Hongō Station (Nagano)

Hongō Station (本郷駅) is a railway station in the northeastern part of city of Nagano, Japan, in area called Miwa (三輪). The station is operated by the private railway operating company Nagano Electric Railway (長野電鉄株式会社).

The station serves the University of Nagano (長野県立大学 Nagano Kenritsu Daigaku), Nagano Women's Junior College (長野女子短期大学 Nagano joshi tanki daigaku), Nagano School for the Deaf (長野県長野ろう学校 Naganoken Nagano rou gakkou), Nagano Prefectural, Nagano Senior High School (長野県長野高等学校 Naganoken Nagano koutou gakkou), and Nagano Girls Senior High School (長野女子高等学校 Nagano joshi koutou gakkou).

Lines
Hongō Station is a station on the Nagano Electric Railway Nagano Line.

It is 2.7 kilometers from the terminus of the line at Nagano Station and 30.5 kilometers from the opposite terminus at Yudanaka Station (湯田中駅). Hongō Station is 1.1 kilometers from Zenkōjishita Station (善光寺下駅 Zenkōjishita-eki) below Zenkō Temple (善光寺), a temple originally built in the 7th Century.

Between Hongo Station and Zenkōjishita Station, the train descends underground for the last 2.5 kilometers to Nagano Station. This underground section of the line was completed in 1981.



Station layout
The station is a staffed station. The station consists of two opposed side platforms serving two tracks, with an elevated station building. There were two stairways to enter the elevated station building where the ticket gate was located. Beginning in November 2019, construction began to install the ticket gate at the ground level. Currently (January 2020), passengers enter on the ground level on the Yudanaka-bound platform.

Passengers arriving at the station show their tickets. Departing passengers do not need to show their tickets. The station does not have an automatic ticket gate.

A small selection of seasonal agricultural products are available for sale inside the ticket gate.

History

 * The station opened on 28 June 1926.
 * October, 1968, construction to enlarge the station began.
 * March 29, 1969, the current station was completed. It included a small store, "Hongo Station Department". The new station was 31 times larger than the previous station.

Passenger statistics
In fiscal 2017, the station was used by an average of 1379 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).

Scheduled Bus Service
Nagaden Bus 12 which runs from Nagano Station to Mure Station on the Kita-Shinano Line in Iizuna, Nagano stops in front of the station at Hongo "Station Bus Stop".

Universities and colleges

 * The University of Nagano (長野県立大学) - a 4-year public co-educational university
 * The Nagano Women's Junior College (長野女子短期大学)

Schools

 * Nagano School for the Deaf (長野県長野ろう学校)
 * Nagano Prefectural, Nagano Senior High School (長野県長野高等学校)
 * Nagano Girls Senior High School (長野女子高等学校)

Shrines

 * Miwa Shrine (美和神社), one of the seven shrines of Zenkō-ji, is in front of Hongō Station.
 * Yakushi Shrine (八櫛神社), founded in 807

Businesses

 * Delicia (デリシア), a supermarket chain based in Nagano Prefecture, is located 500m to the south of the station.
 * Aeon Town Nagano Miwa (イオンタウン長野三輪) is to the north of the station.
 * Yamada Denki (ヤマダ電機) is to the north of the station.
 * Keiyo D2 (ケーヨーD2), a Japanese DIY chain, is located 1.1 kilometers southeast of the station.

Other

 * Nagano City Hall (長野市役所 Nagano shiyakusho) is a 25-minute walk from Hongō Station, near Shiyakushomae Station (Nagano) (市役所前駅 Shiyakushomae-eki)
 * Nagano Central Police Station (長野中央警察署 Nagano chuo keisatsusho)
 * Nagano Prefectural Shinano Art Museum / Higashiyama Kaii Gallery (長野県信濃美術館・東山魁夷館) is 1.4 km west of Hongō Station.
 * Joyama Park (城山公園) is 1.5 km west of Hongō Station.
 * The Nagano Prefectural road Number 399, locally called Ainoki Doori (相ノ木通り) between Nagano and Toyono (豊野町), 長野県道399号長野豊野線 (Naganokenodou 399gou Nagano Toyono sen), runs parallel to Hongō Station.