Gomen Station (後免駅)

Flow of the course

About this spot

The starting station of the Tosa Kuroshio Railway's Gomen-Nahari Line, and the gateway for a rail journey that connects with the JR Dosan Line. On the platform, you're greeted by 'Gomen Ekio-kun' (ごめん えきお君), the station character designed by Takashi Yanase, known as the creator of Anpanman. The Gomen-Nahari Line is also known for having a Yanase-designed character at each station along the route. Much of the line runs on elevated tracks, making it popular with rail fans as a scenic route with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, and in particular, the open-deck cars with their open-sided observation decks are the line's signature train. The experience of running along the coast with the sea breeze on your whole body is a pleasure unique to this line. Enjoy hunting for the characters before boarding, then finally set off toward the sea.

Tips

The number of trains that include an open-deck car is limited, so check the Tosa Kuroshio Railway timetable in advance to confirm which service to take. Since this course involves getting off partway several times, using a free-ride pass is a good value. Wind blows through the deck the whole time the train is moving, so take precautions against hats and small items blowing away.

Best time to visit

About 35 minutes. On morning trains, light streams in from the sea side, making the Pacific Ocean outside the window look sparkling.

Access & map

〒783-0002 高知県南国市駅前町２丁目４