Senzu Station

Senzu Station is a small railway station located in the Ōigawa Railway network in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, serving as a critical junction point in the mountainous Ōigawa region. The station opened in 1931 as part of the Ōigawa Main Line and has remained largely unchanged in character since its establishment, preserving the nostalgic atmosphere of early 20th-century Japanese rural railways.

The station holds particular significance as the gateway to the South Alps Abt Line, Japan's only operational rack railway system. This connection makes Senzu Station the essential transfer point for travelers heading deeper into the mountains toward Ikawa Dam and the surrounding alpine wilderness. The Abt railway system, implemented in 1990, uses a cogwheel mechanism to climb the steep gradients of the mountainous terrain, reaching inclinations of up to 90 per mille.

Visitors to Senzu Station can explore the adjacent Ōigawa Railway Museum, which displays historic locomotives and railway memorabilia documenting the region's transportation heritage. The station area offers views of the surrounding mountains and the Ōigawa River valley, with several local restaurants serving regional specialties including wild game and river fish. Steam locomotive enthusiasts frequently visit as vintage C-class steam trains regularly operate on this line, particularly during tourist seasons.

The station is accessible from Kanaya Station via the Ōigawa Main Line, with the journey taking approximately 70 minutes. From central Shizuoka, travelers typically reach Kanaya Station via the JR Tōkaidō Main Line before transferring to the private Ōigawa Railway. Standard railway tickets are required, with one-way fares from Kanaya to Senzu costing around ¥1,810. Various discount passes are available for tourists planning multiple journeys on the Ōigawa Railway network.