| Tateno Station | |
| Native Name: | 立野駅 |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Address: | Tateno, Minamiaso Village, Aso District, |
| Borough: | Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Country: | Japan |
| Coordinates: | 32.8778°N 130.9653°W |
| Platforms: | 2 island platforms |
| Tracks: | 3 + several sidings |
| Structure: | At grade |
| Parking: | Available at station forecourt |
| Status: | Unstaffed, service suspended |
| Map Type: | Japan Kumamoto Prefecture#Japan Kyushu#Japan |
is a railway station in Minamiaso, Kumamoto, Japan. It is jointly operated by JR Kyushu and the Minami Aso Railway and is a transfer station between the JR Kyushu Hōhi Main Line and the Minami Aso Takamori Line.[1] The station has a three-stage switchback that trains need to execute in order to proceed to, the next station on the Hōhi Main Line.
On 21 June 1914, Japanese Government Railways (JGR) opened the (later the Miyaji Line) from eastwards to . The line was extended eastward in phases and was opened as the new eastern terminal on 11 November 1916. It became a through-station on 25 January 1918 when the track was extended further to . 12 February 1928, the section between Tateno and opened as a branch line of the Miyaji Line. By 2 December 1928, the track at Miyaji was linked up with the, which had been extended westwards in phases from since 1914. Through-traffic was established between Kumamoto and Ōita. The two lines were merged and the entire stretch renamed to the Hōhi Main Line. On the same day, the Miyaji Line branch line between Tateno and Takamori was separated into the Takamori Line. On 1 April 1986, the Takamori Line was converted from the Japanese National Railways (JNR) to the Minami Aso Railway operated by the third sector. With the privatization of JNR, the successor of JNR, on 1 April 1987, the station came under the control of JR Kyushu.
On 14 April 2016, operation of the station was suspended due to landslides caused by the Kumamoto earthquake. On 8 August 2020, Tateno Station reopened only for JR services due to the resumption of operations between and on the JR Hohi Main Line.[2] The new Tateno station building was completed on 31, March 2023.[3]
On 15 July 2023, Minami Aso Railway Takamori Line between Tateno and was restored and all lines resumed operation. Minami-Aso Railway trains began direct service to JR Higo-Ōzu Station via this station.[4]
The station is served by the Hōhi Main Line and is located 32.3km (20.1miles) from the starting point of the line at . It is also the starting point for the Takamori Line.
A station jointly used by JR Kyushu, which has an island one platform and two tracks, and the Minami Aso Railway, which has a single platform for one track. Although it is an unmanned station, the station building has elevators and ramps, and toilets are installed on the waiting room floor and the platform floor (the multipurpose toilet is on the waiting room floor).
The station consists of two island platforms serving three tracks. The station forecourt/parking area is located at a higher level than the platforms. From there, a flight of steps descends to the first island platform. The station buildings for both the Minami Aso Railway and JR Kyushu are located on this platform, which also serves the Takamori Line. From the JR Kyushu station, a level crossing gives access to the other island platform which serves two Hōhi Main Line tracks. Both station buildings are unstaffed and serve as waiting rooms. A souvenir shop is located at the station forecourt.[5] [6] [7] [8]
| Track number | Route name | destination | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minami Aso Railway Platform | |||
| - [9] | Takamori Line | for and | Platform for the last train on the Takamori Line Direct trains to Higo-Ōzu arrive and depart from the JR platform |
| JR Platform | |||
| 1 | Hōhi Main Line | for and | From the Takamori Line to the Hohi Line direct train platform |
| 2 | for and | Hohi Line to Takamori Line direct train platform | |
Tateno station is located at an altitude of while the next station,, 7.9km (04.9miles) (by rail) away, is at . In order to achieve a practical gradient while ascending within this distance, trains need to execute a three-stage switchback (changing directions twice) after leaving the station. Trains approaching from enter Tateno from the west. They then reverse direction and exit the station westward to a point at altitude of where they reverse direction again onto a track heading for the next station. A signboard on the Tateno Station platform gives passengers a detailed guide to this procedure. The tracks of this switchback were severely damaged by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.[10] [11]