Doai Station, Railway station in Minakami, Japan.
Doai Station is a railway station in Minakami, Japan, with two platforms at different heights. One platform sits elevated, while the other lies 70 meters underground inside the Shin-Shimizu Tunnel.
The station opened on December 19, 1936, as part of the railway line between Tokyo and Niigata. This connection shortened the travel time between the two cities by four hours at the time.
The station takes its name from nearby Mount Doai and sits in an area popular with winter sports enthusiasts and hikers. Travelers use it mainly as a starting point for trips into the surrounding mountains, where ski slopes and hiking trails are located.
Travelers heading to the northbound platform must descend 486 steps through a tunnel, as there are no elevators. Staff are not present on site, so passengers should be mindful of their fitness level and wear comfortable shoes.
The underground platform makes this station the deepest railway station in Japan, and the descent through the concrete passages takes about ten minutes. Visitors often find the long staircase more memorable than the train journey itself.
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