Yamato-Saidaiji Station (大和西大寺駅, Yamato Saidaiji-eki) is a junction passenger railway station located in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the private transportation company, Kintetsu Railway.[1]The station is also referred to as Kintetsu Saidaiji Station (近鉄西大寺駅) or Saidaiji Station (西大寺駅).
Lines
Yamato-Saidaiji Station is a junction of lines coming from four directions: the Nara line from Osaka in the west and Nara in the east, the Kyoto line from Kyoto in the north, and the Kashihara Line from Kashihara in the south.[2] It is 22.3 kilometers from the starting point of the Nara Line at Fuse and 28.4 kilometers from Osaka Namba and is 24.6 kilometers from the starting point of the Kyoto Line. It is also the northern terminus of the 28.3 kilometer Kashihara Line to Kashiharajingū-mae.
Layout
The station consists of three island platforms and five tracks. Each platform is connected to the elevated station building by an underground passageway, and the platforms are numbered to Platform 6 as Platforms 4 and 5 share the same track. Each platform has a usable length of 10 cars. The station is staffed.[3]
Yamato-Saidaiji Station was opened 30 April 1914 as Saidaiji Station (西大寺駅) by the Osaka Electric Tramway. With the opening of the Unebi Line, it was moved about 150 meters west from its original location. The station was connected to the Nara Electric Railway in November 1928, and renamed Daiki-Saidaiji Station (大軌西大寺駅) in December 1932. The Osaka Electric Tramway merged with Sangu Express Railway on March 15, 1941 and the station was renamed Yamato Saidaiji Station (大和西大寺駅). The station was moved back to its original location in March 1965.
On 8 July 2022, the area near the north entrance of the station became a crime scene when former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated while campaigning around the vicinity.[5]
Passenger statistics
In fiscal 2022, the station was used by an average of 42,850 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).[6]
