The second canopy, paired with the first
Passenger Shelter No.2 runs parallel to the main building on its east side, a companion to the longer No.1 across the platform. It stretches 108.2 metres by 5.5 metres and, like its neighbour, dates from 1922. Together the two shelters set up the broad, roofed sweep that marks Kotohira as a principal station rather than a wayside halt.
Its frame is timber under a gabled slate roof, and the roof is carried on king-post trusses (kingu-posuto torasu), the simple triangular form in which a central post hangs from the ridge to steady the tie beam. The building covers 837 square metres.
A clever join with the depot
The southern half of No.2 does something worth noticing. Rather than standing free, it leans its roof against the main building, sloping down onto the depot as a lean-to and dropping the row of posts on its west side. The shelter and the station building share a roofline there, joined into one continuous covered space.
That economy of structure is part of why the group reads so well. No.2 was registered in 2012 alongside the other four buildings, under the criterion for structures that contribute to the historic landscape. Standing beside No.1, it helps convey the dignity expected of a major shrine-town station.
What to notice
Look first at the king-post trusses overhead and compare them with the pinching-beam trusses of No.1 opposite. The two shelters solve the same problem in different ways, and seeing them together is a short lesson in early-twentieth-century platform carpentry.
Then follow the southern end to where the roof runs into the main building and the west posts disappear. The seam between shelter and depot is easy to miss and satisfying to find. It is the kind of practical joinery that keeps this station feeling like a single, unified place.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near JR Kotohira Station Passenger Shed No. 2
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- How does No.2 differ from No.1?
- No.2 is 108.2 metres long and framed with king-post trusses, while No.1 opposite is 127.4 metres and uses pinching-beam trusses. Its southern half leans onto the main building.
- What is a king-post truss?
- A simple triangular roof frame in which a central vertical post hangs from the ridge to support the horizontal tie beam. It is a light, economical way to span a platform.
- Why does part of the roof lean on the depot?
- The southern half slopes down onto the main building as a lean-to, so the west row of posts could be dropped. Shelter and station share a roofline there, forming one covered space.
- When was it built and registered?
- It dates from 1922 (Taisho 11) and was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on 13 August 2012 (reg. no. 37-0381).
- How large is it?
- It is single-storey timber with a gabled slate roof, 108.2 metres long and 5.5 metres deep, with a floor area of about 837 square metres.
Basic Information
| Name | JR Kotohira Station Passenger Shelter No.2 (ＪＲ琴平駅旅客上屋二号) |
|---|---|
| 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, registered 13 Aug 2012 (reg. no. 37-0381) |
| Date | 1922 (Taisho 11) |
| Structure | Single-storey timber, gabled slate roof, king-post trusses; length 108.2 m; floor area 837 m² |
| Owner | Shikoku Railway Company / JR Shikoku (四国旅客鉄道株式会社) |
| Access | Beside the main building at Kotohira Station, Dosan Line |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース — ＪＲ琴平駅旅客上屋二号
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009385
- 四国旅客鉄道（JR四国）
- https://www.jr-shikoku.co.jp/
- Wikipedia — 琴平駅
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%90%B4%E5%B9%B3%E9%A7%85
Last verified: 2026.07.05