is the central railway station in the city of Kumamoto

Kumamoto, Kumamoto

is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...

, Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It is operated by Kyushu Railway Company

Kyushu Railway Company

The , also referred to as , is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group . It operates intercity rail services in Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait between Fukuoka and Busan, South Korea.When Japan Railways was divided in...

 (JR Kyushu).

In front of the station is a tram stop

Tram stop

A tram stop is a place designated for a tram to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, but because trams operate on rails, they often include railway platforms, especially if stepless entries are provided for accessibility...

 of the tram operated by Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau

The is a public transportation authority of Kumamoto City, Japan. The bureau operates trams and bus lines.The city government has operated tram lines since 1924 and bus lines since 1927, but the current transportation bureau was formed in 1944....

 named Kumamoto-Ekimae Station.

Lines

Kumamoto is an intermediate station of the Kyūshū Shinkansen

Kyushu Shinkansen

The ' is a Japanese high-speed railway line between the Japanese cities of Fukuoka and Kagoshima in Kyushu, running parallel to the existing Kagoshima Main Line and operated by the Kyushu Railway Company . The southern 127 km opened on 13 March 2004...

 and the Kagoshima Main Line

Kagoshima Main Line

The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company between Mojikō in Kitakyūshū, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu...

 and a terminal station of the Hōhi Main Line

Hohi Main Line

frame|tight|Hōhi Main LineThe is a railway line on Kyūshū, in southern Japan. Part of the Kyushu Railway Company system, it connects the west coast and the east coast of the island...

.

History

The station, one of the key stations of the railway network in the island of Kyushu

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

, opened on July 1, 1891 when the Kyūshū Railway

Kyushu Railway

was a company that built and operated railways in Kyushu, one of four main islands of Japan. Most of its lines came under the control of Japanese Government Railways following nationalization in 1907, and many are now operated by Kyushu Railway Company.-Outline:...

 extended the railway (later named Kagoshima Main Line) from Tamana Station

Tamana Station

is a railway station on the Kagoshima Main Line operated by JR Kyushu in Tamana, Kumamoto, Japan....

 (then called Takase Station) to this station.

The Hōhi Main Line was opened on June 21, 1914 and the Kyushu Shinkansen was opened on March 12, 2011.

JR limited express trains

• Ariake
  Ariake (train)
  The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by JR Kyushu which runs from Hakata to Kumamoto.-External links:*...
  
  (Hakata
  Hakata Station
  Hakata Station , located in Hakata-ku, is the main railway terminal of the city of Fukuoka, Japan. It is the largest and busiest station on Kyūshū, and is a gateway to other cities in Kyūshū for travellers from Honshū. The Sanyō Shinkansen from Osaka ends at this station...
  
   - Kumamoto)
• Aso Boy
  Aso Boy
  The is a limited express train service in Kyushu, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company , which runs between and via .-Rolling stock:...
  
  (Kumamoto - Miyaji
  Miyaji Station
  is a railway station on the Hohi Main Line operated by JR Kyushu in Aso, Kumamoto, Japan.-Environs:*Aso City Hall*National Route 57*Aso Shrine*Sensuikyō Gorge...
  
  )
• Trans-Kyushu Limited Express (Beppu
  Beppu Station
  250px|thumb|Beppu Station is the main railway station for the city of Beppu in Ōita Prefecture, Japan, which is famous for its onsen. It is situated on the Nippō Main Line...
  
   - Hitoyoshi
  Hitoyoshi Station
  is a train station of JR Kyushu Hisatsu Line and Kumagawa Railroad Yunomae Line in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, Japan.The name of the Yunomae Line station is officially , which was renamed from Hitoyoshi Station on April 1, 2009.- Lines :*Kyushu Railway Company...
  
  )
• Kumagawa (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi
  Hitoyoshi Station
  is a train station of JR Kyushu Hisatsu Line and Kumagawa Railroad Yunomae Line in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, Japan.The name of the Yunomae Line station is officially , which was renamed from Hitoyoshi Station on April 1, 2009.- Lines :*Kyushu Railway Company...
  
  )

Platforms

(as of 4 June 2011)

Surrounding area

• Shirakawaguchi Entrance
  • Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau
    Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau
    The is a public transportation authority of Kumamoto City, Japan. The bureau operates trams and bus lines.The city government has operated tram lines since 1924 and bus lines since 1927, but the current transportation bureau was formed in 1944....
    
    : Kumamoto-Ekimae tram stop
  • Hotel New Otani
    New Otani
    is a chain of hotels whose headquarters is in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.The company opened on January 18, 1963. The main hotel in Tokyo opened in 1964, to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics of that year. Upon its opening, the building was the tallest building in Tokyo until 1968 when the Kasumigaseki...
    
     Kumamoto
  • JR Kyushu Hotel Kumamoto
  • Toyoko Inn
    Toyoko Inn
    is a chain of no-frills business hotels in Japan, founded in 1986 and expanding rapidly from the 1990s.The company is headquartered in the Kamata section of Ōta, Tokyo, about halfway between the central wards of Tokyo and Yokohama; its name is a portmanteau of the names of Tokyo and Yokohama...
    
     Kumamoto-Ekimae
  • Kumamoto Shintoshin Plaza
    Kumamoto Shintoshin Plaza
    , is a major office development by Mori Building in Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Located in front of Kumamoto Station, it will be "the hub of information and cultural exchange", where people can exchange information, culture and enrich people's live and vitality.The Kumamoto station...
    
    
  • Kumamoto Asahi Broadcasting
    Kumamoto Asahi Broadcasting
    , also known as KAB, is a Japanese broadcast network affiliated with the ANN. Their headquarters are located in Kumamoto Prefecture.-History:*1989 October 1 It was set up fourth broadcasting station of Kumamoto Prefecture....
    
    
  • Tsuboi River
  • Shirakawa River
  • Kumamoto Station Friesta Post Office
  • ANA
    All Nippon Airways
    , also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
    
    Hotel Kumamoto Newsky
  • Kumamoto City Gofuku Elementary School
• Shinkansenguchi Entrance
  • Kumamoto City Kasuga Elementary School
  • Kitaoka Natural Park
  • Mount Hanaoka
  • Tasaki-Honmachi Post Office