Hyochu (bus stop pole)

The pole-shaped sign standing at a bus stop, carrying the stop name, the routes that serve it and the timetable. Buses pull up at the position of this pole, so it sets the place to wait and the place to look things up. One pole stands at each boarding point.

What a hyochu is

A hyochu is the pole-shaped sign set up at a bus stop. That post everyone pictures on hearing the words "bus stop sign" is, properly speaking, a hyochu. Besides the name of the stop, it carries the numbers and destinations of the routes that serve it, the timetable and notices about service, and buses come to a halt right beside it. Even at a handsome stop with a roof and a bench, the pole is still where the information is centered.

What you can read off the pole

Even at a stop you have never used, read the pole carefully and you will have almost everything you need. Here is what to look for.

Stop name: written in the most prominent position. Sometimes the kana reading or the romanized form appears alongside it.
Route numbers and destinations: the list of routes you can board from this pole. If the route you want is not on it, that is a sign you are at the wrong boarding point.
Timetable: departure times shown separately for weekdays, Saturdays and holidays. Notes about trips that stop short of the terminus are here too.
Boarding point number: at stops with several boarding points, the pole carries the number of its own.

At stops where an approach display is installed alongside the pole, you can also check on the spot how close the bus has come.

How this relates to boarding points and stops

The relationship runs like this: a stop is the general name for the place where buses halt, a boarding point is each individual position for boarding within a single stop name, and the pole is the physical marker standing at each one of those boarding points. In front of a large station, poles bearing the same stop name stand here and there across an intersection, with the boarding point to use divided up by route and direction. Which means that tracking down the pole with your route written on it amounts to the same thing as reaching the right boarding point. Tips for finding them are given in our guide to finding the right boarding point.

One more thing: when waiting for a bus, stand near the pole, in a position that keeps you out of the roadway. Drivers use the passengers waiting near the pole as their cue to stop, so if you are some distance away or still sitting on the bench, your intention to board may not get through. Once you see the bus, a light raise of the hand beside the pole or a similar signal makes sure of it.