A Goods Shed for the Copper Railway
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform (わたらせ渓谷鐵道足尾駅貨物上屋及びプラットホーム) is a single-storey timber goods shed and stone platform of Ashio Station opened in 1912 at Kakemizu, Ashio-machi, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on November 2, 2009 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber shed with a slate roof and a building area of 179 square metres, and a stone platform 24 metres long, registration number 09-0180.
The Ashio Copper Railway
According to Watarase Keikoku Railway, the Ashio copper mine, bought by Furukawa Ichibei in 1877, grew to produce half of Japan's copper, more than horses and a horse tramway could carry, so a railway was built from Kiryu to Ashio. The Ashio Railway opened to Omama in 1911, reached Ashio in December 1912 and was completed to Ashio Honzan in 1914. Nationalised in 1918 as the Ashio Line, it has been run by Watarase Keikoku Railway since 1989.
According to Watarase Keikoku Railway, Ashio Station opened with the Sori to Ashio section in December 1912. The Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform lies north-east of the station building (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it records the station's history as a freight hub.
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a 24-metre platform faced on three sides with squared stone, carrying a gabled timber shed 22 by 5.5 metres, open along its long sides and clapboarded at the ends.
Watarase Keikoku Railway's pamphlet notes that the Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform, north of the station building and now unused, once served freight trains; the original shed and platform survive as a key facility of a railway built to carry the Ashio mine's freight.
Visiting
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform stands north of Ashio Station, and its exterior can be seen when using the station (Watarase Keikoku Railway). Watarase Keikoku Railway notes that all of its registered structures can be seen from the train.
Do not enter the tracks; view it from the train, the station or nearby roads. It is located at 2309 Kamikakemizu, Kakemizu, Ashio-machi, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, and other lots. Of the line's 38 registered structures, the 26 in Gunma and 11 in Tochigi are gathered on the group pages Watarase Keikoku Railway (Gunma Section) and Watarase Keikoku Railway (Tochigi Section).
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Tochigi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform
- [ Nikko Toshogu Shrine & Kegon Falls Day Trip ]
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1912 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is it built?
- A single-storey timber shed with a slate roof and a building area of 179 square metres, and a stone platform 24 metres long (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What was it used for?
- As the stop for freight trains carrying the Ashio mine's goods (Watarase Keikoku Railway).
- Where can it be seen?
- The Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform stands north of Ashio Station, and its exterior can be seen when using the station (Watarase Keikoku Railway).
- When was the Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform registered?
- On November 2, 2009.
Basic Information
| Name | Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform (わたらせ渓谷鐵道足尾駅貨物上屋及びプラットホーム) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2309 Kamikakemizu, Kakemizu, Ashio-machi, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/11/02 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Shed: timber, single storey, slate roof, building area 179 square metres; platform: stone, length 24 metres |
| Owner | Not listed in the national database (line operated by Watarase Keikoku Railway Co., Ltd.) |
| Public Access | Visible when using the station or from the train |
References
- Watarase Keikoku Railway Ashio Station Goods Shed and Platform (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007841
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Watarase Keikoku Railway, in Japanese)
- https://www.watetsu.com/sightseeing/culture.php
- Pamphlet: Railway Heritage from the Train Window, map notes (Watarase Keikoku Railway, in Japanese)
- https://www.watetsu.com/assets/pdf/sightseeing/culture_yukei_des07.pdf
- History (Watarase Keikoku Railway, in Japanese)
- https://www.watetsu.com/company/history.php
Last verified: 2026.10.12
