10 of Japan's best retro train stations

They welcomed travelers for decades, but now they have become destinations themselves.

Here are 10 train stations in Japan that deserve to be seen for their own sake, as chosen by a panel of reviewers.

#1 Mojiko Station

(Kitakyushu, Fukuoka prefecture)

Step back into the Taisho era (1912-1926) with a trip to the former rail gateway for one of Japan's most important ports.

Completed in 1914 and restored in a six-and-half-year project that ended in 2019, Mojiko Station is now part of the Mojiko Retro historic waterfront district visited by more than 2 million people a year.

"You can really feel the weight of history at this station," says Chiaki Yoshida, dean of the Local Line Community Daigaku, a railroad management school in Japan.

#2 Kawayu-Onsen Station

(Teshikaga, Hokkaido)

A hot spring resort town awaits visitors to this station, with the active volcano Mount Io looming nearby.

The log-house construction makes it "one of the most beautiful stations in Hokkaido," says photo essayist Yukiyasu Sugizaki.

Design elements like stained glass can be seen at Orchard Grass, a cafe that has been open at the old station house since 1987. It serves stew and Japanese-style hamburger steaks made with local beef.

#3 Kitahama Station

(Abashiri, Hokkaido)

Gaze out on the Sea of Okhotsk from the windows of this old coastal line stop.

The walls and ceiling of the waiting room are plastered with old ticket stubs and business cards of the travelers who passed through over the decades.

Group tours from China often visit this spot in Japan's far north, which appeared in a well-known Chinese movie.

#4 Yunokami-Onsen Station

(Shimogo, Fukushima prefecture)

Thatched roofs are a rare sight on a train station. This one also features an open hearth and a foot bath that draws on water from the namesake local hot spring.

In April, when the cherry blossoms along the platform bloom, the building is lit up at night.

"The combination of the thatched roof in the spring and the cherry blossoms is simply the best," Yoshida says. "There is no other station like this."

#5 Hamadera Park Old Station Building

(Sakai, Osaka prefecture)

Built in 1907, this half-timber beauty was saved from demolition in 2017 and moved to its current location.

"It's worth seeing for its ornate detail," says Saiki Nishizaki, creator of Ekisya.net, a website for train station enthusiasts.

The old waiting room serves as a gallery space, while former stationmaster's office is now a cafe.

#6 Dogo-Onsen Station

(Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture)

The old station, a Meiji-era (1868-1912) Western-style building constructed in 1911, was faithfully restored in 1986.

Hitoshi Saimyo, president of the Japan Travel and Tourism Association, calls it a "station that symbolizes one of Japan's oldest hot spring areas."

Natsume Soseki, a leading novelist of the era, frequented Dogo Onsen. Visitors today can "immerse themselves in the world of Natsume Soseki's novels," says Tetsu-bozu, a YouTuber and railway analyst.

#7 Ashino Park Station

(Goshogawara, Aomori prefecture)

This red-roofed station in northern Japan was active from 1930 to 1975.

It is the only building remaining from when the Tsugaru Railway first opened and makes an appearance in Osamu Dazai's novel "Tsugaru," named after the rugged peninsula at the tip of the island of Honshu.

The single-story wooden structure has "cute little Western touches," Yoshida says.

#8 (tie) Old JR Nara Station

(Nara, Nara prefecture)

Completed in 1934, it served riders in the ancient capital until 2003.

Japanese temple meets steel-reinforced concrete in a design that Saimyo says is representative of the Imperial Crown Style.

Visitors can find tourism guides and other amenities to help them enjoy the station and surrounding area.

#8 (tie) Doai Station

(Minakami, Gunma prefecture)

Take a deep dive into Japanese railroad history with a visit to this subterranean station at the foot of Mount Tanigawa.

It opened in 1936 and took on its current form in 1967.

Descending the 486 steps from ground level to the lower platform shows this feat of concrete construction, which Sugizaki says embodies the dynamism of Japan's postwar economic boom.

#10 Okutama Station

(Okutama, Tokyo)

The station reopened April 2019 after being renovated with local wood from the forested western end of Tokyo. It is a rare example of a two-story woodframe train station in Japan, according to Nishizaki.

The facility offers changing rooms, a shoe washing area, a waiting room, and backpack storage for the many people who come to the area for hiking and other outdoor activities.

"It like a secret base that makes you forget the hustle and bustle of the city," says Matcha, creator of the website Web Cafe Retro-Ekisha for train station enthusiasts.

Reviewers for this ranking were Hitoshi Saimyo, president, Japan Travel and Tourism Association; Yukiyasu Sugizaki, photo essayist; Solano, creator of Railwaystation.jp, a website for train station enthusiasts; Tetsu-bozu, YouTuber and railway analyst; Saiki Nishizaki, creator of Ekisya.net, a website for train station enthusiasts; Matcha, creator of the website Web Cafe Retro-Ekisha; and Chiaki Yoshida, dean of the Local Line Community Daigaku.