Saiin Station

Saiin Station 西院駅
Location	Ukyō, Kyoto, Kyoto Japan
Operated by	Hankyu Corporation
Line(s)	Hankyu Kyoto Main Line
History
Opened	1928
Previous names	Kyoto Saiin (until 1931)

Sai Station 西院駅
Location	Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Japan
Operated by	Keifuku Electric Railroad
Line(s)	Randen Arashiyama Main Line
History
Opened	1910

Hankyu Saiin Station (西院駅 Saiin-eki) is the 22nd station along the Hankyu Railway Kyoto Line, which departs from Osaka's Umeda Station and terminates at Kyoto's Kawaramachi Station. It is the 4th to last station before reaching Kawaramachi station.

Saiin Station is serviced by local (普通 futsū), semi express (準急 junkyū), rapid express (快速急行 kaisoku kyūkō), and "commuter" limited express (通勤特急 tsūkin tokkyū) trains, while limited express (特急 tokkyū) trains do not service the station. The subterranean station is windy, as it has only one entrance, and arriving and departing trains force air up and down the station's narrow pair of staircases.

Many travellers stop at Saiin Station in order to take the #205 city bus to Kinkakuji and Randen Sai Station (Keifuku Electric Railroad Co., Ltd., written in the same kanji, 西院駅) local train to Arashiyama.

Location

Hankyu Saiin Station Entrance

Saiin station's singular entrance is situated on the southwest corner of Shijo street and Nishioji street in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Saiin Station is located in Saiin Kōzanji-chō, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto.

History

Saiin Station opened as Kyoto Saiin Station (京都西院駅 Kyōto-Saiin-eki) on November 1, 1928. At the time of opening, the station was the terminus of the Shinkeihan Railway, a former operator of the Hankyu Kyoto Line. On March 31, 1931, when the underground extension from Saiin to Keihan Kyoto Station (present-day Ōmiya Station) was completed, the station was moved from the ground level to the underground facilities and renamed Saiin Station.

At the time of the construction, a plan was tabled to link Saiin Station with the smaller and older Sai Station (located one-minute walking distance east on Shijo street) by means of an underground path, but the plan was eventually scrapped, due to strong opposition from people living in the area. The underground path is under construction until 2017.^[1]

Usage

In 2013, the Hankyu station was used by an average of 43,272 passengers daily (both exiting and entering passengers). Over the same year, the Randen station was used by an average of 3,419 passengers daily (both exiting and entering passengers).^[2] For historical data (boarding passengers only), see the table below.^[3]

Hankyu

Fiscal year	Annual total (in thousands)
2001	8,055
2002	7,869
2003	7,799
2004	7,629
2005	7,755
2006	7,691
2007	7,935
2008	8,394
2009	7,554
2010	7,619
2011	7,595
2012	7,667

Attractions

Dining

A variety of quaint restaurants, izakaya, and fast food locations lie within short walking distance of the station. These fast food locations include McDonalds, Mos Burger, Baskin Robbins 31, Matsuya and Yoshinoya.

Retail

A few large retail outlets and a variety of small shops line the streets surrounding Saiin Station. These large retail outlets include: Æon Mall Kyoto Gojō, and Joshin Electronics. A 100 yen shuttle bus stops in front of Saiin Station and carries passengers directly to the Æon Mall shopping center.

A Watts 100 yen store is located directly above Saiin station's entrance.

There are many convenience stores within a 2 or 3 minute walk of Saiin Station, such as Lawson, 7 Eleven, Circle K, and Family Mart.

Hotels

The Rhino hotel^[4] is located directly beside Saiin Station.

Historical sites

Kōzan-ji, a small, but beautiful temple is located directly across from Saiin Station, on the northeast corner of Nishioji street and Shijo Street, less than one-minute walking distance.

Gaming

Several Pachinko Parlors (a form of legally tolerated gambling establishment) are located within walking distance of Saiin Station.

Adjacent stations

«		Service	»
Hankyu Railway Kyoto Line
Nishi-Kyōgoku		Local		Ōmiya
Nishi-Kyōgoku		Semi-Express		Ōmiya
Katsura		Rapid Service		Ōmiya
Katsura		Rapid Express		Ōmiya
Limited Express: Does not stop at this station
Katsura		Commutation Limited Express		Ōmiya
Limited Express "Kyo-Train", "Ogura": Does not stop at this station
Randen Arashiyama Line
Shijō-Ōmiya		-	Nishiōji-Sanjō

References

1. Saiin area accessibility plan(Japanese)
2. Statistics of Kyoto City(Japanese)
3. Statistics of Kyoto Prefecture(Japanese)
4. Rhino hotel

External links

• (Japanese) Saiin Station from Hankyu Railway website

Coordinates: 35°0′13″N 135°43′57″E / 35.00361°N 135.73250°E