Jr Katsura Station (JR桂駅)
JR Katsura Station is a facility that is to be opened in Kuze-takada-cho, Minami Ward (Kyoto City), Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, on the Tokaido Main Line (JR Kyoto Line), which is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West).
Summary
Although initially targeted for the winter of fiscal year 2005, its opening was delayed because of a delay in the urban redevelopment work in the area around the new station, and because of the work to expand the Kuzekitachaya section of the planned urban road (part of the Nakayama-Inari Line of Kyoto Prefectural Route 201), which is to run under the site of the new station. The construction of the station house started in October 2006, corresponding to the completion of the box-based construction of the Kuzekitachaya road. However, through the deliberation of the supplementary budget on November 13, 2006 by the Kyoto Municipal Assembly, it was determined that the start of the operation scheduled for March 2007 would be postponed until the autumn of 2008, with a delay of a year and a half.
The route maps displayed in the trains contain a space for the addition of a station between Nishioji and Mukomachi stations.
A meeting to brief the construction of a new station between Nishioji Station and Mukomachi Station and the provision of related public facilities' was held on January 31, 2006, by Kyoto City and JR West. Additionally, drawings of the planned public facilities related to the new station and of the planned Kuzekitachaya road, which is to run under the site of the new station, were distributed to the local residents. Reportedly, it was stated in the briefing by Kyoto City and JR West that the official name of the new station was not decided.
The Kyoto (Katsura) factory of Kirin Brewery Company, Limited, was located in the southwest area of the new station site. However, the factory was closed after its business plan was reviewed, and now it is planned to redevelop the site for urban use, such as to construct multipurpose commercial facilities and/or high-rise apartment buildings. Given the work to demolish the factory facilities started in May 2005, the site is already vacant, but the work to redevelop the site for urban use has not started because no rezoning of the area has been decided yet.
Station layout (planned)
It is located on the ground level, with an island platform serving two tracks supporting 12-car trains.
The facilities to be provided include two stairways (each placed at a different location), an elevator, an escalator and two multipurpose lavatories (each in a different location).
It is planned that an ticket gate will be located on the free path, which is provided across the tracks in the east-west direction, to enable usage from both the east side and the west side of the station, unlike the situation in the adjacent Mukomachi Station.
Public facilities around the station include an east-west free path, a square in front of the station, a road in front of the station, the west side road of JR Tokai Main Line, a west-side bicycle parking area and an east-side bicycle parking area.
Station surroundings
The Katsura military station of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
The distance to Rakusaiguchi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line is 600 meters.
History
The construction of this station has been planned for more than ten years, but nothing has been done because the work to improve the Nakayama-Inari Line of Kyoto Prefectural Route 201, which is to run under the planned site of the new station, was delayed and no prospect of acquiring the necessary land space could be seen. It was planned to start its operation before Rakusaiguchi Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line came into use.
Adjacent stations
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Tokaido Main Line (JR Kyoto Line)