Train station • Hachime, Toyosato, Inukami District, Shiga 529-1168, Japan
Toyosato Station is a small unmanned station in the town of Toyosato, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Its presence has been fading with the changing town, but it has surprisingly become popular in recent years as a spot for the anime 'K-On!'.
Toyosato Station is a typical rural unmanned station. There is no ticket office and you need to purchase a numbered ticket on board. However, when you take a peek inside the station, you will be greeted by a retro atmosphere along with anime characters. The station signboard features 'Railway Girls' Toyosato Akane-chan, and the platform is adorned with illustration panels.
When you leave the station, straight ahead is the 'Former Toyosato Elementary School', which served as the stage for the anime. A 10-minute walk along a path along the Nakasendo Road will quickly bring the nostalgic school building into view. Walking slowly along the former school route, you will involuntarily feel like you have returned to the world of that anime.
It may not be a tourist attraction, but Toyosato Station and its surroundings are a hidden gem that anime fans cannot miss. The nostalgic atmosphere of a rural station in town history and the sentiment of anime are wonderfully combined, and you should be able to fully savor the nostalgic atmosphere of both. We recommend a casual day trip to enjoy a moment of pilgrimage to this holy place.