A fan poses as Shogo Hamada at a replica of Hamada bus stop in Etajima, Hiroshima Prefecture.
16:27 JST, August 3, 2024
ETAJIMA, Hiroshima — Thanks to the enduring fame of a Japanese rock star, thousands of people continue to visit a bus stop where no bus ever stops. More than 2,500 visitors came to the stop on Etajima Island in Etajima, Hiroshima Prefecture, in the past six months.
The bus stop has become a tourist attraction due to its connection to singer-songwriter Shogo Hamada. Hamada lived on the island for four years during his childhood, as his father, a police officer, was stationed there. Now, at 71, Hamada still has many fans.
The stop first attracted attention when a photo of Hamada sitting cross-legged on a bench, wearing sunglasses, appeared in his fan club newsletter in 1992. In 2012, the bus stop was decommissioned when the building in front of it was demolished. However, at the request of local residents, the bench and part of the building were moved to a library about a quarter mile south. Fans haven’t stopped to see the bench since.
In December 2023, the city office recreated the bus stop as it appeared in the 1992 newsletter. In addition to the bus stop sign, windows, and a wall of advertisements, the bench was also installed so fans can take photos of themselves imitating Hamada in the newsletter.
In April, a shipping container was placed at the site at a cost of ¥1.2 million, and now it displays valuable records and posters donated by fans. A city official said, “The community has been rejuvenated thanks to Hamada’s fans.”
