A Light Station Built from Rails
The Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform (くま川鉄道東多良木駅待合所及びプラットホーム) are the facilities of an unstaffed station in Kurohiji, Taragi Town, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture, built in 1963, altered in 1989 and 2013, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014. The station is about 1.2 kilometres east of the Hirahara Arch Bridge.
On 20 September 2026, when through services resumed, the station was renamed Taragi-Shorenji. It has not moved, and the registration still uses the old name.
A Cantilevered Roof and a Steel Platform
The shelter is a single-storey steel frame with a slate roof and a building area of 18 square metres. Its frontage is 5.0 metres, and the roof is cantilevered: instead of posts at the front, the frame behind reaches out to carry it, so nothing stands between the bench and the platform.
The platform is 110 metres long and built on a steel frame topped with precast concrete slabs. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, old rails were used as structural members, a common economy at national railway stations.
The agency praises the pair for a light design that sits easily in the landscape, and they were registered as structures that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. Compared with the shelters of 1953 at Kawamura and Kinoe, they show how thinking about small stations had moved on in ten years.
What to Look For
At the Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform, the frame under the platform is the detail to find. Because the 110-metre platform stands on steelwork rather than an earth bank, you may be able to see recycled rails among the members below the edge.
At the shelter, trace where the cantilevered roof springs from. The open front depends on it.
Visiting
The Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform are in daily use at what is now Taragi-Shorenji, an unstaffed station, so the simplest way to see them is to get off the train. The adult fare from Hitoyoshi Onsen is 650 yen, and there is a bicycle rack. On a single-car train, board at the rear door, take a numbered ticket and pay into the fare box when you alight.
Look at the platform frame only from where you can see it without stepping onto the track or leaning over the edge. The registered Hyakutaro Bridge is about 500 metres east of the station.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kumamoto
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform
- [ Kumamoto Castle & Mt. Aso Volcano Tours ]
Q&A
- Where are the Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform?
- At Taragi-Shorenji Station, formerly Higashi-Taragi, in Kurohiji, Taragi Town, Kuma District.
- Has Higashi-Taragi Station been renamed?
- Yes. It became Taragi-Shorenji Station on 20 September 2026, at the same location.
- Can visitors see the Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform?
- Yes. It is a working station, so you can see them by getting off the train. The adult fare from Hitoyoshi Onsen is 650 yen.
- What is distinctive about the Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform?
- A steel shelter of 1963 with a cantilevered roof and a 110-metre steel-framed platform paved with precast concrete, with old rails used in the structure.
- Can I take photographs of the Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform?
- No restriction on photography at the station has been announced. Do not obstruct trains or passengers, and never step onto the track. Commercial filming goes through the Kumagawa Railway's filming and coverage request page.
Basic Information
| Name | Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform (くま川鉄道東多良木駅待合所及びプラットホーム) |
|---|---|
| Location | 41-3 Niharagawa, Kurohiji, Taragi Town, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration No. 43-0145 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014/12/19 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Shelter: single-storey steel frame, slate roof, building area 18 square metres. Platform: steel frame, 110 metres long |
| Owner | Kumagawa Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Unstaffed station in service, now named Taragi-Shorenji; the shelter and platform can be seen up close by travelling by train |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs: Kumagawa Railway Higashi-Taragi Station Waiting Shelter and Platform
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010402
- Kumagawa Railway: Historic and Cultural Heritage
- https://kumagawa-rail.com/cultural-property/
- Kumagawa Railway: Notice of full reopening and station relocation and renaming
- https://kumagawa-rail.com/2026/09/19/4880/
- Kumagawa Railway: Station Information
- https://kumagawa-rail.com/station-info/
- Kumagawa Railway: Timetable and Fares
- https://kumagawa-rail.com/time-fare/
Last verified: 2026.09.24
