Saiin Station
Hankyu Saiin Station (西院駅, Saiin-eki) is the 22nd station along the Hankyu Railway Kyoto Line, which departs from Osaka's Umeda Station and terminates at Kyoto's Kawaramachi Station. It is the 4th to last station before reaching Kawaramachi station.
Saiin Station 西院駅 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Ukyō, Kyoto, Kyoto Japan |
| Operated by | Hankyu Corporation |
| Line(s) | Hankyu Kyoto Main Line |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Tracks | 2 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Underground |
| Other information | |
| Station code | HK-83 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1928 |
| Previous names | Kyoto Saiin (until 1931) |
| Passengers | |
| FY2015[1] | 16.1 million |
Sai Station 西院駅 | |
|---|---|
_IMG_3740-1_20171103.jpg.webp) | |
| Location | Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Japan |
| Operated by | Keifuku Electric Railroad |
| Line(s) | Randen Arashiyama Line |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Tracks | 2 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | At-grade |
| Other information | |
| Station code | A2 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1910 |
| Passengers | |
| FY2015[1] | 1.7 million |
Saiin Station is serviced by local (普通, futsū), semi express (準急, junkyū), rapid express (快速急行, kaisoku kyūkō), and "commuter" limited express (通勤特急, tsūkin tokkyū) trains, while limited express (特急, tokkyū) trains do not service the station. The subterranean station is windy, as it had only one entrance, and arriving and departing trains force air up and down the station's narrow pair of staircases.
Many travellers stop at Saiin Station in order to take the #205 city bus to Kinkakuji and Randen Sai Station (Keifuku Electric Railroad Co., Ltd., written in the same kanji, 西院駅) local train to Arashiyama.
Location
_IMG_3742-2_20171103.jpg.webp)
Saiin station's singular entrance is situated on the southwest corner of Shijo street and Nishioji street in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Saiin Station is located in Saiin Kōzanji-chō, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto.
History
Saiin Station opened as Kyoto Saiin Station (京都西院駅, Kyōto-Saiin-eki) on November 1, 1928. At the time of opening, the station was the terminus of the Shinkeihan Railway, a former operator of the Hankyu Kyoto Line. On March 31, 1931, when the underground extension from Saiin to Keihan Kyoto Station (present-day Ōmiya Station) was completed, the station was moved from the ground level to the underground facilities and renamed Saiin Station.
At the time of the construction, a plan was tabled to link Saiin Station with the smaller and older Sai Station (located one-minute walking distance east on Shijo street) by means of an underground path, but the plan was eventually scrapped, due to strong opposition from people living in the area. The underground path was under construction until 2017.[2]
Usage
In fiscal 2015, the Hankyu station was used by 16,087,000 passengers annually (both exiting and entering passengers). Over the same year, the Randen station was used by 1,674,000 passengers annually (both exiting and entering passengers). For historical data, see the table below.[1][3]
| Fiscal year | Annual total (in thousands) | |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding | Total | |
| 2001 | 8,055 | 16,569 |
| 2002 | 7,869 | 15,990 |
| 2003 | 7,799 | 15,923 |
| 2004 | 7,629 | 15,665 |
| 2005 | 7,755 | 15,737 |
| 2006 | 7,691 | 15,483 |
| 2007 | 7,935 | 15,810 |
| 2008 | 8,394 | 16,697 |
| 2009 | 7,554 | 15,698 |
| 2010 | 7,619 | 15,376 |
| 2011 | 7,595 | 15,436 |
| 2012 | 7,667 | 15,494 |
| 2015 | 7,993 | 16,087 |
Attractions
Dining
A variety of quaint restaurants, izakaya, and fast food locations lie within short walking distance of the station. These fast food locations include McDonald's, Mos Burger, Baskin Robbins 31, Matsuya and Yoshinoya.
Retail
A few large retail outlets and a variety of small shops line the streets surrounding Saiin Station. These large retail outlets include: Æon Mall Kyoto Gojō, and Joshin Electronics. A 100 yen shuttle bus stops in front of Saiin Station and carries passengers directly to the Æon Mall shopping center.
A Watts 100 yen store is located directly above Saiin station's entrance.
There are many convenience stores within a 2 or 3 minute walk of Saiin Station, such as Lawson, 7 Eleven, Circle K, and Family Mart.
Hotels
The Rhino hotel[4] is located directly beside Saiin Station.
Historical sites
Kōzan-ji, a small Buddhist temple, is located directly across from Saiin Station, on the northeast corner of Nishioji street and Shijo Street, less than one-minute walking distance.
Gaming
Several pachinko parlors are located within walking distance of Saiin Station.
Adjacent stations
| « | Service | » | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hankyu Railway Kyoto Line | ||||
| Nishi-Kyōgoku | Local | Ōmiya | ||
| Nishi-Kyōgoku | Semi-Express | Ōmiya | ||
| Katsura | Rapid Service | Ōmiya | ||
| Katsura | Rapid Express | Ōmiya | ||
| Limited Express: Does not stop at this station | ||||
| Katsura | Commuter Limited Express | Ōmiya | ||
| Rapid Limited Express "Kyo-Train", "Ogura": Does not stop at this station | ||||
| Rapid Limited Express A "Kyo-Train": Does not stop at this station | ||||
| Randen Arashiyama Line | ||||
| Shijō-Ōmiya | - | Nishiōji-Sanjō | ||
References
- 第8章 都市施設 [Chapter 8: Urban facilities]. 京都市統計書 [Statistics of Kyoto City] (in Japanese). City of Kyoto. 2017.
- 西院駅のご利用が便利になりました (in Japanese). Hankyu Corporation. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
- Statistics of Kyoto Prefecture(in Japanese)
- Rhino hotel kyoto
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saiin Station. |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sai Station. |
- (in Japanese) Saiin Station from Hankyu Railway website