Genkai Shūraku and Hikyō Station

Genkai shūraku (限界集落^?, literally limited village, also translated as marginal village) is any village that has experienced depopulation and in danger of disappearing altogether, largely because more than half of the people living in the village are over the age of 65.

Such villages are generally found in mountain villages and outlying islands.

Villages facing this sort of situation have seen the functions of a community - local government autonomy, maintaining of roads, and ceremonial occasions - rapidly declining, and are facing losing these altogether.

A hikyō station (秘境駅 hikyō eki^?), or "secluded station," is the name for those train stations which are located off the beaten path and considered a place good for photographers and train fans seeking photos of historical trains and spectacular nature photos. The term originates in Japan and now is also used in other areas like Taiwan, especially among train fans. These hikyō stations tend to be located in secluded wilderness areas and mountain regions which have little in the way of human habitation.

Hikyō stations are generally located in areas that previously had a sizeable human population due to mountain climbing and related activities, but currently have very few inhabitants and houses. Because of this lack of population, the trains no longer make regular stops, and train and rail fans have adopted these as popular locations for visiting. Because of the lack of regular use by passengers, the stations see little use these days, and many are being considered for closure.

Beginning with the personal site of train enthusiast Takanobu Ushiyama, and a subsequent book published in 2001 by Shogakukan, the general understanding of these hikyō stations has begun to increase.