滋賀県には二度と新幹線新駅はできない！？ / The legendary new Tokaido Shinkansen station
Will there ever be another “new Shinkansen station” built in Shiga Prefecture? The plan for the “phantom new Shinkansen station” has been decided. We will explore the site and delve deeper into the “phantom new Shinkansen station.” We arrived at JR Kusatsu Station in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture. This time, I’d like to go see the “phantom Shinkansen station.” The nearest station to the “phantom Shinkansen station” is
Take the JR Kusatsu Line from Kusatsu Station to Tehara Station, which is one stop away. Since it’s Shiga Prefecture, it must be the Tokaido Shinkansen. that’s right. Because of this “phantom Shinkansen station,”
There are rumors that Shiga Prefecture will never have a Shinkansen station again. Huh, is that so? I plan to dig deeper into this issue when I visit the site. Travel Robo’s in-depth journey. Depart from Kusatsu Station and head to Tehara Station. It takes about 4 minutes on the JR Kusatsu Line from Kusatsu Station to Tehara Station . The video starts in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
Our destination this time is Ritto City, Shiga Prefecture. Ritto City, Shiga Prefecture is located around the red circle on the map. On the Tokaido Shinkansen, it is between Maibara Station and Kyoto Station. The distance between Maibara Station and Kyoto Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen is 68.1 km. is the second longest distance between stations on Japan’s Shinkansen lines . is ranked first among the “Tokaido Shinkansen”
second place is the 51.1km distance from Shin-Yokohama Station to Odawara Station. Here it intersects with the Tokaido Shinkansen. What is the longest distance between stations on Japan’s Shinkansen? The longest distance between stations on the Shinkansen in Japan is
the Hokkaido Shinkansen between Okutsugaru-Imabetu Station and Kikonai Station. The distance is 74.8 km. This is the section that crosses the Tsugaru Strait through the Seikan Tunnel.
It seems natural that the distance between stations is long. By the way, between “Maibara Station” and “Kyoto Station”,
It seems that the parallel conventional line is shorter in distance. Considering what I’ve said so far and the idea of “illusion,”
So that “phantom Shinkansen station” doesn’t exist, right? It’s not like Kisaragi Station, right? Something like “Kisaragi Station” might be interesting,
This time, the content is similar to the “Kawagoe Station Integration Plan.” We arrived at Tehara Station, the nearest station to our destination. 1.2km from Tehara Station .
It is about a 16-minute walk away . From the north exit of Tehara Station, walk towards Kusatsu Station. Plans for the “phantom Shinkansen station” date back to 1969. The Tokaido Shinkansen opened on October 1, 1964. Five years later, in September 1969,
The town council of Ritto has established a special committee to attract a new Shinkansen station. “Kuritoshi Town” is now “Kuritoshi City.” Time passed from then, and in February 1988,
The “Tokaido Shinkansen (tentative name) Ritto Station Establishment Promotion Council” has been established. Three cities and 11 towns participated in the conference . In October of the same year , “two new stations were established in the prefecture (around Ritto and Omihachiman),
The basic policy for “first installation at Ritto Station” was decided. The plan was to have two stations. It seems so. I went to “Omihachiman” the other day,
If a Shinkansen station had been built, would it have been an easy place to get to? From Omihachiman Station to the Shinkansen tracks,
It was about 1.6 km, a 22-minute walk. The reason why there are places like “Hachimanbori” is
It’s on the opposite side of the Shinkansen tracks. From Omihachiman’s “Shinkansen New Station” to “Omihachiman Station”,
Transportation to places like “Hachimanbori” may have been a problem. There is a link to the “Omihachiman” video in the description section,
Please take a look if you are interested. It was interesting to dig deeper into the “Hidetsugu Seppuku Incident.” Let’s return to the topic of the “phantom Shinkansen station.” I’m currently in Ritto City, Shiga Prefecture,
This time we will be visiting places related to Ritto Station. Let’s look at it in chronological order. In April 1989, the year after the Basic Policy was decided ,
A survey has begun to establish a new Shinkansen station. In July 1990, Shiga Prefecture joined the Promotion Council . Shiga Prefecture, which joined later,
This will have a major impact on the “phantom Shinkansen station.” March 1995 ,
The “Kuritoshi Town Shinkansen New Station Related Regional Development Plan” is formulated. In May of the same year , in Tokyo,
The “Tokaido Shinkansen (tentative name) Ritto Station Establishment Promotion Conference” was held. In August 1996, the new station name was provisionally changed to “Biwako-Kurita Station.” In line with this, the Promotion Council
The name was changed to “Tokaido Shinkansen (tentative name) Biwako-Kurita Station Establishment Promotion Council.” In addition, at the general meeting of the Promotion Council, the location of the new station to be requested was decided.
