Yudanaka Station

Yudanaka Station 湯田中駅
Yudanaka Station in July 2009
General information
Location	3227-2 Hirao, Shimotakai-gun Yamanouchi-machi, Nagano-ken 381-0401 Japan
Coordinates	36°44′30.0″N 138°24′53.0″E
Elevation	499.76 meters
Operated by	Nagano Electric Railway
Line(s)	■ Nagano Electric Railway Nagano Line
Distance	33.2 km from Nagano
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	N24
Website	Official website
History
Opened	28 April 1927
Passengers
FY2015	646 daily
Location Yudanaka Station Location within Nagano Prefecture Yudanaka Station Yudanaka Station (Japan)

Yudanaka Station (湯田中駅, Yudanaka-eki) is a railway station in the town of Yamanouchi, Nagano, Japan, operated by the private railway operating company Nagano Electric Railway. Yudanaka Station is a gateway to seasonal mountain and outdoor activities, including hiking and skiing or snowboarding, and to Jigokudani Monkey Park where Japanese macaques soak in an outdoor hot spring.

Jigokudani Monkey Park in Yamanouchi

An indoor Japanese hot spring named Kotonoyu (楓の湯) is located in the former station building, standing beside the current station. The former station building itself is registered as tangible cultural property.

At the train's arrival, the song "The beauty of Shigakōgen" (美わしの志賀高原, Biwashi no Shigakōgen), composed by Akira Nishizawa, Masao Koga, and Atsuo Okamoto plays. On departure, a regular train bell rings.

Lines

Yudanaka Station is the terminus of the Nagano Electric Railway Nagano Line and is 33.2 kilometers from the opposing terminus of the line at Nagano Station. Yudanaka is 1.4 km from Kamijō Station, its nearest station on the local line, and 9.9 km from Shinshūnakano Station, its nearest station on the limited express.

Station layout

The station consists of one ground-level side platform serving a single dead-headed track. The station formerly had two opposed side platforms, but one side platform is no longer in use. The staffed station building includes a station office, waiting room, tourist information center, and automatic ticket machines.

Adjacent stations

«		Service	»
Nagano Electric Railway
Shinshū-Nakano		Express-A		Terminus
Shinshū-Nakano		Express-B		Terminus
Kamijō		Local		Terminus

Buses

Name	Via	Destination	Company	Note
Express Bus Yudanaka・Nagano - Kyōto・Ōsaka・Kōbe Line	Kyōto Station・Namba Station・Kōbe Station	Universal Studios Japan	Nankai Bus
Kambayashi Line	Shinano-Takehara Station・Nakano-Matsukawa Station	Shinshū-Nakano Station	Nagaden Bus
	Andai Onsen・Shibu Onsen	Kambayashi Onsen
Suga・Kadoma Line	Shinano-Takehara Station・Nakano-Matsukawa Station	Shinshū-Nakano Station
	Kadoma Onsen	Suga
Shirane Kazan Line	Hasuike	Shirane Kazan		It is possible to transfer onto JR Bus Kusatsu-Shirane Line bound for Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal, transfer onto Seibu Bus Asama-Kazan Line bound for Manza-Kazawaguchi Station and transfer onto Kusakaru Kōtsū Kusakaru-Shiranekazan Line bound for Karuizawa Station via Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station at the Shirane Kazan bus stop.
Okushiga Line	Hasuike・Mount Higashidate・Mount Yakebitai	Okushiga Kōgen Hotel

• Shirane Kazan bus stop is closed due to an eruption of Mount Kusatsu-Shirane. It is impossible to transfer onto any bus route at Shirane Kazan bus stop with suspension of Nagaden Bus bound for Shirane Kazan.

History

The station opened on 28 April 1927. Previously, there were plans to extend from Yudanaka a further 2 kilometers to Shibu Onsen (渋温泉). Two stations were built, two licenses were acquired, but the work to lay the rails never commenced. Those licenses expired in 1931 and in 1958.

In January 1937, a Japanese National Railways (JNR) train arrived for the first time via Nagano Station, and in July of the same year a JNR trained arrived via Yashiro Station.

In 1958, the current station building was completed. In 1971, freight operations ended. JNR operated the Shiga train between Yudanaka and Ueno Station in Tokyo using the Shinetsu Line. This service to Yudanaka was discontinued in 1982.

In preparation for the 1998 Winter Olympics, there was an effort to rename the station Shigakogen Station (志賀高原駅 Shigakougen-eki); however, this was withdrawn due to opposition from the Yudanaka Onsen Association.

In 2004, the former station was registered as tangible cultural property.

In 2006, the last mini switchback lines into the station were removed following repairs.

Between 2010 and 2012, the station was operated by Hokushin Sightseeing Taxi (currently Nagaden Taxi).

Passenger statistics

In fiscal 2016, the station was used by an average of 646 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).

Fiscal year	Daily average
2010	557
2011	546
2012	526
2013	540
2014	543
2015	646

Gallery

• 
  Platform
• 
  Original station building

Surrounding area

• Yudanaka Onsen
• Yamanouchi Town Hall
• Yamanouchi Middle School
• Yudanaka Post Office

See also

• List of railway stations in Japan

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)