Mouth in the Forest

On trips up and down the Keihan train line in and out of Osaka, I've passed a station called Moriguchishi numerous time, without giving it much thought, though the name did stick in my mind for no particular reason. It was because it stuck, however, I thought it might be interesting to actually go to that station, and see what, in fact, is there.

As it turns out, Moriguchishi Station is a rather large station, as that of the city of Moriguchi, situated between Kyoto and Osaka, and considered one of the largest "last stops" on the way into Osaka along the Keihan Line. The station itself is of a similar size and general setup of Hirakatashi Station and Korien Station: all mid-sized to accomodate a fair amount of traffic. Indeed, all lines excepting the 特急 (tokkyu), or Limited Express, stop at Moriguchishi Station. It is also one of several stations to be visited by the following trains:
- Commuter Sub-Express
- Commuter Rapid Express
- Midnight Express
The express line stops at Moriguchishi Station between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. From the station, one can also ride the limousine bus for Kansai International Airport.

Connected to the station, as at Hirakatashi, there is a Keihan Deparment Store. Within the station itself, there are a number of convenience stores and a cafe/pastry shop located behind the ticket gate. Outside the ticket gate, a small UNIQLO and several other fashion retailers line the inner walls of the station.
On the whole, the station is quite convenient. It should be, considering the number of business commuters it has: Moriguchishi is home to the headquarters of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., a major electronics company. While not quite so close to the station itself, the headquarters of Panasonic Corporation is also not too far away, and can be seen from the rails as one travels along the line into Moriguchishi. Moriguchishi then, is what one might consider a salaryman's station. It is hardly populated with gleeful teenagers as is Kuzuha, with its shopping mall. Because of its general customer base, the station remains largely quiet during the daytime, but quickly becomes busy during the evening as businesspeople return home from their workplaces.

The station platform also has this peculiar, orange-tiled faucet, of whose purpose I am unaware. Yet one would imagine that salarymen and women, as such, are not rinsing their feet as they return from work, nor filling tins with water for their dogs, as such structures are used at the beach in California.

The unlikely compatibility of the colors in the brick and the lichen, however, perhaps provide a bit of artistic distraction as they wait for their train to arrive and carry them, again, to or from their work. though aside from the odd--odd--college student, I doubt anyone is much concerned with it.