Actually, it was a railroad town!　Niseko Railway Heritage Site 【Niseko Town, Hokkaido

  • Hokkaido
  • Sightseeing
In 2022, autumn decorations have begun again this year at Niseko Station.　　Photo: August 26, 2022

From Tagari Town to Niseko

The town of Niseko is now known around the world as a popular ski resort. The original name of the town was Kaributo, and the name of the station was also Karita. 1963 marked the designation of the town as "Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan National Park," and the following year the name was changed to the current town name, and in 1968 the station name was changed to "Niseko Station. Although katakana station names are not uncommon today, at the time this was the first katakana station name in Japan for a Japanese National Railways (now JR) station.
Steam locomotive "9643" was pulling an express train before the war.

2021: Niseko Railway Heritage Group is born!

Niseko Railway Heritage Group Image courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum
DECMO" H100 class diesel railcar in 2020.
In the summer of 2021, the Niseko Railway Heritage Site was established on this site, which until 1953 was the site of the former Karita Station on the Makari Line, a simple track, as well as a railroad turntable and freight transshipment point with Japan National Railways. The train seen from the garage is the Niseko Express. It was built at JR Hokkaido's Naebo Plant in 1988 as a resort train connecting New Chitose Airport Station and Niseko Station, and ran throughout Hokkaido until 2017. The train on the far right across from "9643" is the H100 Diesel Train "DECMO" that currently operates between Otaru and Nagamanbu. Depending on the day, you may be able to see the old and new three trains together as shown in this image. (The door on the other side may be open.)
Former Shintoku locomotive turntable Image courtesy of Arishima Memorial Museum
This is a turntable that was used at Shintoku station in Hokkaido. This turntable was moved to Niseko Station in 1990 to change the direction of the "C62 Niseko" train, which was revived and was used until 1995 when the "C62 Niseko" train was discontinued.

On the side of the garage where the Niseko Express is preserved, there is a display of information about Niseko's railroad history and an explanation of how the trains on display came to be preserved here.
Please check the Arishima Memorial Museum website for the schedule of garage openings.
Arishima Memorial Museum Website
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