It was decided that the location would be near the intersection with the JR Kusatsu Line . March 1997 ,
The “Honami Region Development Plan Related to the New Shinkansen Station” is formulated. March 1999 ,
“Study on the development and improvement concept for the southern part of the prefecture related to the new Shinkansen station” was formulated. In December 2001, the provisionally named “Biwako Ritto Station” was established.
JR Central has accepted the request for formal discussions . It looks like the new station is about to be built. In April 2002, Shiga Prefecture, Ritto City, the Promotion Council, and JR Central
A “Basic Agreement” was concluded regarding the establishment of (tentative name) “Biwako Ritto Station.” This officially marked the establishment of the new station. Oh, has it been decided to build a new station? However, as of 2025, the new station has not been built.
I haven’t heard anything about a new station being built, right? What does this mean? It’s been more than 20 years since the decision was made to build a new station. As I said earlier, Shiga Prefecture is heavily involved in this. Let’s take a chronological look at the events that took place after the official decision to build the new station was made. in September 2003,
It was agreed to establish a “Coordination Council” consisting of mayors of relevant cities and towns. The “Adjustment Meeting” will discuss the burden, etc.
It is for discussion and consideration. In February 2004, the chairman of the Promotion Council
the cost burden adjustment would be postponed for about a year. Mayoral elections will be held in the cities concerned,
The reason for the postponement was the upcoming merger of municipalities. In February 2004, the same year that the postponement was announced ,
The “Shinkansen (tentative name) Biwako-Kurita Station Utilization Strategy Study Group” has begun. In October 2004, due to the merger of municipalities,
The Promotion Council is made up of the prefecture, seven cities, and seven economic organizations. In November 2004, the first “Related Mayors’ Conference” was held.
The necessity for a new station and adjustment of the burden share within the fiscal year were confirmed. After that, there were discussions and proposals regarding the burden ratio, etc.
held in June 2005, an agreement was reached on a local burden proposal. And Shiga Prefecture and seven cities (Ritto City, Koka City, Kusatsu City, Moriyama City, Yasu City,
The budget proposal necessary to build a new station was passed in the city of Konan. The budget was passed,
The cost issue has been resolved. I think that’s what it means. December 2005, “Tokaido Shinkansen ”
A ceremony was held to exchange construction agreements regarding the establishment of a new station between Maibara and Kyoto. March 2006 ,
Calls for proposals for new tentative names for the “new Shinkansen station” have begun. At the general meeting of the Promotion Council in May 2006 ,
It has been decided that the new tentative station name will be “Minami Biwako Station.” In May 2006, the same year the tentative station name was decided ,
Construction has begun on the (tentatively named) Minami Biwako Station. And this is the planned location of Minami Biwako Station. picture…. There’s something that looks like a Nissin Foods factory… On the left is the Nissin Foods Kansai Factory. The tracks on the right are the Tokaido Shinkansen. The planned location of the mythical Minami Biwako Station is around the red circle on the map. From the JR Kusatsu Line, which intersects with the Tokaido Shinkansen ,
It’s located a little distance away. If a new station is built here, will Nissin Foods’ factory be relocated there? Does that seem like something new? The Nissin Foods Kansai Factory will begin operations on
be October 2018. Construction of Minami Biwako Station began in May 2006,
This means that the factory began operations 12 years after construction of the new station began . That means the factory will be built after construction of the new station begins, right? I think so. Let’s take a look at the events that took place after construction of the new station began, in chronological order. Construction of Minami Biwako Station began in May 2006. The Shiga Prefectural Governor election was held on July 2, 2006. Yukiko Kada was elected in that election. in 2006 , Mr. Kata
