title: Hirafu Station
text: # Hirafu Station
  
  Hirafu Station (比羅夫駅, Hirafu-eki) is a railway station on the Hakodate Main Line in Kutchan, Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Japan. It is operated by JR Hokkaido and has the station number "S24".
  
  ## Lines
  
  The station is served by the Hakodate Main Line and is located 186.6 km from the start of the line at Hakodate. Both local and the Rapid Niseko Liner services stop at the station.
  
  ## Station layout
  
  The station consists of a side platform serving a single track.
  
  ### Platforms
  
  | 1 | ■ Hakodate Main Line | for Oshamambe, Kutchan, Otaru, and Sapporo |
  | - | - | - |
  
  * The platform in October 2005
  * View of the platform under snow in March 2015
  
  ## History
  
  The station was opened on 15 October 1904 by the private Hokkaido Railway as an intermediate station during a phase of expansion when its track from Hakodate to Neppu was extended to link up with stretches of track further north to provide through traffic from Hakodate to Otaru. After the Hokkaido Railway was nationalized on 1 July 1907, Japanese Government Railways (JGR) took over control of the station. On 12 October 1909 the station became part of the Hakodate Main Line. On 1 April 1987, with the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR), the successor of JGR, control of the station passed to JR Hokkaido.
  
  ### Future plans
  
  In June 2023, this station was selected to be among 42 stations on the JR Hokkaido network to be slated for abolition owing to low ridership.
  
  