【知らない駅で降りてみた】北条鉄道 • 法華口駅 & 粟生駅 | 春の桜と日本の原風景を探す旅 | ローカル線 鉄道旅行 | Lost in Rural Japan
Have you ever felt the sudden urge to get off at a station you’ve never heard of? On a journey with no destination, unexpected encounters await. “What might I find if I stepped off at an unfamiliar station?” This is a record of the little journey, began on such a whim. Local train bound for Nishiwakishi, JR-West Kakogawa Line. “I Stepped Off at an Unfamiliar Station” JR Kakogawa Line’s Ao Sta. & Hojo Railway’s Hokkeguchi Sta. Today I would like to take a local train through Hyogo Prefecture to see cherry blossoms in full bloom and traditional Japanese scenery. First, take the JR Kakogawa Line to Ao Station in Ono City. Many passengers head to Ao Station as there seems to be a famous cherry blossom viewing spot there. I arrived at Ao Station from Osaka via Kakogawa Station for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. A Hojo Railway diesel train departed from platform 3 opposite. I would like to catch the next train which leaves in an hour. Ao Station opened in 1913 and is an unmanned station with three platforms and four tracks. From the open overpass you can see all the way to the distant mountains. On platform 4, you can see a Kobe Electric Railway train coming from the Kobe direction. Wow, this is the famous Ono cherry blossom. Let’s go! It looks like you can walk to the cherry blossom trees. Let’s follow the guide signs. I arrived at the bank of the Kakogawa River. The duck is cute. You can see a row of cherry blossom trees on the other side of the bridge. It took about 15 minutes from the station to get to the cherry blossom trees. Ono Cherry Blossom Corridor. This beautiful cherry blossom corridor stretches for about 4 kilometers, and its 650 cherry trees are said to be one of the largest in western Japan. Five types of cherry blossoms, including Edohigan and Somei Yoshino, bloom in sequence from upstream to downstream. What’s great is that you can enjoy the cherry blossoms for a long period of time, from late March to early April every year. It’s a sunny day today and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, making them look spectacular. I’m lucky to be here on such a nice day. It seems there is an “upside-down cherry blossom” up ahead, where the cherry blossoms are reflected on the water’s surface. I wanted to see it, but I have to head back to the station now. Now, let’s take the Hojo Railway next. Hojo Railway Local train bound for Hojomachi. The Hojo Railway is a non-electrified single-track railway that runs a total distance of 13.6 km from Ao Station to Hojomachi Station. It is a joint public-private venture that operates the Hojo Line, which was taken over from the former Japanese National Railways in 1985. There are many cute retro station buildings along the line, and the line is also famous for its volunteer stationmaster system. The diesel train runs through the tranquil countryside of the Banshu region. The Hojo Railway is a local line that has a charming, peaceful, warm and nostalgic atmosphere. And despite operating at a loss, it continues to exist as a “railway beloved by the local community.” The next stop is Hokkeguchi. You can see beautiful cherry blossoms and a small three-storied pagoda. I’m going to get off here. The fare is paid in cash to the driver when you get off. Hokkeguchi Station (Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture). Hojo Railway’s mascot, Hojo Flower, is looking at you! Hokkeguchi Station opened in 1915 and is an unmanned station with two platforms and two tracks. The station building dates back to when the station first opened in 1915 and was registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2014. The old station name signs from the days of Japanese National Railways are a nice touch. As the train arrives, many people point their cameras at it. However, not many people use trains. There is also beautiful cherry trees in front of the station. This eye-catching tower is a replica of the national treasure three-storied pagoda at Ichijo-ji Temple, 5km away. It is a 7m high model and was donated as a symbol of this station. Surprisingly, there is a hamburger shop inside the station building! “IMAYA NO HAMBURGER HYOGO” It opened in October 2023 and is said to be very popular. From the extensive menu, I ordered the Egg and Cheese Burger. Although it’s called a hamburger, it looks like a hot dog. When you hold it in your hand, it feels heavy and full of volume. A very satisfying meal. Hokkeguchi Station is full of charm, with its nostalgic station building and trains, cherry blossoms in full bloom, and popular hamburgers. Drawn by the lovely spring weather, I decided to go on a little trip today. Because it was an aimless journey, I was able to encounter many new landscapes and make many new discoveries. Now, which station should I get off at next? Well, see you at our next destination!
ふと「知らない駅で降りてみたい」と思ったことはありませんか？
春爛漫の兵庫県をローカル線で巡る小さな旅。
JR加古川線・北条鉄道を乗り継ぎ、満開の桜が咲き誇る「おの桜づつみ回廊」や、ノスタルジックな無人駅「法華口駅」など、日本の原風景と静かな春の魅力に出会います。
ローカル線ならではののどかな車窓と、地元に愛される小さな鉄道旅。
桜並木、文化財の駅舎、人気の駅ナカのハンバーガーショップ…。
都会では味わえない、ゆったりとした “あてもない旅” の楽しさをお届けします。
🚂 今回の旅ルート
JR加古川駅 → 粟生駅 →北条鉄道 法華口駅
▪︎全長4キロ、圧巻の「おの桜づつみ回廊」を鑑賞
▪︎北条鉄道に揺られてのどかな田園風景をゆく
▪︎文化財駅舎の中で絶品ハンバーガー？
🔔 チャンネル登録＆高評価で、次の旅のモチベーションになります！
https://www.youtube.com/@findyourjapan777
(チャプター)
0:00 ハイライト
0:38 JR加古川線 西脇市行き普通列車
01:28 粟生駅 (兵庫県小野市)
03:13 圧巻の「おの桜づつみ回廊」
06:06 北条鉄道から見る日本の原風景
8:01 重要文化財 法華口駅 (兵庫県加西市)
11:07 駅ナカで絶品ハンバーガー？
12:30 次はどこの駅で降りようか？
【JR西日本/ JR-WEST 】
https://www.westjr.co.jp/
【北条鉄道/ Hojo Railway Company】
http://www.hojorailway.jp/
【おの桜づつみ回廊/ Ono Cherry Blossom Corridor】
https://ono-navi.jp/spot/5689/
【今屋のハンバーガー兵庫】
https://www.instagram.com/imayahyogo/
▪︎本動画撮影は2025年に行いました。
▪︎動画内の金額や情報はすべて撮影時のものです。
▪︎タイトルや説明、字幕は自動翻訳によって作成されるため、様々な言語において正確ではない可能性があります。
*This video was filmed in 2025.
*All prices and the information in the video are at the time of filming.
*Titles, descriptions and subtitles in various languages might not be correct, since they are created by auto translation.
#hiddenjapan #ruraljapan #鉄道旅行 #日本の春 #jr西日本 #北条鉄道 #今屋のハンバーガー #加古川線 #小野桜 #桜並木 #ローカル線 #法華口駅 #粟生駅 #田舎旅 #無人駅 #findyourjapan
1 Comment
Kirin, arigato!!