Current terminus of the Hidaka Main Line, the shortest main line in Japan as of this April (post-Rumoi Line closure). Once 146.5 km long with 29 stations, a storm in 2015 knocked out the majority of it and it was too costly to repair, only leaving 30.5 km remaining and the rest replaced with bus service.
Poster seen in Tomakomai Station
Spent this past week traveling around Hokkaido on the Hokkaido & East Japan Pass, essentially a week-long Seishun 18 but for JRE+JRH only.
Today, I took the Ozora from Shintoku to Shin-Yubari on the Sekisho Line – the only section of any line in the country to have absolutely zero scheduled local train services. As a result, there's an exception that allows you to use the ticket (which is normally valid only on local trains) to ride limited express trains in any available seat without paying the express fare, but only if you're riding the limited express for that exact section, not starting from or continuing outside of it.
Only three local trains depart from Shin-Yubari daily, but it worked out well with my schedule, and I had a "short" transfer of about 1.5 hours to wander around the town (and see some Melon Kuma stuff, of course). Yubari is also notable for the most severe depopulation in Japan, and was home to a former branch line which closed in 2019 after 127 years.
I posted some photos of the Shin-Yubari station area here, for those interested!
Shin-Yubari is the last train station left in Yubari, Hokkaido, once a prosperous coal town that holds the record for the most significant population decline of any city in Japan. Currently around 5700 residents live there, down from nearly 117,000 in 1960, which plunged to 21,000 in 1990, and continuing to fall from there. More info in this Guardian article: "Yubari, Japan: a city learns how to die".
It's also very famous for melon – Yubari King cantaloupe can sell for nearly ¥6 million, or USD$40,000. The mascot of the municipality (which maintains its "city" label from bygone days) is the legitimately scary "Melon Kuma", or melon bear.
Only three local trains depart from the station every day, the rest all limited expresses. East of the station, on the JR Hokkaido Sekisho Line stretch between here and Shintoku Station, no local trains run at all. It's the only section of any line in Japan to have absolutely zero scheduled local train services. I enjoyed poking around during a leisurely 1.5 hour transfer. Most of the other half-dozen-ish people riding the local train with me were also railfans.
Momijiyama, the dilapidated station name sign in the outside parking circle seen in photo #4, was the old name of the station between 1892 and 1981, while it was run by Japanese National Railways & Japanese Government Railways, pre-privatization. The 16.1 km Yubari Branch Line, in photo #15, was closed in 2019 along with its five stations.
This is the only remaining station in Yubari, Hokkaido, once a prosperous coal town that lost 90% of its population in 50 years. Currently around 5700 residents live in the town, down from nearly 117,000 in 1960, which plunged to 21,000 in 1990 and continuing to fall from there. More info in this Guardian article: "Yubari, Japan: a city learns how to die".
It's also very famous for melon – Yubari King cantaloupe can sell for nearly ¥6 million, or USD$40,000. The mascot of the municipality, which maintains its "city" label from bygone days, is the legitimately scary "Melon Kuma", or melon bear.
Only three local trains depart from the station every day, the rest all limited expresses. East of the station, on the JR Hokkaido Sekisho Line stretch between here and Shintoku Station, no local trains run at all. It's the only section of any line in Japan to have absolutely zero scheduled local train services. I enjoyed poking around during a leisurely 1.5 hour transfer. Most of the other half-dozen-ish people riding the local train with me were also railfans.
Momijiyama, the dilapidated station name sign in the outside parking circle seen in photo #4, was the old name of the station between 1892 and 1981, while it was run by Japanese National Railways & Japanese Government Railways, pre-privatization. The 16.1 km Yubari Branch Line, in photo #15, was closed in 2019 along with its five stations.
I traveled up to Wakkanai from the bottom of Hokkaido using entirely local trains, via the Hakodate Main Line and Soya Main Line, and then – because the buses out to the cape weren't running early in the morning, and I had a 10:30 ferry to Rebun Island to catch – I hitchhiked to get to Cape Soya, the northernmost point in Japan!
It was my first time hitchhiking in Japan or elsewhere. A very nice woman picked me up, just in time, after about an hour walk from the station down to Route 238 and another half hour of waiting and hoping with my sign up and thumb out. She said her husband's a trucker, and they both try to pick up people when possible.
I only had a short time there before my bus back to the station (yes, they run in _the other_ direction early in the morning...) but the weather was perfect, both gorgeous and windy, and Russia was visible in the distance!
Yes, that is a frozen reindeer sausage vending machine!!!
Waiting for my train here (which, btw, is my favorite station in the country) and came across a rare luxury sightseeing cruise train called THE ROYAL EXPRESS! Posted more info and photos here:
https://old.reddit.com/r/japanrail/comments/1vka9er/saw_the_royal_express_luxury_cruise_train_at/
Came across this rare train operated by Tokyu up in JR Hokkaido territory, running the 4-day 〜HOKKAIDO CRUISE TRAIN〜 route which will end operations in a couple months. It usually runs down in the Izu Peninsula.
I had never heard of it before, but saw posters at Oshamambe yesterday inviting people to come to the platform and see it off. I looked up the itinerary online and it turned out it was stopped at Asahikawa overnight, where I happened to be staying, and so I went to watch it depart this morning!
Info from Wikipedia:
- Passenger cars: Izu Kyuko 2100 series (blue)
- Locomotive: JNR DE15 1542 + 1545 (yellow)
- Power car: Tokyu MaNi 50 2186 (white)
Photo I took along the Hakodate Main Line in December 2024 next to one I took today :) First time exploring Hokkaido in summer!
Taken between Ogawa and Arisa stations on the JR Kyushu Kagoshima Main Line. Photo: Atsuhiro Maeda/Kyodo News.
This was my old station for commuting to school during a homestay in Japan in 2010. First time returning and I still remember the layout (especially of the adjacent bus terminal) like the back of my hand. Really nostalgic. Still one of the prettiest surroundings out of any station in the country, IMO, much less a subway (or more like an outdoor "subway") station! The name translates to "hill of the morning sun".
Apparently the sub doesn't allow crossposts so I'm just manually sharing this here. :) Original post by /u/Godson-of-jimbo:
Wow. You, sir, are a mouthful.