JR Kanazawa Station is elevated above street level, featuring three island platforms with one cut-out platform (for Track 4) on the Up (Toyama) side of the middle island platform, serving seven tracks in total. A large roof covers the station building, in order to prevent train stoppages due to accumulated snow within the station.
The Hokuriku Shinkansen platforms are adjacent to the east exit, between the Motenashi Dome and the conventional tracks. The shinkansen station has two island platforms serving four tracks. At the time of its opening, it will be the terminus of the line, although, long-term plans call for the route to be extended first to Tsuruga, and eventually to Osaka.
The station opened on 1 April 1898.[2] With the privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, the station came under the control of JR West.[3] The platforms for the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened on 14 March 2015.[4]
From 14 March 2015, with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano, local passenger operations over sections of the Hokuriku Main Line running roughly parallel to the new shinkansen line were reassigned to different third-sector railway operating companies.[5] From this date, Kanazawa Station will become the western terminus of the IR Ishikawa Railway Line of Ishikawa Prefecture.[5]
From the timetable revision effective 16 March 2024, Thunderbird and Shirasagi limited express services have been abolished between Tsuruga and Kanazawa Station, and Tsuruga Station assumed the role of the western terminus of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.[6] Effective the same date, Daishoji Station assumed the role of the western terminus of the IR Ishikawa Railway Line.[7]
Passenger statistics
In fiscal 2016, the JR West portion of the station was used by an average of 22,668 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).[8]
The bus terminals are located in both east exit(Kenrokuen exit) exit and west exit (Kanazawa Port exit). Almost all buses to central Kanazawa including Kanazawa Loop Bus depart from east gate, however some lines such as City Liner depart from west exit. Most expressway bus stop was in east terminal but moved to west terminal in July 2023.
The gates and lines shown below are as of July 2023.[9]
East Exit
Transportation Information Center
West Japan JR Bus departs from gate 4 and 5 in east gate terminal. The local buses from other gates are operated by Hokuriku Railroad (Hokutetsu Bus.)
There is a departure information board in front of the station exit which shows the timetable of Kanazawa Loop Bus and Machi-bus and also the first two buses to Kenrokuen Garden, Higashi Chaya District, Nishi Chaya District, Omi-cho Market, Korinbo and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. The transportation information center (Hokutetsu Bus ticket counter and West Japan JR Bus ticket center) is located near gate 7.
West Japan JR Bus for Musashigatsuji, Omicho Market; Korinbo; Hirosaka, 21st Century Museum; Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle Park and Hashiba-cho, Higashi Chaya District[10]
Higashi Chaya District Liner for Yamanoue
West Japan JR Bus
Sightseeing Bus
Gate 5
West Japan JR Bus for Musashigatsuji, Omicho Market and Hashiba-cho, Higashi-Chaya District[10]
Route 70 For Awagasaki / Uchinada Station via Kamimoroe
Route 86 For Mizuki 4-chome via Johoku Municipal Sports Park
Gallery
Station entrance exterior
Drum gate, July 2022
Kanazawa Port Exit, July 2022
Shinkansen concourse, July 2022
Waiting rooms, July 2022
Shinkansen station fare gates, April 2022
Station concourse, April 2022
Fare gates, April 2022
Motenashi Dome, January 2014
Construction of the Hokuriku Shinkansen platforms, March 2008
References
^北陸新幹線、金沢駅に中田ヤスタカ氏の発車メロディー採用 [Departure melody by Yasutaka Nakata to be used for Hokuriku Shinkansen Kanazawa Station]. Nihon Keizai Shimbun (in Japanese). Japan: Nikkei Inc. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
^日本国有鉄道停車場一覧 [JNR Station Directory]. Japan: Japanese National Railways. 1985. p. 44. ISBN4-533-00503-9.
^Ishino, Tetsu, ed. (1998). 停車場変遷大辞典 国鉄・JR編 [Station Transition Directory - JNR/JR]. Vol. II. Japan: JTB. p. 137. ISBN4-533-02980-9.
^"データで見るJR西日本 2022" [JR West Japan 2022 in Data] (PDF). westjr.co.jp (in Japanese). 2022. pp. 88–90. Archived from the original(PDF) on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
^ abしなの鉄道（株）、えちごトキめき鉄道（株）、あいの風とやま鉄道（株）及びIRいしかわ鉄道（株）申請の第一種鉄道事業許可について [Details of railway business approval for Shinano Railway, Echigo Tokimeki Railway Company, Ainokaze Toyama Railway, and IR Ishikawa Railway]. News release (in Japanese). Japan: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
^"「サンダーバード」「しらさぎ」JR北陸本線敦賀～金沢間ラストラン" [Last run of the "Thunderbird" and "Shirasagi" on the JR Hokuriku Main Line between Tsuruga and Kanazawa]. MyNavi Corporation (in Japanese). 16 March 2024. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
^"福井駅で北陸線ありがとうセレモニー 敦賀～大聖寺、「ハピラインふくい」へ" [Hokuriku Line Thank You Ceremony at Fukui Station, Transfer of track Tsuruga and Daishoji to "Hapi Line Fukui"]. Fukui Keizai Shimbun. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
Bus terminal
