Iyo-Ōzu Station

Iyo-Ōzu Station (伊予大洲駅) is a junction passenger railway station located in the city of Ōzu, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Shikoku and is the junction of two branches of the Yosan Line and hence has two station numbers "U14" and "S18".

Lines
Iyo-Ōzu Station is served by the JR Shikoku Yosan Line and is located 243.0 km from the beginning of the line at Takamatsu (measured along the shorter Uchiko branch. Iyo-Ōzu is the first station after the junction of two branches of the line, the older Iyonada branch along the coast and the newer, shorter inland Uchiko branch. As such it carries two station number prefixes, the "S" prefix for stations along the Iyonada branch and the "U" prefix used by stations along the Uchiko branch. Local trains serving both branches stop at the station. Eastbound local trains serving either branch terminate at Matsuyama. Connections with other services are needed to travel further east of Matsuyama on the line.

In addition, the Uwakai limited express from Matsuyama to Uwajima stops at the station.

Layout
The station consists of an island platform and a side platform serving three tracks. Access to the island platform is by means of a footbridge. The station building houses a waiting room, a JR ticket window (with a Midori no Madoguchi facility) and a JR Travel Centre (Warp Plaza). Car parking is available at the station. Several sidings branch off the tracks, the one beyond track 3 leading to a disused freight platform.

History
The station was opened on 14 February 1918 as Ōzu, the terminus of the private Ehime Railway (愛媛鉄道) a  light railway line starting from Wakamiya Junction (若宮連絡所), near Nagahama-machi (the present Iyo-Nagahama). After the company was nationalized on 1 October 1933, Japanese Government Railways (JGR) took over the station. It was renamed Iyo-Ōzu and now formed part of the Ehime Line (愛媛線). On October 6, 1935, after the track had been re-gauged to 1,067 mm, the station became part of the Yosan Main Line. With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, control of the station passed to JR Shikoku.

Surrounding area

 * Iyo-Ozu Station Tourist Information Center
 * Japan National Route 56