EDITORIALS
A must-see for railroad fans! 10 Valuable Railway Spots to Visit in Hokkaido
Mikasa Railway Village (Mikasa City): Experience driving a real coal-powered steam locomotive (SL)
Karikatsu Highlands Eco Trolley (Shintoku Town), where you can enjoy the experience of driving a trolley.
( 3 ) "Roadside Station Abira D51 Station" (Abira Town), where the popular SL Degoichi is on display
( 4 ) "Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway" (Rikubetsu Town), the longest driving experience in Japan
5. "Marusebu Forest Park Ikoi-no-Mori" (Marusebu Forest Park Ikoi-no-Mori), where you can ride through the lush green park by SL (Engaru Town)
6 . "Aikoku Station" (Obihiro City), famous for the song "Aikoku kara kofuku yuki" (From Aikoku to Happiness)
7 . "Kofuku Station" (Obihiro City), where the happy station name remains the same
Niseko Railway Heritage Site" (Niseko Town), with its impressive turntable
9 . "Otaru City Museum" (Otaru City), where as many as 50 railroad cars are on display
10 . "Nakayubetsu Station Memorial Hall, Kamiyubetsu Centennial Park" (Yubetsu Town )
1. "Mikasa Railway Village" (Mikasa City), where you can experience driving a real SL train using coal
Mikasa Railway Village, which opened as the birthplace of the Hokkaido Railway, exhibits a steam locomotive "S-304," valuable materials from the Meiji era, and timetables, uniforms, SL parts, and signals that were actually used in the Taisho and Showa periods.
Mikasa Railway Village
Hours of operation: 9:00-17:00
Fees (Mikasa City Museum, Mikasa City Cultural Arts Promotion Facility, Mikasa Railway Museum): Adults (high school students and older): 750 yen / Elementary/junior high school students: 350 yen / Children under elementary school age: free
Closed: Mondays, closed during winter (Oct. 16-Apr. 15)
Parking: Free
Location: 2-287 Horonai-cho, Mikasa City (Mikasa Railway Museum)
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2. "Karikatsu Plateau Eco Trolley" (Shintoku Town), where you can enjoy the feeling of being a driver on a trolley.
This facility allows visitors to ride on rails on a track bicycle used for track maintenance at Shinnai Station on the old Karakachi Line, once one of Japan's three most scenic train routes. The course includes traffic signals, railroad crossings, and various railroad signs, allowing visitors to feel like a train driver.
Karakachi Plateau Eco Trolley Railroad
Operating hours: 9:30-16:30
■Fees
Foot-peddling trolley: Adults 700 yen / Children and infants (3 years old and up to junior high school students) 400 yen
Battery train: Adults: 700 yen (for adults only, including those with a regular driver's license)
Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location: Old Shinnai Station, Karakachi Plateau, Shintoku-cho
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3. "Roadside Station Abira D51 Station" where popular SL Degoichi is on display (Abira Town)
The Railway Museum at Roadside Station Abira D51 Station exhibits historical materials as a railroad hub in the Oiwake area, including "steam locomotive D51 No. 320. In addition, "Kiha 183 series" express trains of Hokkaido specifications are displayed and preserved outdoors.
Railroad Museum (attached to Roadside Station Abira D51 Station)
Hours: 9:00-18:00 (April-October) / 9:00-17:00 (November-March)
Closed: Year-end and New Year holidays (December 31-January 3)
*Other temporary closures may occur due to maintenance, etc.
Admission: Free
Parking: Free
Location: 49-1, Kashiwa-gaoka, Oiwake, Ahira-cho
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4. "Furusato Ginga Line Rikubetsu Railway" (Rikubetsu Town), the longest distance driving experience in Japan
Visitors can experience riding and driving a train that actually operated on the Furusato Ginga Line. 5.7 km from the former Rikubetsu Station to the former Bunsen Station, which opened on April 30, 2021, is the longest driving experience course in Japan.
Rikubetsu Railway
■Opening period (2023): Saturday, April 22 - Tuesday, October 31
*Please check the official website in advance, as the menus available for experience differ depending on the operating days.
