Kurayoshi Station
Kurayoshi Station is located in Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. It is an important station on the San’in Main Line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and serves as the city’s primary transportation hub. The station is staffed, but it does not have a manned “Midori-no-Madoguchi” ticket counter; instead, passengers can use Midori ticket vending machines. Most Super Hakuto limited express trains departing from Kyoto terminate at this station. In addition, the Super Oki, Super Matsukaze, and the rapid Tottori Liner also stop here, providing connections between the San’in region and the Kansai area.
The history of Kurayoshi Station dates back to 1903, when the government-operated railway extended eastward from Yonago and opened a station here. At the time, the station site belonged to the Kami-i area of Kusaka Village, about three kilometers from the then town center of Kurayoshi. In 1908, the railway was extended to Tottori, officially linking the station to Japan’s nationwide rail network. In 1912, the Kurayoshi Light Railway began service from this station to Kurayoshi Town, and the station was renamed “Kami-i Station,” while a new “Kurayoshi Station” was established within Kurayoshi Town. This branch line was later officially named the “Kurayoshi Line” in 1922.
Following administrative changes, Kusaka Village was upgraded to Kamii Town in 1944, and in 1953 it merged with Kurayoshi Town to form the present-day city of Kurayoshi. As this station served as the gateway into Kurayoshi on the San’in Main Line, it was renamed “Kurayoshi Station” again in 1972, while the former Kurayoshi Station on the Kurayoshi Line was renamed “Utsubuki Station.” The Kurayoshi Line was eventually discontinued in 1985. After the privatization and division of Japanese National Railways in 1987, Kurayoshi Station came under the operation of JR West.
In more recent years, Kurayoshi Station underwent a major renovation starting in 2009, adopting an over-track station building design. The new station building officially opened in 2011. Its exterior incorporates architectural elements inspired by the historic streetscape of central Kurayoshi, giving the station a strong local character and making it not only a transportation hub but also a key landmark representing the city’s identity.
