A famous winter sight in Sapporo is the "Sasara Train." This is a special snow-plowing streetcar that clears snow with bamboo brushes called "sasara." It's a traditional snow removal method dating back to the Taisho era, and it continues to protect the daily commute of Sapporo's citizens. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how the Sasara Train works, and when and where you can see it.

The bundles attached to the lower front and rear of the train are the sasara brushes

The Sasara Train is a streetcar that clears snow from the tram tracks. It doesn't carry passengers; it operates with a crew of two: a driver and a staff member who controls the snow-plowing sasara brushes.

By the way, do you know what "sasara" means? A sasara is a bamboo brush. It's similar to the kind used in kitchens to scrub stubborn dirt off pots. Because bamboo is flexible, it can clear snow and ice from the tracks without damaging the rails.

The lower part of the Sasara Train. The sasara are made from Madake bamboo from the Tohoku region

This might seem like a somewhat analog snow removal method, but in fact, it has remained almost unchanged for over 100 years. The Sasara Train first appeared in the late Taisho era (early 1920s). It was reportedly inspired by the bamboo scourers (sasara) used in kitchens. Since then, other snow removal methods have been tried, but the conclusion was always that the sasara was best. The basic structure today is largely the same as when it was first created.

On the Sasara Train, individual sasara brushes are nailed to a wooden frame and then fixed into a roller shape, which is attached to the lower front and rear of the train. Each train car is equipped with a total of 800 sasara bundles, front and back.

Believe it or not, attaching the sasara is all done by hand

The sasara brushes wear out from repeated use, so they are typically replaced two to three times each season. In recent years, there has been more wet, heavy snow rather than light powder snow, which puts more strain on the sasara, causing them to deteriorate faster and require more frequent replacement.

It clears snow by spinning its sasara rotors in the opposite direction of travel to fling snow off the tracks

The sight of it running while kicking up snow is truly spectacular! It evokes a sense of toughness, strength, and reassurance, protecting the daily commute of citizens in the snowy city of Sapporo. However, even if you want to see it, there's no fixed operating schedule, so it's not easy to catch. But here are some tips to increase your chances.

Sasara Train Operating Hours

The Sasara Train operates in the following two scenarios:

1: Every morning around 4:00 AM during the snowfall season (generally late November to late March).
*This run serves as both track clearing and an inspection for snow accumulation, operating almost daily during the period.
2: When it starts snowing or continues to snow during the streetcar's regular operating hours.
*This is an irregular operation.

Before dawn in winter, if you are along the streetcar line after 4:00 AM, you can see the Sasara Train running. However, if there is no snow on the tracks, it will pass by without rotating the sasara, as it's just doing an inspection.

It clears the snow accumulated on the tracks before the first passenger streetcar of the day begins service

If you want to see the spectacular sight of it kicking up snow, your best bet is after a steady snowfall has begun. You can watch its powerful display from the sidewalks along the streetcar route. (Never enter the track area, as it is extremely dangerous!) Of course, since there's no set schedule, you might have to wait in the falling snow for the unpredictable Sasara Train to appear....

The elusive Sasara Train—when and where you'll encounter it is up to fate

Incidentally, the section in central Sapporo between Susukino, Tanukikoji, and Nishi 4-chome has road heating, so snow doesn't accumulate there. Therefore, even if the Sasara Train passes through, the sasara brushes won't be rotating. Sometimes, it also turns back at Susukino or Nishi 4-chome and doesn't run through the downtown core like Tanukikoji at all. In other words, if you wait in this easily accessible downtown area, you won't get to see the spectacular snow-clearing action, so please be aware.

The Sasara Train operation typically starts with one vehicle, and depending on the snowfall, a second, third, or even fourth may be dispatched. If you happen to encounter them at this time, consider yourself lucky!

Thanks to the Sasara Train, the streetcar rarely suspends service, even in heavy snow!

When the Sasara Train starts running, you know winter has truly arrived in Sapporo

The Sasara Train has been running through the streets of Sapporo, kicking up snow, since the Taisho era, unchanged from then to now. It's thanks to the Sasara Train that the city's streetcar system can operate with very few suspensions, even in a city known for heavy snowfall. We are grateful for this Sapporo snow removal tradition and for everyone who works to protect the winter commute of its citizens!

Photos courtesy of: Sapporo City Transportation Promotion Corporation