岡山県岡山市の最北端にある福渡駅の建物が解体される前

Fukuwatari Station on the JR Tsuyama Line, located in Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, is scheduled to be demolished as part of renovations to the station building. The station building was constructed in 1909 and has been a beloved gateway to the region for 116 years. The background to the renovations and future plans are as follows: Aging and Simplification: The station building is aging, and the entrances and exits will be closed in 2025, with plans calling for a simple waiting area to be renovated by 2026. Requests from Local Residents: JR West is proceeding with a simplification plan to demolish the entire station building and leave only the overpass, but local residents have called for the maintenance of a station building with sufficient capacity and a waiting area on Platform 2. In particular, with many passengers heading towards Okayama, many of whom are elderly, the need for a waiting area for rainy weather and when waiting for trains has been emphasized. Signature Campaign Local residents launched a signature campaign calling for the preservation of Platform 2's waiting room, and 1,266 signatures and a request letter were submitted to JR Okayama Branch. Measures during Construction Trains will continue to run during and after the renovation work. A temporary waiting room will be set up next to the station building for use during the construction period. Fukuwatari Station is the central station of the Takebe region (formerly Takebe Town, Mitsu District), and the Fukuwatari shopping district is located in front of the station.