The Rebuilt Hut at the East End
Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut (若桜鉄道若桜駅旧東転轍手箱番所, tentetsushu hakobansho) is a 1951 single-storey timber hut in the yard of Wakasa Station, Wakasa Town, Tottori Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 8 July 2008.
It stands about 70 metres southeast of the station building and measures 1.8 metres by 1.7 metres, 3.0 square metres in all. Staff who threw the hand-operated points waited here.
The present hut dates from 1951, but a hut of the same size stood here when the line opened in 1930. What you see is the postwar rebuild of an opening-day building.
Why It Was Registered
The registration cites its contribution to the historic landscape. Its gabled corrugated-iron roof and built-in bench match the west hut at the other end of the yard, so the rebuild clearly copied the original form.
With both huts standing, you can read how the terminus was run, with a switchman posted at each end of the yard. Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut is the eastern half of that pair, in its postwar version. It now stores supplies for maintaining the points.
What to Look For
The two huts are nearly identical, but according to the railway the clapboard on the west hut runs horizontally and on this one vertically, a small change in specification across roughly two decades.
There is room inside for one person to sit and wait, and not much more. Stand in the yard and gauge the distance back to the station building, and you get a sense of the walk the switchman made to his post for each train.
Visiting
The interior of Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut is closed. Its exterior is seen from within Wakasa Station.
Wakasa Station's building and waiting room are open to anyone, but the paid part of the yard, where the turntable and water tower stand, needs a yard admission ticket from the window: 300 yen, free for elementary-school children and younger. Follow staff instructions inside and keep off the tracks and any roped-off areas.
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Q&A
- When was Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut built?
- The present hut dates from 1951, replacing a hut of the same size built for the line's opening in 1930. It was registered as a cultural property in 2008.
- What was Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut used for?
- Staff who threw the hand-operated points waited here between trains. It now stores maintenance supplies for the points.
- How big is Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut?
- It measures 1.8 metres by 1.7 metres, 3.0 square metres in all.
- How do the east and west switchman's huts at Wakasa Station differ?
- They share the same form and bench, but according to the railway the west hut's clapboard is horizontal and the east hut's vertical.
- Can I visit Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut?
- The interior is closed. It stands about 70 metres southeast of the station building and is seen from within the station grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut |
|---|---|
| Location | 345-2 Renkyōji-shimo, Wakasa, Wakasa Town, Yazu District, Tottori Prefecture, and adjoining lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/7/8 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, sheet-metal roof, 1.8 metres by 1.7 metres, building area 3.0 square metres |
| Owner | Wakasa Town |
| Public Access | Interior closed; exterior seen from within Wakasa Station |
References
- Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Former East Switchman's Hut (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007290
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Wakasa Railway Co., Japanese)
- https://wakatetsu.co.jp/bunkazai
- Wakasa Railway as modern industrial heritage (Yazu Town Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://yazukanko.jp/feature/wakasarailroad/
- C12 display runs and yard admission (Wakasa Railway Co., Japanese)
- https://wakatetsu.co.jp/c12
Last verified: 2026.09.26
