Seiryu Miharashi in Japan is a Railway Station that Leads to Nowhere!
“He’s a real nowhere man, sitting in his nowhere land, Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.”
If the song lines by the Beatles were ever about a place, Seiryu Miharashi, a railway station in Japan, would fit right in. This is because Seiryu Miharashi is a station that doesn’t lead anywhere and has no entry or exit.
Located literally in the middle of nowhere, this ghost station has a poignant charm. Even though people often talk about it with words like “loneliest” or “scariest”, it is far from true. It was built entirely with the purpose of enjoying the beauty of nature, taking a few minutes of break from our hectic lives.
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Seiryu Miharashi, the Loneliest Station in the World?
Seiryu Miharashi is a railway station on the Nishigawa Seiryu line in Southern Japan. It is located between the two stations, Naguwa and Nekasa. This little, quaint station, inaugurated on March 19, 2019, has just one platform and can only be accessed by people passing through by train.
Strange it may sound, but this platform has no shops, no people, and no town you can walk to. Needless to say, the only way to leave the station is also by train. But one should check the timetable of the trains in advance if one wants to visit. The station only remains open some days, and only some of the trains stop at the station.
It does sound lonely, doesn’t it? But this lonely station has breathtakingly beautiful views. “Seiryu Miharashi Eki” translates to “Clear Stream Viewing Platform Station.” Passengers can watch the beautiful Nishiki River in Iwakuni, and gaze at the lush greens of the surrounding forests. But do not think they can sit and enjoy the beauty, for there are no seats or benches either!
Why Was Seiryu Miharashi Built?
Seiryu Miharashi is the first new station on the Nishikigawa Seiryu Line in the last 26 years. It runs from Kawanishi Station in Iwakuni City in Yamaguchi Prefecture to Nishikicho Station. This station was set up in the midst of a spectacular view in order to promote tourism in the Iwakuni region to encourage visitors to stay or explore the region more. The station overlooks the crystal clear Nishiki River. One can also see a waterfall cascading down from the lush green mountains. To add to the beauty, there are wild cherry blossoms, swimming fish, fireflies, and birds of many varieties.
It is meant for only a brief stay and therefore offers no other facilities, like coffee, a restroom, or even a bench to sit on. But what the station offers is a beautiful pause. It encourages people to take a hiatus and simply enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature. Passengers can get off the train, soak in nature, and get on the same train again to continue their journey. The trains stop for around 10 minutes at the stop.
In the words of William Henry Davies, the poet,
“What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.”
そういえば、これが駅として開業するんよね。
ひっそりと出てたニュース読んだら、改札、出入口、トイレ、ベンチ、時刻表なしというとんでも駅の模様。
景色を楽しむ為だけの駅。#清流みはらし駅#錦川鉄道 pic.twitter.com/0ZGcZsVmTY— 未羊（小説毎日更新中） (@sz_ris) March 17, 2019
Ever since this unique station was inaugurated, it has charmed a lot of passengers. Social media was swarmed with pictures of this no-frills station and the incredible views surrounding it. A few people have even called it scary or creepy.
On that note, here is another interesting station in Japan that is well-known for a different reason.
Doai Station – the Scariest and Deepest Station in Japan
Going by Japan’s love for trains and its efficient railway network, there are a lot of unique stations in Japan that stand out. One of them is the Doai Station in the town of Minakami, Gunma, often referred to as the scariest and deepest station in Japan. In fact, Doai is nicknamed “Mole Station” because passengers need to descend underground for almost 10 minutes into a tunnel.
The Doai Station has two platforms. One is above the ground, and the other one is underground, inside the Shin-Shimizu Tunnel. Interestingly, this station, like the Seiryu Miharashi, is also unattended and looks completely deserted, adding to the creepy element of the place.
The underground platform goes down deep, around 230 feet. It is located in the middle of the 44,260-foot-long Shin-Shimizu tunnel. There are around 486 steps that you need to brave from the ticket gate to the platform. The platform can be reached only by stairs, and there are no elevators or escalators.
Local legends often say the station is haunted, making it a favorite among ghost hunters. But haunted or not, the moss-covered tunnel, with long echoes and strange noises that one hears despite the deafening silence of the place, does make the station look and feel eerie. That is, until the very regular-looking train arrives and stops in front of you!
But, would you dare go to the Doai station alone?
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