Omiya Station (Kyoto Prefecture) (大宮駅 (京都府))
Omiya Station, located at 127, Nishiki Omiya-cho, Shijo-dori Omiya-nishi-iru, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, is a stop on the Hankyu Kyoto Line, which is operated by the Hankyu Railway.
Summary
The station is located on the boundary between Nakagyo Ward and Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City. The station building lies opposite Shijo-Omiya Station, operated by the Keifuku Electric Railroad Co., Ltd., across the intersection of Shijo-Omiya. The station was a terminal until 1963, as described below, so the area around the station conveys the atmosphere of the downtown from an earlier time.
In the past, limited express trains would stop at Omiya Station, but after the schedule revision of March 24, 2001, those trains would pass the station during off-time in daytime (8:30-15:30 on weekdays and 8:30-18:30 on holidays); however, with the schedule revision of March 17, 2007, only (commuter) limited express trains would stop at the station in the morning and evening on weekdays, so no limited express trains stop at the station on holidays. Incidentally, both inbound and outbound trains variously connect at Katsura Station during the above time periods, and consequently passengers have to change trains but can take limited express trains. However, the passing of the limited express trains has resulted in the increase of passengers rushing to get on local trains (or semi-express trains) during the above time periods (particularly during the day).
Prior to the opening of Kawaramachi Station (Kyoto Prefecture), Omiya Station was a terminal of the Hankyu Railway in Kyoto; in fact, it was once called 'Kyoto Omiya Station.'
The section between Omiya Station and Saiin Station, which opened in 1931, is the second-oldest subway in Japan after the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line in Tokyo; but although it is the oldest in Japan as an overhead-line system, Sendai Station of the Miyagi Electric Railway (its location is different from that of the current Sendai Station on the JR Senseki Line) is the oldest in terms of the underground construction near the portion of the station in the overhead-line system. There is a bronze statue of an eagle above the entrance to the underground passage west of Saiin Station.
Station layout
Omiya Station is an underground facility with two separate platforms serving two tracks. The platforms are just below Shijo-dori Street. The ticket gates are located east and west of the station; however, the west ticket gate isn't available during a certain time period. Because the west ticket gate leads only to Track 2, passengers must go through the east ticket gate in order to reach Track 1 from the west ticket gate. The toilet is located outside the east ticket gate.
The station opened in the early Showa period, so it's difficult to install an escalator or elevator on the east ticket gate side due to the structure of the station; therefore, a conveyer is installed for passengers in wheelchairs (an elevator is provided on the west ticket gate side).
Since the length of the platform used to be equal to seven cars, inbound and outbound trains comprised of eight cars had to keep the doors of the last car closed at the station in the direction of travel. Some of the cars carried notices to that effect. The platform was later rebuilt to correspond to trains comprised of ten cars, thus making it unnecessary to keep the doors of any train closed at the station.
The underground platform of this station is registered as a 'JSCE Civil Engineering Heritage' (Rank A), which is designated by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE).
Passenger use
The number of passengers per day in fiscal year 2003 was approximately 18,342 (according to the Kyoto Prefecture Statistics Report).
Station surroundings
Shijo-Omiya Station, on the Arashiyama Main Line, which is operated by the Keifuku Electric Railroad Co., Ltd.
Nijo Station, on the (JR) Sagano Line, is a fifteen-minute walk from Omiya Station, but some passengers change trains at Omiya Station because the connection between Hankyu Railway and JR in Kyoto City is poor.
The Kyoto Shijo Omiya post office
Bus stop
Shijo Omiya
Kyoto City Bus
West Japan JR Bus Company
For Kyoto Station
For Shuzan
Keihan Bus Co., Ltd.
Route 82: Bound for Gojo Keihan, Kokudo Otsuka, Oyake
Route 83: Bound for Gion, Kawata, Nishinomiya Danchi (Nishinomiya housing complex), Daigo Bus Terminal
Route 85: Bound for Gion, Kawata, Nishinoyama Danchi, Oyake
Osaka Airport Transport Co., Ltd.
For Osaka International Airport, Kansai International Airport
History
March 31, 1931: The station was opened as Keihan Kyoto Station on the Shinkeihan Line, which was operated by the Keihan Electric Railway.
In the announcement, the station was simply referred to as 'Kyoto.'
October 1, 1943: The station was renamed Keihanshin Kyoto Station (the official station name) when the Keihan Electric Railway was merged into the Keihanshin Express Railway (currently Hankyu Railway).
December 1, 1949: The station was renamed Hankyu Kyoto Station due to the split of the Keihan Electric Railway.
June 17, 1963: The station was renamed Omiya Station. The line was extended to Kawaramachi Station.
March 24, 2001: Limited express trains began passing the Omiya Station during the day.
Adjacent stations
Kyoto Main Line
Limited Express
Limited express trains don't stop at Omiya Station.
Commuter Limited Express/Rapid Express/Semi Express/Local
Saiin Station - Omiya Station - Karasuma Station