Nikenchaya Station (Kyoto Prefecture) (二軒茶屋駅 (京都府))
Nikenchaya Station, located in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto City, is a stop on the Kurama Line of the Eizan-dentetsu (Eizan Electric Railway). Nikenchaya Station was named after two (niken) teahouses (chaya) that existed for travelers going to Kurama in the old days, but the teahouses have long since disappeared.
Station layout
It is an unmanned station with two platforms serving two tracks facing each other. Two platforms are accessed by a level crossing in the station (Class 1 Ko) located on the Kurama Station side of the platforms. An entrance is located on the Kurama-bound platform. There are two pairs of single crossovers on the Kurama side, followed by a single main track on the inbound side and a lead track on the outbound side. Trains from Demachiyanagi that arrive at and depart from the station use the lead track.
An automatic ticket gate is installed only on the Kurama-bound platform. Some of the commuter tickets are sold at the FamilyMart Kyoto Sangyo-daigakuten in front of the university.
The route from the level crossing to the platforms can be accessed only by gentle stairs from the track level to the platform level, and the station is located on the mountainside, which makes for limited accessibility by persons in wheelchairs (refer to the image).
Station surroundings
The station is located on a mountainside, and on the other side is the Kyoto-hirogawara-miyama Line of the Kyoto Prefectural Route 38 (Kurama-kaido). The line is situated in a residential area surrounded by mountains.
On a rise behind the station lies the second field of Kyoto Sangyo University.
Rakuhoku Hospital
Kyoto Sangyo University (about 800 meters on foot)
Bus stop
Nikenchaya (on the prefectural route from the station)
Kyoto Bus
Nikenchaya Station (a rotary in front of the station)
Nikenchaya Shuttle Bus' is the school bus to the Kyoto Sangyo University (operated by the Kyoto Bus).
History
December 1, 1928: The station opened as a station owned by the Kurama Electric Railway.
September 1939: The line between Nikenchaya Station and Ichihara Station became a single track for the delivery of supplies for the war.
August 1, 1942: The station came to be owned by the Keifuku Electric Railroad as a result of amalgamation.
November 10, 1944: The line between Yamabana Station (currently called Takaragaike Station) and Nikenchaya Station became a single track for the delivery of supplies for the war. The inbound platform was transferred alongside (on the north side of) the level crossing in the station.
April 1, 1986: The station came to be owned by the Eizan Electric Railway as a result of the reorganization of companies.
September 28, 1990: The line between Iwakura Station (Kyoto Prefecture) and Nikenchaya Station became a double track again. The inbound platform was moved just next to the the level cross in the station (i.e., on the south side facing the outbound platform).
Neighboring stations
Eizan Electric Railway
Kurama Line
Kyoto Seikadaimae Station - Nikenchaya Station - Ichihara Station