Kutchan Station

Kutchan Station (倶知安駅) is a railway station on the Hakodate Main Line in Kutchan, Hokkaido, Japan. It is operated by JR Hokkaido and has the station number "S23". The station is also planned to become a station of the Hokkaido Shinkansen between Oshamambe and Shin-Otaru that is scheduled to open in 2031.

Lines
The station is served by the Hakodate Main Line and is located 193.3 km from the start of the line at Hakodate. Both local and the Rapid Niseko Liner services stop at the station. When the Hokkaido Shinkansen opens in the spring of 2031, the Hakodate Main Line will be truncated and the section of track between Oshamambe and Otaru will be abolished. This will leave Kutchan Station with no conventional line and only the Shinkansen will serve it.

History
The station was opened on 15 October 1904 by the private Hokkaido Railway as an intermediate station during a phase of expansion when its track from Hakodate to Neppu was extended to link up with stretches of track further north to provide through traffic from Hakodate to Otaru. After the Hokkaido Railway was nationalized on 1 July 1907, Japanese Government Railways (JGR) took over control of the station. On 12 October 1909 the station became part of the Hakodate Main Line. With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR), the successor of JGR, control of the station passed to JR Hokkaido.

The Iburi Line served Kutchan from Datemombetsu Station on the Muroran Line, but the line was abolished in 1986. A curve, where the track has now been lifted from, can still clearly be seen north of Kutchan Station from satellite imagery.

Surrounding area

 * Kutchan town office