He spoke about the “new Shinkansen station” during the proposal explanation at the July regular meeting of the prefectural assembly. The content is “frozen to the point of cancellation”
It was something we were working towards. Yeah? It’s a “freeze that’s almost like cancellation.” Has construction already begun? that’s right. The biggest issues in this election are the new Shinkansen station, the dam project,
Apparently it was a waste disposal site. Kata called for a freeze on these taxes and won the gubernatorial election. Regarding the establishment of the “New Shinkansen Station (Minami Biwako Station)”,
It seems there has been criticism before. The construction costs were the subject of criticism. The construction cost of Minami Biwako Station is approximately 24 billion yen. This Minami Biwako Station was known as the “petition station.” “Petition Station” is based on local requests,
These are stations that are established at local expense. Minami Biwako Station is requested by the local government,
The construction costs will be borne by the local government. The budget for construction costs was approved,
It was Mr. Kata who argued that the expense was a waste. That “Kada” was elected in the Shiga Prefecture gubernatorial election,
The people of Shiga Prefecture have decided that the cost of building a new station is a waste. The construction cost of approximately 24 billion yen will be contributed by Shiga Prefecture, with approximately 11.7 billion yen contributed by the prefecture.
local cities were to bear the cost of approximately 12.3 billion yen. JR Central’s share of the cost was approximately 350 million yen. I don’t know how long it will take to build a new Shinkansen station,
about 24 billion yen is expensive? Until then, the highest price paid for a “petition station” was about 12 billion yen for “Shin-Onomichi Station. ”
was apparently about 5.8 billion yen for Higashihiroshima Station . However, the total construction cost of the Shinkansen station “Kakegawa Station”
There was also information that the amount was about 13.5 billion yen. The construction cost of the Shinkansen station “Kakegawa Station” is
I also found a site that said it was about 12 billion yen. Either way, the construction cost of Minami Biwako Station will be
It seems like it’s quite expensive. If Minami Biwako Station had been built,
This means that the maximum amount for the “petition station” has doubled. Mr. Kata further added,
They also criticize the convenience of Minami-Biwako Station. It takes about 10 minutes from Kyoto Station to Minami-Biwako Station .
Moreover, it was planned to be a station that the Nozomi train would pass through. If the Nozomi doesn’t stop here, it feels like a slightly inconvenient Shinkansen station. That’s right. Moreover, from Tehara Station, the current nearest station to the planned Minami Biwako Station,
It seems that it takes about 30 to 40 minutes to get to Kyoto Station by conventional train . In that case, if you want to take the Nozomi, you might have to go to Kyoto Station. Whether you’re heading to “Tokyo” or “Shin-Osaka” or “Hakata”,
If you’re taking the Nozomi, I think you’ll want to choose Kyoto Station. For this reason, Mr. Kata
They argued that the funds saved from construction costs should be used for welfare and education. Regarding convenience, there was also the issue of connections with conventional lines. The planned site for Minami Biwako Station is near the JR Kusatsu Line tracks.
There is no JR Kusatsu Line station there . The nearest station is Tehara Station, where I got off on the way here. I’ll check it on the map. The planned site for Minami Biwako Station is circled in red. On the south side of the planned Minami Biwako Station (bottom of the map)
There is the JR Kusatsu Line . Near the intersection of the JR Kusatsu Line and the Tokaido Shinkansen ,
The plan was to build a new station on the JR Kusatsu Line . The planned site for the new Kusatsu Line station is indicated by a blue circle. Next to the intersection with the Tokaido Shinkansen
” The plan was to build a new station on the JR Kusatsu Line.” It seems so. In that case, we should also install Minami Biwako Station at the intersection,
I think it would have been better to have the Shinkansen and conventional train stations together. I think that would be a good location for the new station.
