While this station may seem like any other remote JR train station, many charms await those who visit. Jump on the train and head for the southernmost JR station in the country. Located on the Ibusuki Makurazaki Line which runs through Kagoshima Prefecture, JR Nishi Oyama is a one-platform station with a single track bringing trains coming and going from both directions. The two-meter wide platform offers a solitary bench for waiting passengers while a white obelisk announces the fact that the station sits at 31 degrees 11 minutes north latitude, making it the southernmost JR station in Japan.
Surrounding the station, visitors will be able to see vast fields populated with seasonal flowers which make for fantastic photo opportunities. In the distance, you also won’t be able to miss Mount Kaimondake, a volcano that towers over the area at over 900 meters. Due to its conical shape, the mountain is often affectionately called Satsuma Fuji, a reference to both the national icon Mount Fuji and the historical name of the Kagoshima region. In January, you’ll also be able to see rape turnip flowers in full bloom. Come back at the end of August for a field of brilliant sunflowers reaching for the skies.
The Record-setting Station
Photo by: PIXTA/ponta328ams A station with Mount Kaimondake in the background.
Opened in 1960 in Kagoshima Prefecture’s Yamakawa-Oyama district of Ibusuki City, this station has long been considered the southernmost in Japan, an honor on full display on a commemorative sign at the site. However, this came to an end when Akamine station opened in Okinawa’s Naha City in 2003, prompting a change in the station’s signage. Since then, JR Nishi Oyama continued to celebrate its unique position by erecting a new placard declaring it to be the southernmost JR station in the country, highlighting its affiliation with the company, Japan Railway.
The Lucky Postbox
Photo by: PIXTA/ kazukiatuko You’ve got mail.
Although many visitors make the trek to Nishi Oyama for the sake of being at the tip of the Japanese railway map, others bring a handwritten letter to put in the station’s mailbox. Situated just outside of the station is a yellow cylindrical postbox operated by Japan Post. Its striking color is meant to mimic Ibusuki’s official flower, the rape turnip flower that can often be seen in bloom during January when the season peaks. Many believe that posting letters from here can bring happiness to the sender.
