Shimane: Craft Beer Brewery Opens Inside Unmanned Train Station; Location Offers Scenic Seaside View

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:23 JST, October 19, 2024

GOTSU, Shimane — A brewery serving craft beer opened in September in an open area of an unmanned station in Gotsu, Shimane Prefecture.

Hashi Station on the JR Sanin Line became unmanned in April 2022 after the number of people getting on and off at the station per day dropped from 168 in fiscal 2000 to a quarter of that in 2020.

Local brewery Iwami Bakushu stepped up to install a brewery inside the station building after learning that the Gotsu city government, an owner of the building, had been looking for ways to utilize it. The company removed the stationmaster’s office and ticket gate to install a craft beer brewing tank.

Located by the sea, the area around the station is abundant in fishing grounds and pottery clay. Many residents in the nearby community used to make a living through making pottery and maritime trade. Most houses in the community were typically built with red Sekishu roof tiles. Visitors to the brewery can drink a beer while enjoying this view from the station, which is on a hill.

With additional places to visit, such as a sheep farm and a vegetable farm, the area around the station is once again attracting attention.