Himeji Station - History

History

Himeji Station was opened by Sanyo Railway, the present day Sanyō Main Line, in 1888. At the time, railway stations were usually built either outside or alongside urban areas, but Himeji Station was built bordering the old city walls, at the end of the main street (Ootemae-dori). The current Sanyo Railway Station is actually constructed on top of part of the old city wall. It is thought that the reason was that the army was based in Himeji Castle. This proximity to the city helped to contribute to urban development.

Himeji Station was linked to Bantan Railway (播但鉄道, Bantan Tetsudō?), the present day Bantan Line, in 1894. Kishin Line was linked to the station in 1930.

The station was expanded with the opening of the Sanyō Shinkansen in 1972, and today, travel to Tokyo takes less than three-and-a-half hours.

• December 23, 1888 The Sanyō Railway segment between Akashi Station and Himeji Station opens.
• July 26, 1894 The Bantan Railway segment between Himeji Station and Teramae Station opens.
• June 1, 1903 Sanyō Railway purchases Bantan Railway.
• December 1, 1906 Sanyō Railway is nationalized.
• September 1, 1930 Kishin Line is connected.
• March 15, 1972 The Sanyō Shinkansen segment between Okayama and Shin-Ōsaka opens.
• April 1, 1987 Japan National Railway is divided and privatized. The line is taken over by the West Japan Railway Company.
• January 17, 1995 There was a blockage of the segment of the Sanyō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Himeji, caused by the Great Hanshin earthquake.
• April 8, 1995 The blocked section reopens.
• October 1, 2003 Nozomi service is added to the schedule.