Date | 1922 (Taisho 11) |
| Structure | Single-storey timber, hipped tile roof, gabled porch; floor area 584 m² (木造平屋建、瓦葺) |
| Owner | Shikoku Railway Company / JR Shikoku (四国旅客鉄道株式会社) |
| Access | At Kotohira Station, Dosan Line; all trains stop |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース — ＪＲ琴平駅本屋
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009382
- 四国旅客鉄道（JR四国）
- https://www.jr-shikoku.co.jp/
- 琴平町公式ウェブサイト
- https://www.town.kotohira.kagawa.jp/
- Wikipedia — 琴平駅
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%90%B4%E5%B9%B3%E9%A7%85
Last verified: 2026.07.05