It may have been difficult due to land issues. First, there is the issue of construction costs.
It seems that the location of Minami Biwako Station is related to this. As you can see, the planned location for Minami Biwako Station is
This is an area of raised earth. In order to elevate this embankment section and build a new station,
A temporary line must be installed. By running the Shinkansen on this temporary line,
Construction work can be carried out without stopping the Shinkansen. The construction cost of the new station was approximately 24 billion yen, which was borne by the local community. After the new station was installed, part of the temporary track structure
It was planned to be converted into “Down Line 2”. The costs for this were planned to be borne by JR Central. If the plan is to build new tracks, remove the embankment and build a new station,
I think it’s inevitable that construction costs will be high. That’s right. However, even if there are legitimate reasons for higher construction costs,
If the benefits are not worth the cost, the need to build it becomes questionable. From a cost-effectiveness perspective,
High construction costs are a disadvantage. As I said before, Minami Biwako Station has
The Nozomi, the fastest train on the Tokaido Shinkansen, does not stop here. The Shinkansen that stops at Minami-Biwako Station is
It was expected to be the same type as Maibara Station and Gifu-Hashima Station. 36 Hikari trains and 31 Kodama trains per day,
It was expected that a total of 67 trains would stop there. On the Shiga Prefecture website’s page about Minami Biwako Station,
It lists the number of Shinkansen trains that stop at Minami-Biwako Station. According to the information, the Shinkansen that stops at Maibara Station is
of June 2006, there were about two trains per hour on both the up and down lines. The Shinkansen that stops at “Maibara Station”
It seems that it was assumed that the train would also stop at Minami-Biwako Station. If you look at the number of Shinkansen trains, it’s not that bad,
It would be a bit strange if the Nozomi train didn’t stop there. Considering the time it takes to get to Kyoto Station by conventional train,
It starts to feel even more subtle. Reasons for opposing the establishment of Minami Biwako Station include:
I think the problem was cost and convenience. This is what the planned site of Minami Biwako Station looks like from the other side of the tracks. From this location to the planned site of the new JR Kusatsu Line station,
There is a little distance. The location is also an issue when considering transfers to conventional lines. Furthermore, it is the main railway artery of Shiga Prefecture.
There also seems to have been a problem with the line not connecting with the JR Biwako Line (Tokaido Main Line) . To get to Minami-Biwako Station from the JR Biwako Line ,
You will need to transfer to the JR Kusatsu Line at Kusatsu Station . Considering this, people living along the JR Biwako Line
It would be more convenient to go to Kyoto Station or Maibara Station. From Kusatsu Station or Ritto Station near Minami Biwako Station,
If you use the special rapid service train, you can get to Kyoto Station in about 15 to 25 minutes. All Shinkansen trains stop at Kyoto Station,
It is a very convenient station. Even so, for people living along the JR Kusatsu Line
Wouldn’t that be convenient? I think that’s true. You can enjoy the convenience of Minami Biwako Station by
I think the main target will be people living along the JR Kusatsu Line . However, that is “Konan City” and “Koga City”
It was said to be a small area. On the other hand, those in favor of construction
They claim that the “good location” is an advantage. But the opponents said the location was bad. The location is not good in terms of transfers,
It seems to be in a good location in terms of road connections. If you look at the map from the perspective of road connections,
IC is located near the planned site of Minami Biwako Station . “Ritto Second IC” is a common name,
It appears to be part of the Ritto IC on the Meishin Expressway . It connects Ritto IC with National Routes 1 and 8.
long motorway. The intersection of the expressway with National Highways 1 and 8
It seems to be called “Kuritoshi Second IC.” Is there any advantage to being close to a Shinkansen station and interchange? It is a connecting point between the Shinkansen and tourist buses,
There were opinions that this would be advantageous for attracting factories. The proponents of the plan are starting with the “new Shinkansen station.”
