Tenryu Futamata Station

Tenryu Futamata Station is a historic railway station located in Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Operating on the Tenryu Hamanako Railroad Line, this station serves as a living museum of Japan's railway heritage and has been designated as one of the Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan. The station complex dates back to 1940 and represents a rare example of preserved prewar railway architecture that continues to function as an active transportation hub.

The station's most distinctive feature is its fan-shaped locomotive turntable, one of only a handful still operational in Japan. This manually operated turntable, measuring 17 meters in diameter, was used to rotate steam locomotives and remains in working condition today. The station building itself showcases traditional wooden architecture from the Showa period, with its original ticket gates, waiting rooms, and staff quarters intact. The adjacent roundhouse engine shed, though partially preserved, adds to the authentic atmosphere of a bygone railway era.

Visitors can explore the station grounds freely and observe the turntable, which is occasionally demonstrated for special events and railway enthusiast gatherings. The station museum area displays vintage railway equipment, old photographs, and artifacts that chronicle the history of the Tenryu Hamanako line. Photography enthusiasts particularly appreciate the nostalgic scenery, especially when heritage trains or restored railcars pass through the station. The surrounding area maintains a quiet, rural character that enhances the sense of stepping back in time.

Tenryu Futamata Station is accessible via the Tenryu Hamanako Railroad Line, approximately 40 minutes from Kakegawa Station or 90 minutes from Shin-Tokaido Station. The journey itself offers scenic views of tea plantations and Lake Hamana. Visitors traveling from major cities should take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen to Kakegawa Station, then transfer to the local line. Entry to the station grounds is free, though donations for preservation are welcomed. Special turntable demonstrations may require advance booking through the railway company, particularly during peak tourist seasons or railway festival periods.