Business hours: 9:30-16:00 (last admission at 15:30)
Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
■Fare (station ride experience): Adults 300 yen / Elementary school students 200 yen / Free for infants (accompanied by a parent or guardian)
Parking: Available (please use the parking lot of Michi no Eki)
Location: 69-1, Rikubetsu Harano Baseline, Rikubetsu-cho
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5. "Marusebu Forest Park Ikoi-no-Mori"(Engaru Town)
Amamiya No. 21, the only moving forest railroad steam locomotive in Japan, runs through the park for 2 kilometers. The park is rich in nature, and visitors can also use the local museum, camping site, and various playground equipment.
Marusebu Forest Park Ikoi no Mori
Open hours: 9:00-17:00
Closed: No holidays
■Fees：Free admission
■Parking：Free (outside the park)
Location：80 Kamitotsuuri, Marusebu, Engaru-cho
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6. "Aikoku Station" (Obihiro City) famous for "Aikoku kara Kofukuyuki" (From Aikoku to Kofukuyuki)
Aikoku Station on the former Hiroo Line of the Japan National Railways is used as a transportation museum, where tickets, panels, and a steam locomotive (SL) that was used in those days are on display. The "Kofuku-yuki" ticket monument in front of the station building is a popular photo spot.
Aikoku Station
■Opening hours: March-November (9:00-17:00), December-February (open only on Sundays/9:00-17:00)
SL cars cannot be visited during the winter (December to March).
Closed: Open every day (March-November), open only on Sundays (December-February)
Admission: Free
Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location: 39-40, Aikoku-cho Baseline, Obihiro City
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7. "Happy Station" (Obihiro City) with a happy station name as it is
Like Aikoku Station, Kofuku Station was formerly on the Hiroo Line of the Japan National Railways. The station was originally scheduled to be closed, but due to the auspiciousness of its name, it has survived as a tourist attraction. The commemorative ticket "Aikoku to Kofuku-yuki" sold at the kiosk is the No. 1 selling souvenir.
Kofuku Station
Business hours (kiosk): Summer: 9:00-17:30 / Winter: 9:30-15:00
■Closed: No
■Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location：Happiness Town East Line 1, Obihiro City
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8. "Niseko Railway Heritage Site" with its powerful turntable (Niseko Town)
The Niseko Railway Heritage Site was established in 2021 on land adjacent to Niseko Station. The site includes the Karita stop on the Makari Line, steam locomotive 9643, the former Shindoku engine turntable, and the Niseko Express train (Kiha 183-5001).
Niseko Railway Heritage Sites
■Opening period
Steam locomotive "9643" and "Old Shintoku Locomotive Turntable": Open to the public daily from Friday, April 28.
Niseko Express (Kiha 183-5001): Saturdays, Sundays, etc. from May 13 to October 9.
Closed: No holidays
■Fare: Free
Location: 144 Aza Chuodori, Niseko Town
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A must-see for railroad fans! Niseko Railway Heritage Site" with SL, Express, and turntable
9. 50 railroad cars on display at the Otaru City Museum (Otaru City)
The Otaru City General Museum is a museum with 50 railcars on display and a detailed introduction to the history of Hokkaido's railroads. The museum also has a planetarium and science exhibition room, and during the summer, visitors can ride on the SL Iron Horse, making it a fun spot for adults and children alike.
Otaru City Museum
Hours: 9:30-17:00
Admission: Adults 400 yen (300 yen in winter) / High school students and city residents over 70 years old 200 yen (150 yen in winter) / Free for junior high school students and younger
*Please inquire during the winter season.
Closed: Tuesdays (or the following weekday if Tuesday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays (December 29-January 3)
Parking: Available (free of charge)
■Location: 1-3-6 Temiya, Otaru City
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10. "Kamiyubetsu Centennial Park, Nakayubetsu Station Memorial Hall" (Yubetsu Town), which preserves the atmosphere of the Showa period.
Part of the former Naka-Yubetsu Station of the JR Nayoro and Yushinami lines, which was closed down, has been preserved as it was in those days. The platform, rails, a Russell car and two slow train cars are on display. It is a tasteful facility that retains the atmosphere of the Showa period.
Kamiyubetsu Centennial Memorial Park, Nakayubetsu Station Memorial Hall
Open: May - October
Closed: No holidays
■Fees：Free
■Parking: Available (free of charge)
Location：Naka-yubetsu Nakayubetsu Nakamachi, Yubetsu-cho
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