Friday 20 July 2012

Station with the Longest Name in Japan


DMU Rintetsu Type 6000 arrives at Chojagahamashiosaihamanasukoenmae Station

Kashima Rinkai Railway, called Rintetsu, is a local railway company in Ibaraki Prefecture, the north-eastern part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Connecting Mito, a major city in the prefecture and Okunoyahama in Kashima Coastal Industrial Zone, the total length is 72.2km.

Rintetsu has two different functions.

First, Rintetsu has a commuter transport function in the Mito urban area. The Ooarai-Kashima Line (53km) has such a role. Single or two-car diesel trains are operated every 20 to 60 minutes. Local people, specifically high school students are the main users of Rintetsu.

Second, Rintetsu has a freight transport function to and from the Kashima Coastal Industrial Zone. The Kashima-Rinko Line (19.2km) has such a role. Container freight trains pulled by diesel locomotives are operated to deliver industrial materials and ship out the products.

This local railway was damaged on March 11th last year by a giant earthquake. Since then, the company made all-out efforts to get it back up and running. Eventually, the trains resumed operation all the way along the line on July 12th. Lovely railcars type 6000 returned to operation.

The station with the longest name in Japan is on Rintetsu. That is "Chojagahamashiosaihamanasukoenmae". It means that "surf sound and rugosa rose park on the millionaire beach".

Actually, there is a small park named Shiosaihamanasu (the surf sound and rugosa rose) near the station, but I can't find any place-name, Chojagahama (millionaire beach) adjacent to the station on the map. Probably, it's a name used by only local people.

Who is the millionaire there?

The station with the longest name in Japan, "Chojagahamashiosaihamanasukoenmae"

More information about Kashima Rinkai Railway (in Japanese): http://www.rintetsu.co.jp/