【Himi Station / Night Walk】(Himi, Toyama) Empty Arcades and Character Statues — The Hometown of Fujiko Fujio A

Toyama PrefectureHimi CityHimi StationStations and surroundings

A statue of Moguro Fukuzo from Warau Salesman standing next to a bus stop sign marked "Chuo" in front of Himi Station

Visited: April 25, 2024 (Thursday)

This was about five months after the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck in January 2024. Recovery had only just begun — sunken roads and blue tarps on damaged buildings were still a common sight across Himi.

Himi is known as the hometown of manga artist Fujiko Fujio A, one half of the legendary duo behind Doraemon. Throughout the city — from the station to the shopping arcade — statues of characters from his solo works stand on pedestals: Kaibutsu-kun (Monster Kid), Ninja Hattori-kun, Pro Golfer Saru, and others. The statue above is Moguro Fukuzo from Warau Salesman (The Laughing Salesman), at a bus stop partway through the covered arcade near the station.

Around Himi Station

Himi Station ticket counter and gate. The station name sign reads "Himi" in Japanese and Roman letters

Himi Station is the terminal stop of the JR Himi Line. At the time of this visit, there were no IC card gates at the ticket barrier — but I've since heard they have since been installed, along with a charging machine. As of March 14, 2026, both the Johana Line and Himi Line expanded ICOCA coverage to their full routes.

Night view of Kaibutsu-kun Street outside Himi Station. A statue of Kaibutsu-kun stands on a pedestal, with shuttered shops lining the road

Step outside the station and you're immediately on Kaibutsu-kun Street (怪物くんストリート), named after the Prince of Monster Land from Kaibutsu-kun. The main character and his companions are installed as statues along this stretch.

A statue of Wolf Man in his transformed form standing on a pedestal at night, with a wooden building visible in the background

Further along stands Wolf Man in his transformed state. As a kid, I always had a soft spot for his pre-transformation form — a chubby, shaved-head middle-aged man, which felt like an oddly specific character design to give a monster.

A statue of UB (Yubi) from Ultra B standing at the entrance to the covered arcade at night, with shuttered shops visible beyond

Near the arcade entrance stands UB (Yūbī) from Ultra B.

A statue of Hattori-kun from Ninja Hattori-kun placed on top of a red post box inside the covered arcade at night

Inside the arcade, Hattori-kun — the ninja protagonist of Ninja Hattori-kun — sits on top of a red post box.

The torii gate of Nichimiya Shrine at night, with stone lanterns lit on both sides and a red shrine hall visible beyond

Midway through the arcade is Nichimiya Shrine (日宮神社). According to local history, the shrine once faced Toyama Bay and offered a view of the sunrise over the sea — which is said to be the origin of the name "Himi-no-miya" (Shrine of Seeing the Sun).

Pro Golfer Saru Pocket Park at night. A life-size statue of Pro Golfer Saru stands in front of a large mural depicting the Tateyama mountain range as a fantasy golf course

Further on is the Pro Golfer Saru Pocket Park. A large wall mural depicts a fantasy golf course with the Tateyama mountain range in the background, and in front of it stands a life-size statue of the character — a popular photo spot.

A bronze statue of Hattori-kun installed on the railing of Kita-no-Hashi (North Bridge) at night. The plaque reads "Completed December 2019"

Past the end of the arcade is Kita-no-Hashi (North Bridge), where Hattori-kun statues line the railing. The plaque on the base reads "Completed December 2019."

Inside the covered arcade at night. A statue of Hattori-kun is mounted on the left pillar and Kagechidori on the right, with the arcade lights stretching into the distance

Heading back toward the station, two more figures appear on the arcade pillars: Hattori-kun on the left and Kagechidori — the ninja cat and disciple of Kemumaki — on the right. Shishimaru, the Iga ninja dog, was nowhere to be found.

A statue of Franken from Kaibutsu-kun standing on a pedestal at night, with houses and shops on both sides of the road

Back near the station: Franken, one of Kaibutsu-kun's companions. He mostly just said "Hungā," as I recall.

A statue of Dracula from Kaibutsu-kun standing on a pedestal at night, with budding street trees visible in the distance

And finally, Dracula — another of Kaibutsu-kun's companions. He always ended his lines with "~zamas" or "~zansu," which somehow stuck with me.

Video: Walking Around Himi Station

The Street Archive | MACHIDORI - YouTube

The Street Archive | MACHIDORI - YouTube

A channel documenting station areas, shopping streets, and alleyways of regional Japanese cities in 4K.

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