"Haisen" and "haido"—the remnants of abandoned railways and roads. Many enthusiasts visit famous spots to catch a glimpse of these scenes, which evoke images of a bygone era. In Hokkaido, there is a rare and precious place where these two romantic concepts, an abandoned railway and a disused road, intersect.

A place that satisfies both abandoned railway fans and abandoned road fans.

Photo courtesy of @hotetunotatujin

The photo shows the remains of an abandoned railway line stretching straight vertically, intersected diagonally by the trace of an abandoned road. This single picture, which speaks to the history of each, has garnered significant attention on social media, with over 15,000 likes and comments such as "This is awesome," "I want to go," and "Such a classic Hokkaido view."

The Intersection of an Abandoned Railway and a Disused Road is in Teshio, Hokkaido

The person who posted the photo is "Hotetsu no Tatsujin," an expert who has explored over 700 abandoned railway sites across Japan. The location in the photo is in Teshio, a town facing the Sea of Japan in northern Hokkaido, where the abandoned Haboro Line and the former National Route 40 intersect. Hotetsu no Tatsujin explains, "It seems the route of National Route 40 was changed due to the replacement of the Teshio Ohashi Bridge, turning this section into an abandoned road, and the overpass was also removed."

The former Teshio Ohashi Bridge, which became a disused road due to traffic rerouting construction.

About 10 years ago, Hotetsu no Tatsujin was also searching for the remains of the Haboro Line, and this year, he was finally able to explore the entire line, which he couldn't complete back then. However, about 10 years ago, this section of National Route 40 had not yet been abandoned. Therefore, the scenery in the posted photo has only existed for the past few years.

Hokkaido's Abandoned Railway Sites are Popular among Visitors

Hotetsu no Tatsujin has visited numerous other abandoned railway sites in Hokkaido. His website contains a vast record of his explorations, where you can see many photos from these locations.

Mitsubishi Mining Ashibetsu Colliery Private Railway

Esashi Line

Mitsui Kozan Naie Private Railway

Through these photos, why not imagine the landscapes that once existed and reflect on the lives of the people of that time?