u/MountedRifleman

I visited Sapporo last month for the first time since I was a child. I really enjoyed exploring the area and was curious to see what JR Hokkaido was like after riding JR East so many times. I had a few hours free one morning and decided to ride the Gakuentoshi Line from Sapporo Station to Shinkawa and back just for the experience. The equipment is noticeably older and a bit tired looking, and the interiors looked very worn out. I had hoped to take some photos of the views along the way, but the windows were dirty and clouded from age. Nevertheless, the trains ran smoothly and on time, and I’m glad they are available for residents, commuters, and visitors.

Here are a few photos from my short trip, starting with the train arriving in Sapporo Station before heading back the other way to Shinkawa. I rode in the first car so I could take a few photos as we approached Shinkawa Station, then captured the train leaving and the next one arriving to take me back into Sapporo.

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I’ve visited family in Japan many times throughout my life but took my first trip to Hakone last month. I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to experience the beautiful scenery and amazing curves, switchbacks, and steep grades on the Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora and back. What a wonderful treasure this tiny mountain railroad is. The multiple generations of passenger equipment are interesting to see also. We rode one of the newer 3100-series trains on our way up to Gora and the older 100-series for our return to Hakone-Yumoto. I caught one of the 2000-series trains departing Gora one day while we were in town for dinner. While it may be faster to travel to Gora by car, this railway experience is one that I wouldn’t want to miss.