I think they thought there was potential for development in the region. As I mentioned earlier, regarding the location of Minami Biwako Station,
There is the problem that it is far from the new Kusatsu Line station. From “Kusatsu Line New Station” to the ticket gate of “Minami Biwako Station”,
The plan was to walk about 400 meters. The planned location of the “Kusatsu Line New Station” is further down this road.
It is located at the end of the blue road sign that you can see in the distance. This is the guide sign. Go straight through the intersection and you will come to an inverted U-shaped road.
It seems that this was planned to become the rotary for the new Kusatsu Line station. As of March 2025 ,
The road goes all the way around McDonald’s. As for the “New Kusatsu Line Station,” it seems that the rotary has already been completed. If you look at Google Maps Street View,
Construction is expected to begin in April 2018 . In the previous image, there was a fence around the rotary.
I couldn’t see inside. But it looks like there’s no construction going on. The planned site for Minami Biwako Station is around there. The end of Minami Biwako Station is
It seems that the plan was to move it a little closer to the “Kusatsu Line New Station” side. This is the road you turn onto when going to the Nissin Foods Kansai Factory. I arrived at the intersection just before the roundabout. The then Governor of Shiga Prefecture, Mr. Kata
The freeze on Minami Biwako Station was announced in July 2006. In October 2006, at the Promotion Council’s “Chairman and Vice-Chairman Meeting,”
A decision on the establishment of the new station was to be made by March 2007 . In January 2007, the “Chairman and Vice-Chairman Meeting” decided to significantly reduce costs.
The secretariat considered the matter and decided to make a request to JR Central. In February 2007, a request was made to JR Central. JR Central’s response was that as long as the current agreement exists,
The company stated that it would not be involved in advising on cost-cutting plans. A local decision will be postponed until October. In September 2007, at the “Chairman and Vice-Chairman Meeting,” Shiga Prefecture
A “Prefectural policy (draft) for resolving the Shinkansen new station issue” was presented. However, there was not enough discussion,
We decided to discuss it again. October 31, 2007 ,
The construction of the new station was cancelled as local agreement could not be reached within the deadline. With the closure of Minami Biwako Station,
Shiga Prefecture will be billed for expenses and other costs by Ritto City and Konan City. Ritto City demanded compensation for damages.
Konan City reportedly demanded a refund of the fees paid and late fees. They unilaterally froze the project after construction had already begun.
It can’t be helped if they respond like that. Such a request meant that we had to reduce costs.
Perhaps they were trying to establish a “Minami Biwako Station.” This is the location where the rotary for the new Kusatsu Line station was planned to be located. As I said before, the road itself
It seems to have been built after the Minami Biwako Station project was cancelled. About how this place was built
I couldn’t find any information. If anyone knows,
It would be helpful if you could let me know in the comments. Regarding “The Phantom Minami Biwako Station,” it has been decided to cancel the event.
After that, it seems like the aftermath is still to be dealt with. However, there is an epilogue to the “new Shinkansen station.” Epilogue? 2012 , Mr. Kata began his second term as Governor of Shiga Prefecture.
He spoke about the “New Shinkansen Station” at the “Chubu Region Governors’ Conference.” after the Linear Chuo Shinkansen opens between Tokyo and Nagoya,
The proposal called for a new station between Maibara Station and Kyoto Station. picture? That would be the same as the “Minami Biwako Station” plan, right? It is possible that this is the case, but
There were also plans for Omihachiman, so the location may change. However, this statement,
It seems that this was not done after discussion with Ritto City. Mr. Kata met with Mayor Tamura of Ritto City,
I apologize for not consulting you before making this statement. In response, Mayor Tamura said,
He was reportedly dissatisfied and said, “I’m not convinced.” It’s not an easy thing to accept. That’s right. Regarding his remarks, Mr. Kata said,
“We simply set out a policy that we believe will be necessary in the medium to long term,” he said. He also stated that the statement was not intended to refer to any specific location. Such is Mr. Kata,
He did not run for a third term as governor of Shiga Prefecture . In July 2014, Mr. Kata did not run for office.
