Niseko Town is a place visited by many people each year for its hot springs and winter sports. But what if the "opening of the railway" had never happened? Perhaps the Niseko we know and love today wouldn't exist. You can learn about this history at the "Niseko Railway Heritage Group," which opened to the public in 2021.

With a turntable unveiled in 2014, a steam locomotive in 2017, and the Niseko Express in 2020, this spot has captured the hearts of railway enthusiasts. Located right next to Niseko Station, which is scheduled to be decommissioned by 2030, it attracts many fans who arrive by train.

As you get off at Niseko Station and head towards the railway heritage site, the first thing you'll see is the steam locomotive "9643" displayed outdoors. Its solid black, heavy body sits majestically on the rails with its lights on, creating a sense of realism as if it could start moving at any moment!

This steam locomotive, "9643," was manufactured in 1914 at Kawasaki Dockyard. As of 2022, that makes it 108 years old. It ran until the line was discontinued in 1974, and after retirement, it was preserved at the Sapporo Beer Garden in Sapporo City.

After being relocated to Niseko Town, a roof was installed with the hope that many people could see it in a beautiful condition for a long time. After painting and restoration, it has been on display since 2019. It's said that it can still blow its whistle. On some days, members of the Local Vitalization Cooperator team are there to provide explanations and guidance.

The left side is the engineer's seat (driver), and the right side is the fireman's seat (shovels coal into the firebox). The equipment from its active days remains as it was.

Walking past the steam locomotive, you'll notice something unfamiliar—a structure that looks like a bridge over a large circle.

The turntable has a diameter of about 20 meters. The color contrast with the Niseko Ohashi Bridge and the blue sky in the background is also spectacular.
Photo courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum

This unfamiliar piece of equipment is a "turntable," used to change the direction of trains. Manufactured in 1957 and previously used in Shintoku Town, this turntable was relocated to Niseko in 1989 for the operation of the "C62 Niseko" train. After about five years, the "C62 Niseko" was discontinued, and the turntable was also retired. It remained out of public view for a long time.

Photo courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum

Starting in 2011, Niseko Town began efforts to show this turntable and its history to more people, and it has been on display since 2014. Incidentally, the turntable has been maintained so that it can be operated both manually and electrically.

A lever is attached to move the turntable manually. To operate it electrically, you would do so from inside the phone-booth-like box.

And now, if you turn around, you will see the "Niseko Express," a sight that many might find familiar.

This "Niseko Express" is actually a "Dosanko (Hokkaido-born) train," manufactured at JR Hokkaido's Naebo Plant in 1988. In winter, it connected the Niseko area with New Chitose Airport, and during other seasons, it ran throughout Hokkaido. After being decommissioned in 2017, its preservation was made possible through crowdfunding. In the summer of 2020, it made its homecoming to Niseko Town.

By the way, the Niseko Express also had its direction changed using the turntable!

Photo courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum

Now, to delve into the history of Niseko, let's look at the "Niseko Railway Heritage Group" from a slightly different perspective.

Behind the steam locomotive is Niseko Station, and to the right of the Niseko Express and turntable is the "Niseko Chuo Soko Gun" (Niseko Central Warehouses). This warehouse complex is now a facility where many people gather, with spaces for teleworking, workshops, exhibitions, and even a popular soup curry restaurant.

Niseko Chuo Soko Gun Facility Information
https://www.nisekosoukogun.com/institution/

At first glance, the central warehouses may seem unrelated to Niseko Station and the railway heritage group, but the town of Niseko might not have developed without all three.

The railway came to Niseko in 1936. It connected what is now Niseko Town and Makkari Village to transport agricultural products, mainly potatoes.

Photo courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum

Agricultural products were transported from Makkari Village, unloaded at Niseko Station, stored and processed in the central warehouses, and then reloaded onto the Japanese National Railways (JNR) to be shipped across the country. Niseko prospered as a transit point, and its population gradually increased. Jumping forward in time, the town has prospered alongside its railway, with the revival of the "Niseko Express" in 1988 and the steam locomotive "C62 Niseko" in 1990.

Photo courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum

On the wall of the shed housing the Niseko Express, there is an exhibit on the history of the railway, so be sure to check it out!