Yoshioka-Kaitei Station

nihongo|Yoshioka-Kaitei Station|吉岡海底駅|-eki is a train station within the Seikan Tunnel on the Kaikyo Line in Fukushima, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is operated by Hokkaido Railway Company. The station is located 149.5 metres (490.5 feet) cite web|title=Hokkaido 'Doraemon' train to make final run in summer|url=http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/entertainment/archive/news/2006/05/20060524p2a00m0et015000c.html|date=May 24 2006] below sea level, making it the deepest underground station in Japan.

One of two stations located within the Seikan Tunnel, along with Tappi-Kaitei Station, it serves as an emergency escape point. By segmenting the undersea tunnel, in the event of fire or other disaster the stations provide safety equivalent to that of a much shorter tunnel. The effectiveness of the escape shafts located at the emergency stations is enhanced by exhaust fans that suck up smoke, television cameras to route passengers to safety, thermal (infrared) fire alarm systems and water spray nozzles.cite journal| author=Morse, D. | title=Japan Tunnels Under the Ocean | journal=Civil Engineering | month=May | year=1988 | volume=58 | issue = 5 | pages=50–53]

Previously the station contained a museum detailing the history and function of the tunnel, and could be visited on special sightseeing tours. However, while Tappi-Kaitei remains as a museum, Yoshioka-Kaitei was closed to regular services on March 17, 2006 to make way for Hokkaido Shinkansen preparations.cite web|url=http://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/press/2005/051222.pdf|title=About the March 2006 timetable changes|authorlink=Hokkaido Railway Company|accessdate=2006-06-17|author=Hokkaido Railway Company|date=2005-12-22|format=PDF]

A special Doraemon-themed train was then started running on July 15 2006 to the station, which staged a nihongo|"Nobita's room"|のび太の部屋|Nobita no heya exhibition. This service continued until August 27 2006, while the station was shut down and to be used as storage space for Hokkaidō Shinkansen building materials.

History

* March 13 1988 - Station opened, along with the Kaikyo Line
* March 17 2006 - Regular services stop calling at this station, to make way for the Hokkaido Shinkansen
* August 27 2006 - Doraemon-themed train to make final stop at station

See also

* Seikan Tunnel
* Tappi-Kaitei Station

References

External links

* [http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia23/en/feature/feature06.html "An undersea station tour guide"]
* [http://www.hakodate.or.jp/JR/tonnel/ JR Hokkaido, Hakodate branch: "Seikan Tunnel"]
* [http://www.hakodate.or.jp/JR/tonnel/yoshioka.htm JR Hokkaido, Hakodate branch: "Yoshioka-Kaitei World"]