A 98-Metre Platform of Local Stone
The Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform (東武鉄道小佐越駅プラットホーム) is a cobble-faced earth-fill railway platform of 1930 in Kosagoe Station in Kinugawa Onsen Ohara, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a stone structure 98 metres long, altered between 1960 and 1964; registration number 09-243.
Built in an Improvement Programme
The Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform was built during improvement works that accompanied the opening of the Yaita Line and other changes (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Agency's description says Kosagoe Station opened in 1924, while Tobu Railway's station guide gives July 6, 1930 as its opening date, so the sources differ on when the station began.
It is a 98-metre tamaishi-zumi earth-fill platform, an earth bank with rounded river cobbles laid along its sides. The Agency notes that its distinctive exterior, making use of local stone, records the history of its construction.
Why It Was Registered
The Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform was registered under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country, valued for an exterior of local stone that records how the railway was built (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
What to Look For
At the Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform, look for the cobble facing that runs for 98 metres along the side toward the track. Of the registered platforms on the Kinugawa Line it is the farthest from Shimo-Imaichi.
The station stands in Ohara, but there were few houses nearby when it opened, so it took the name of Kosagoe, a settlement on the opposite bank of the Kinugawa River. After later road widening and station works, what was once the back of the station is now its front (Tobu Railway).
Visiting
The Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform is a working station platform and is seen when using the trains; no special opening or tours were found.
Kosagoe is the 4th station on the Kinugawa Line after Shimo-Imaichi, following Shin-Takatoku (Tobu Railway). No official Tobu Railway guidance on photography was found; on the platform, keep clear of train operations and other passengers. Directions and the other registered structures along the line are gathered on the Tobu Railway Kinugawa Line page.
Q&A
- When was the Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform built?
- In 1930, during improvement works that accompanied the opening of the Yaita Line; it was altered between 1960 and 1964 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When did Kosagoe Station, home of the Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform, open?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs says 1924; Tobu Railway's station guide gives July 6, 1930. The sources differ.
- Where is the Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform?
- At Kosagoe Station on the Tobu Kinugawa Line, 29 Kinugawa Onsen Ohara, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, the 4th station after Shimo-Imaichi (Tobu Railway).
- Can I visit the Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform?
- It is a working platform, seen when using the trains. No dedicated visitor information was found.
- When was the Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform registered?
- On October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform (東武鉄道小佐越駅プラットホーム) |
|---|---|
| Location | 29 Kinugawa Onsen Ohara, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/10/27 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone, length 98 m |
| Owner | Tobu Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Working station platform, seen when using the trains |
References
- Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011871
- Tobu Railway Kosagoe Station Platform (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/245928
- Kosagoe Station (Tobu Railway, Japanese)
- https://www.tobu.co.jp/railway/guide/station/info/4205.html
Last verified: 2026.11.11
