When you get off the train, you will go down the stairs toward the exit at JR Otaru station. Then, some of you may feel strange to find that you are still on the ground level remembering where the train arrived was the ground level.
This strange structure of the station came from Otaru's geographical environment. JR Otaru station was built on a sloping land.
Some people from Tokyo will find that the facade of the station building looks just like JR Ueno station. Actually, both buildings were planned by the same architect.
One difference between Otaru station and Ueno station, however, is that the windows above the entrance of Otaru station are illuminated with some tens of lamps in the evening. The gentle light each lamp radiates seems to warm your hearts.
The light of the lamps can also be seen from platform 4, just at your eye-level.
JR Otaru Station has a long history in Hokkaido, and its establishment dates back to June 1903. Wooden nameplates of the successive stationmasters kept in the stationmaster's office are reminiscent of its history.
Makiko Ishihara, the wife of late Yujiro Ishihara who was a popular movie star, and once lived in Otaru when he was a young boy, (Mr. Shintaro Ishihara, present Governor of Tokyo is his brother) is included among the names as honorary stationmaster.
Incidentally, the first stationmaster, Chisaburo Yamamoto's wife is a sister of Takuboku Ishikawa, the famous poet.
