Creating a Station Suitable as a Station

摘要

JR Hokkaido was inaugurated in April 1987 as a railway company owning 631 stations (472 stations in April 2004). In those days, because of a decrease in population, and a hollowing out of urban districts, the station areas had become obsolete. In addition, following the privatization of the Japanese National Railways, a large-scale dead estate was arisen. JR Hokkaido is thus intending the "Station Renaissance (restitution of station)" plan to improve stations and their surrounding spaces with related autonomy so as to make stations the core of their surrounding towns, streets and regions. As a result, many spaces with personality, culture and convenience have been incorporated into stations. These efforts JR Hokkaido is making for the station design will now be introduced.