A Nishinomiya station has ranked No. 1 in Netorabo Research Team’s TOP 30 ranking of Hankyu Railway stations by “passenger numbers by station, in ascending order.”
Here it is↓
This ranking is based on results compiled by Netorabo from Hankyu Railway’s official 2022 passenger numbers by station.
Even though Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station, which ranks 3rd in passenger numbers by station, is to the north, and JR Nishinomiya Station is also nearby, making this a fairly central station!
Now, let’s take a look at the top 30.
| Rank | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanshin-Kokudo | 3,437 |
| 2 | Kunisijima | 3,883 |
| 3 | Matsuo-taisha | 4,105 |
| 4 | Oyamazaki | 5,069 |
| 5 | Sozenji | 5,263 |
| 6 | Shin-Itami | 5,998 |
| 7 | Inano | 6,249 |
| 8 | Makiochi | 6,497 |
| 9 | Kiyoshikojin | 6,612 |
| 10 | Kamikatsura | 6,648 |
| 11 | Hanakuma | 6,687 |
| 12 | Arashiyama | 6,765 |
| 13 | Mefu-jinja | 6,866 |
| 14 | Shimo-Shinjo | 6,996 |
| 15 | Kanmaki | 8,116 |
| 16 | Hibarigaoka-hanayashiki | 8,381 |
| 17 | Minase | 8,568 |
| 18 | Koyoen | 8,606 |
| 19 | Sakurai | 8,721 |
| 20 | Nishi-Muko | 8,838 |
| 21 | Takarazuka-minamiguchi | 8,904 |
| 22 | Nakayama-kannon | 9,128 |
| 23 | Nakatsu | 9,207 |
| 24 | Kasuganomichi | 9,544 |
| 25 | Settsu-shi | 10,140 |
| 26 | Kurakuenguchi | 10,661 |
| 27 | Higashi-Muko | 10,739 |
| 28 | Rakusaiguchi | 10,989 |
| 29 | Nishiyama-tennozan | 11,294 |
| 30 | Sojiji | 11,529 |
Koyoen and Kurakuenguchi are both on the Koyo Line, and since it’s a dead-end line, I suppose that can’t be helped. But it’s a complicated feeling to see Hanshin-Kokudo Station, which connects Imazu and Nishinomiya-kitaguchi, have overwhelmingly few passengers.
JR Nishinomiya Station is also nearby, so perhaps the Nishinomiya Pension Office is about the only facility for which this station is the uniquely closest stop. There’s also Royal Home Center, though.
Lastly
The Nishinomiya General Medical Center (tentative name), scheduled to open in 2026, will be built near Hanshin-Kokudo Station, so I’m sure it probably won’t remain No. 1 in the “passenger numbers by station, in ascending order” ranking.
