Turning Engines at the End of the Line
Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable (若桜鉄道若桜駅機関車転車台, tenshadai) is a 15-metre steel turntable made in 1930 in the yard of Wakasa Station, Wakasa Town, Tottori Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 8 July 2008.
It lies at the northern side of the far end of the yard. At a dead-end terminus, it swung arriving steam locomotives round so they could head the next train back down the valley.
The bridge that carries the engine is a deck plate girder, turned by human muscle. It spans a round concrete pit, and a maker's plate identifies Kawasaki Sharyō as the builder.
Why It Was Registered
The registration cites its contribution to the historic landscape, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs counts Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable among the core facilities of the terminus. In the steam age a terminus without a turntable sent its engines home tender-first. This one is direct evidence that Wakasa worked as a proper steam terminus.
There is a snow-country touch too. The pit floor is bowl-shaped, and flowing water is fed in to melt snow and stop it icing up, so the table could still turn in a Wakasa winter.
What to Look For
According to the railway, visitors can now try turning the table themselves. Push on a 15-metre steel girder and it moves more easily than you would expect.
Nearby stands C12 167, a steam locomotive that once ran on the Wakasa Line, preserved in the yard. The water tower is just to the northwest. From the right spot, turntable, water tower and engine fit in one view: a steam terminus, all present.
Visiting
Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable is in the paid yard area. Buy a yard admission ticket at the window (300 yen, free for elementary-school children and younger) to see it up close. Turning sessions run on set days and times, so check the railway's announcements before you go.
Follow staff instructions and keep off the pit edge and the rails. Getting to Wakasa is covered on the Wakasa Railway page.
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Q&A
- How big is Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable?
- It is a 15-metre steel turntable, a deck plate girder bridge spanning a round concrete pit.
- When was Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable built?
- It dates from the line's opening in 1930, and a maker's plate shows it was built by Kawasaki Sharyō. It was registered as a cultural property in 2008.
- Does Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable still turn?
- Yes, it is turned by hand, and according to the railway visitors can try it. Check the railway's announcements for session dates.
- Is there a fee to see Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable?
- It stands in the paid yard area, which needs a 300-yen admission ticket from the station window, free for elementary-school children and younger.
- How does the Wakasa Station turntable cope with snow?
- Its pit is bowl-shaped and fed with flowing water that melts snow and stops the pit from freezing.
Basic Information
| Name | Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable |
|---|---|
| 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 structure |
| Dimensions | Steel turntable, diameter 15 metres, with concrete pit |
| Owner | Wakasa Town |
| Public Access | In the paid yard area of Wakasa Station (300 yen, free for elementary-school children and younger); turning sessions on set days |
References
- Wakasa Railway Wakasa Station Locomotive Turntable (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00007292
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Wakasa Railway Co., Japanese)
- https://wakatetsu.co.jp/bunkazai
- C12 display runs and yard admission (Wakasa Railway Co., Japanese)
- https://wakatetsu.co.jp/c12
- Wakasa Railway as modern industrial heritage (Yazu Town Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://yazukanko.jp/feature/wakasarailroad/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
