Japanese Government Railways (JGR) opened the station on 1 November 1911 as the southern terminus of its then Hōshū Main Line (豊州本線) which it had been extending southwards in phases since 1907 when it had acquired the former Kyushu Railway's private track from Kokura south to Usa.

[3] Separately, on 1 April 1914, JGR opened the Inukai Light Rail Line (犬飼軽便線) from Ōita westwards to Nakahanda.

This track later linked up with another built eastwards from Kumamoto and the entire stretch was designated as the Hōhi Main Line on 2 December 1928.

[5] With the privatization of Japanese National Railways (JNR), the successor of JGR, on 1 April 1987, Ōita came under the control of JR Kyushu.

[7] The JR Ōita City station complex was the main subject of an episode in the NHK World English documentary series Japan Railway Journal titled JR Ōita City: The Station Complex that Changed the Game, first broadcast on 15 February 2018.