Sakata (Shiga)

Weekday departures: 65/day · Sat & holiday departures: 65/day

First / last departure (weekday): 5:44 / 23:35

Busiest hour: 8:00–9:00 (6)

0:00 ─ 23:00

Figures are typical departures in the timetable data, not a live service count.

Timetable data as of 2 May 2026.

• Hokuriku Line: Tamura ⇄ Maibara

Sakata Station opened on 15 September 1931 as Hōshōji Station, an intermediate stop added to the Hokuriku Main Line between Maibara and Nagahama to serve newly introduced gasoline railcar services. It closed on 1 November 1940, reopened on 1 August 1954 under JNR as Sakata Station, and was electrified together with the Maibara–Tamura section on 28 December 1962, hosting the line's AC/DC neutral section. With JNR's privatisation on 1 April 1987 the station passed to JR West, and the "Biwako Line" nickname was adopted the following year. On 14 September 1991 the platforms were lengthened and the station was moved 200 metres towards Maibara when the neutral section was relocated. Station numbering JR-A11 was assigned on 17 March 2018.

A statue of the Sengoku-era daimyō Yamauchi Kazutoyo and his wife Chiyo stands in the station forecourt. Nearby are the grave of Kazutoyo's mother, Hōshūin, and the site of the Nagano family residence where he is said to have stayed between his father's death and his entry into Oda Nobunaga's service.