The Shiga Prefectural Governor election was held. The winner of that election was the successor of Mr. Kata.
His name is Mikazuki Taizo. “Mikazuki” is discussing the establishment of a new Shinkansen station.
Apparently they have pledged to reopen. At this “Komeri Power Ritto Store”,
It seems that a new Kusatsu Line station was planned to be built. By the way, on the way to Tehara Station,
I was looking at “Komeri Power Ritto Store.” If the “New Shinkansen Station” plan had been realized,
This means that the new Kusatsu Line station was built around here. The map I showed you earlier doesn’t show the roundabout yet,
The flashing red circle is where the roundabout is located. This is what it looks like on the reflected map. There is a distance between Minami Biwako Station and Kusatsu Line New Station,
Even after the new station was built, I think it would have been a hassle to transfer to the conventional line. However, to eliminate the inconvenience of transfers,
Apparently they were planning to install a moving walkway. Because there is a distance between the rotary and the tracks,
It is possible that the structure will be different from the rotary for the “New Kusatsu Line Station.” Considering the results of the Shiga Prefectural Governor election,
Does this mean that a new Shinkansen station is being built? In fact, it seems that talks about the new Shinkansen station have not progressed at all. That is what I said at the beginning: “Shiga Prefecture will never have a Shinkansen station again.”
This leads to the conclusion that “it may not be possible.” Let’s go back a bit and look at the true meaning of Mr. Kata’s remarks. In August 2012, Mr. Kata
He stated that a new Shinkansen station is needed between Maibara Station and Kyoto Station. The reason why a new Shinkansen station is needed is
This was after the opening of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen. According to Kata, after the Linear Chuo Shinkansen opens,
The Tokaido Shinkansen will primarily be used for short- and medium-distance transportation. Therefore, when “Minami Biwako Station” was discontinued,
He said the situation has changed. In response to Mr. Kata’s remarks, JR Central
Tsuge Koei reportedly said the following: “The new Shinkansen stations in Shiga Prefecture have been reorganized and are now finished.” “After the new Ritto Station was discussed and construction began,
Shiga Prefecture declined to build the facility, so we had no choice but to reorganize it.” Including areas other than Ritto City,
It is said that they have indicated that they will not agree to the establishment of a new station in principle. The cancellation was made after it was pledged in the gubernatorial election,
” JR Central probably doesn’t want to do a joint venture with Shiga Prefecture.” It would be a problem if it was cancelled midway through again. 2025 , there is some confusion about the route of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the “Maibara Route”? If you take the “Maibara Route”, you will be able to access the “Tokaido Shinkansen”,
It may be that JR Central is reluctant to do this . I don’t know what the actual situation is,
At present, it seems difficult to establish a new Shinkansen station in Shiga Prefecture. So, this is the deep dive trip.
This is the end of the “phantom Minami Biwako Station.” Well, let’s meet again somewhere else. Well, let’s meet again somewhere else.
An in-depth look at the “phantom new Shinkansen station (Minami-Biwako Station)” while touring the site.
Why is it said Shiga Prefecture will never have a new Shinkansen station again?
Kawagoe Station Consolidation Plan
Omihachiman
#TokaidoShinkansen #MinamiBiwakoStation #phantomnewshinkansenstation #ShigaPrefecture #RittoCity
*About “Yacchi” and “Succchi”
A robot that evolves with custom parts.
It speaks in a robot-like voice, so it may be difficult to hear until you get used to it.
Translated using Google Translate.
「幻の新幹線新駅（南びわ湖駅）」について、現地をめぐりながら深掘り解説。
滋賀県には二度と新幹線新駅ができないと言われる理由とは？
〇川越駅の統合構想
〇近江八幡
#東海道新幹線 #南びわ湖駅 #幻の新幹線新駅 #滋賀県 #栗東市
※「やっち」と「すくっち」について
カスタムパーツで進化していくロボット。
ロボットらしい声でしゃべっているので、慣れるまで聞き取りにくいかもしれません。