Koshigoe Station: Where the Enoden Runs Down the Middle of the Road

2026年8月9日 2026年8月9日

Enoden's Koshigoe Station is where you'll run into one of the line's stranger sights: a train running straight down the middle of a public road. The sea and mountains are both close by, and the area is dotted with old townhouses and historic temples and shrines — enough to fill a full day of walking just from the station out.

Koshigoe Station

The S-curve just before the platform makes for a great shot — I waited at the end of the platform to catch the train sweeping around the bend.

Enoden train crossing the road at Koshigoe Station

The Enoden gliding calmly across the road. The crossing bell and the everyday flow of pedestrians and traffic side by side — a scene that feels very much like Koshigoe.

Among Enoden fans, Koshigoe Station is known for an unusual practice called "door cut." Because the platform is only long enough for three cars, when a four-car train stops here, the car closest to Kamakura ends up hanging past the platform, right over the road crossing. So on that one car, the doors simply don't open. It can catch you off guard if you don't know about it, but once you do, it adds a nice bit of character to the station itself.

Shared Track Running Down the Road

The stretch between Koshigoe and the next stop, Enoshima Station, is a "heiyō kidō" — a shared track section where the Enoden runs directly on a public road. Leaving the station, the train shares the same street as cars and bicycles, rolling slowly through a shopping street. Walking this stretch, it struck me again how the Enoden manages to feel like both a streetcar and a suburban railway at once — part of what makes it so much fun.

Old Townhouses Near Koshigoe Station

Long before the Enoden station existed, Koshigoe flourished as a post town on the old Tokaido route linking Kyoto and Kamakura. Its name even appears in the Kamakura-era travel account Kaidoki, and it once saw a steady stream of travelers passing through as the western gateway to Kamakura. At the same time, fishing has thrived here for centuries — Koshigoe grew up wearing two hats, post town and fishing town alike.

These old townhouses lining the street near the station are built in the "dashigeta-zukuri" style — deep, projecting eaves typical of Edo-period merchant houses. Some still show off their original lattice doors and sliding "suriage-do" panels, and I liked how these buildings have kept being used in daily life even as the businesses inside them have changed over time — very Koshigoe.

Deep-eaved dashigeta-zukuri townhouses still stand along the street a short walk from the station — a streetscape unique to Koshigoe's history as a fishing town.

Koshigoe Beach

Enoshima as seen from Koshigoe Beach. Lifeguard rescue boards and beach umbrellas lined up along the sand — a scene straight out of summer.

Koshigoe Fishing Port

Enoshima seen from Koshigoe fishing port

Koshigoe fishing port, known for its fresh raw shirasu (whitebait). Looking past the moored fishing boats toward Enoshima might be the single spot that best captures Koshigoe as a fishing town.

Manpuku-ji

Just across the Enoden crossing from Koshigoe Station stands Manpuku-ji, the temple where Minamoto no Yoshitsune wrote the "Koshigoe Letter." It's also a popular photo spot, with the Enoden running right past the bottom of its stone steps.

TEMPLEManpuku-ji: Where Yoshitsune's Letter Meets the Enoden

A visit to Manpuku-ji, tied to the Koshigoe Letter, where the Enoden runs right past the stairs.

Koyurugi Shrine

On the hill overlooking Koshigoe fishing port sits Koyurugi Shrine. On clear days, Mount Fuji is visible from its lookout, and the grounds hold several sub-shrines worth exploring, including Kotohira-gu, Inari-sha, Watatsumi Shrine, and Dairokuten-sha.

SHRINEKoyurugi Shrine: Ocean Views Above Koshigoe Fishing Port

A photo tour of Koyurugi Shrine — the lookout and its collection of sub-shrines are the highlight.

Shutter Art Near Koshigoe Station (Nogizaka46)

Nogizaka46 shutter art near Koshigoe Station

Right near the station, I came across this vividly painted shutter mural. It turns out it was created to celebrate the release of idol group Nogizaka46's 36th single, "Cheat Day" — a TV Tokyo program aired on August 26, 2024 showed members struggling through the summer heat to paint it themselves. It's a fun reminder of how a fan pilgrimage site can spring up in an unassuming corner near a train station; even passing through as a stranger, I couldn't resist stopping for a photo.

Koshigoe Station Basics

Station	Koshigoe Station (Enoshima Electric Railway, station no. EN07)
Opened	1903 (as Yato Station), renamed Koshigoe Station in 1948
Notable feature	The "door cut" on 4-car trains, and shared road track toward Enoshima Station
Nearby highlights	Manpuku-ji, Koyurugi Shrine, Koshigoe Beach, Koshigoe Fishing Port
Timetable	Koshigoe Station Timetable

FAQ

Q. Why don't the doors open on one car at Koshigoe Station?

A. Koshigoe Station's platform is only long enough for three cars. When a four-car train stops, the car closest to Kamakura ends up hanging past the platform, right over the road crossing — so that one car's doors stay closed. This is known as the "door cut."

Q. How do you pronounce "Koshigoe"?

A. It's pronounced "Koh-shee-goh-eh." It's also the name of the surrounding neighborhood, which is worth remembering when navigating the area.

Q. What's near Koshigoe Station?

A. Manpuku-ji, tied to Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Koyurugi Shrine with its lookout views, Koshigoe Beach, and Koshigoe Fishing Port, known for its raw shirasu (whitebait), are all within walking distance.

Q. What kind of place is Koshigoe?

A. It's an area that still carries the feel of a fishing town — the Enoden running down a shared public road, the sea and harbor close by, and old townhouses still standing along the streets. With several historic temples and shrines too, it rewards a slow walk.

Summary

A train running down the middle of the road, an old-fashioned fishing-town streetscape, and both the sea and the mountains within easy reach — Koshigoe Station turned out to be a place where a short walk reveals a very different side of Kamakura. Manpuku-ji and Koyurugi Shrine are both close by, so take your time and explore the area on foot.

KAMAKURA GUIDEKamakura & Enoshima Walking Guide: Temples, Stations & Food

Articles from walking and photographing the Kamakura and Enoshima area myself, grouped by theme — temple visits like Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Hase-dera, Enoden station highlights, one-day passes and train cars, and shopping streets and food. Use it as a reference for planning your own Kamakura walk.

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