Mikawa-Tahara Station (Atsumi Line)

Mikawa-Tahara Station (三河田原駅) is in Tahara, in Aichi Prefecture. It opened on 10 June 1924 as Tahara, and has had its present name since 1 June 1925. The line was extended beyond it in 1926; its rails were lifted in 1944, the materials being reused because of the Second World War, and the station became the terminus of the Atsumi Line again. It has belonged to Toyohashi Rail Road since 1954.

The present building is the fourth; the third dated from 1994 and ran along the north side of the track. It belongs to the project to redevelop the surroundings of the station: the city of Tahara rebuilt the avenue and the forecourt, while Toyohashi Rail Road moved the tracks and the station towards the end of the line. Drawing in particular on a survey of residents carried out in 2007, the company entrusted the design to Tadao Ando's office, for a station worthy of being the city's front door. The new building has been in service since 27 October 2013.

The track ends here: the station is a terminus, with two platforms and four tracks. The building attaches to the end of the platforms and takes the shape of a fan, on two storeys, with a steel frame.

The programme is shared: besides the railway's own services, the building houses a multipurpose space, the Tahara City exchange space.

It is the central station of the city of Tahara and the terminus of the Atsumi Line: passengers change here for Toyotetsu buses towards Atsumi and for the routes serving the city.

The city's exchange space is used for presentations of residents' activities and for meetings on the town's development.

It is a working station: you arrive by train on the Atsumi Line, 18.0 km from Shin-Toyohashi. On the south side, a station roundabout serves buses and taxis.