This adorable wordplay perfectly captures the exhaustion of an all-nighter using Hokkaido's place names. The gentle nature of their friendship is also incredibly soothing. The post on X quickly garnered over 10,000 likes, with users chiming in with their own creative wordplay, such as "Samu-samu in Wassamu" (samu-samu means chilly) and "Nori-nori in Noboribetsu" (nori-nori means upbeat or excited).

The Illustrator Who Draws Train Stations, "Shihatsu-chan"

The post was made by an illustrator named "Shihatsu-chan." Although currently living in the Kanto region, they are such a "Hokkaido lover" that they visit about three times a year.

An illustration of Shin-Asahikawa Station on the Soya Main Line

Shihatsu-chan primarily works as an illustrator of train stations and has contributed illustrations for the book "RUST RUN!!!" published by Hokkaido Shimbun Press, as well as advertisements for JR Hokkaido Freight (in 2021 and 2022). Their work is characterized by a gentle and warm touch, depicting landscapes with railways with great affection.

【お知らせ】本日の北海道新聞朝刊に掲載、JR貨物 北海道支社様のイラストを担当させていただきました。

舞台は「厚別駅と森林公園駅の間にある歩道橋」。トイレットペーパーなど日用品をたくさん買い物をする女の子のイラストです。いつも日常を支えてくださって本当にありがとうございます...！ https://t.co/HqKonyIov3

— 始発ちゃん🍊 (@densya_t) June 27, 2021

The Captivating Wooden Train Stations of Hokkaido

The reason Shihatsu-chan's love for Hokkaido grew is that "not only is the air clean and the food delicious, but there are also wonderful wooden train stations still remaining." They say that standing in front of an old wooden station building envelops them in a sense of calm, as if they've returned to their own home.

With such a love for Hokkaido's railway scenery, Shihatsu-chan has a particularly strong attachment to the Soya Main Line and the Rumoi Main Line. Their passion is so great that they have even created fanzines (doujinshi) featuring drawings of "every single station" on each line! The meticulously detailed stations seem to convey the lives of the people who were once there and the quiet atmosphere of the great northern land.

An illustration of Onobunai Station on the Soya Main Line

This heartwarming affection for Hokkaido overflowed from a simple tweet of wordplay. Hokkaido is filled with a nostalgic charm that makes you want to take a train and leisurely gaze at the scenery.