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Winters in the Tohoku region, especially along the Sea of Japan, are harsh
However, even in the midst of such harsh winters on the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, the Tsugaru Railway, Japan's northernmost private railway*, continues to operate vigorously today
This time, we will introduce the charm of the Tsugaru Railway and the fun that can only be had in winter
*Private railway: Here, this refers to a railway that is not JR, publicly operated, or a third-sector railway
Tsugaru Railway running through northern Tsugaru
Tsugaru Railway "Run Melos"
operated by Tsugaru Railway Co., Ltd. , is a 20.7 km line that runs from Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station in Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture to Tsugaru-Nakasato Station in Nakadomari Town .
The starting point, Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station, is adjacent to JR Goshogawara Station, where you can transfer to the Gono Line
In addition to local trains, JR Goshogawara Station by the "Resort Shirakami" tourist train that runs on the Gono Line . On days when the Resort Shirakami is in operation (mainly Saturdays and holidays), you can access Goshogawara Station from stations such as Akita and Aomori without having to transfer.
The Tsugaru Railway opened in 1930
For over 90 years, it has played a vital role in the transportation network in northern Tsugaru
Sightseeing spots along the line
Tsugaru Railway is known for the fact that Dazai Osamu's birthplace is located along the line, and the diesel railcars (railroad cars that run on diesel) used on the trains have been nicknamed "Run, Melos"
"Tsutetsu Bunko" (Tsugaru Railway Library) has been opened at Tsugaru-Goshogawara, Kanagi, and Tsugaru-Nakazato stations (stations with station staff) and on the trains
You can enjoy reading at stations and on trains, and books are freely available for borrowing and lending
Near Kanagi Station
Dazai Osamu Memorial Museum "Shayokan"
Near Kanagi Station is the birthplace of the writer Osamu Dazai, which is open to the public as the Dazai Osamu Memorial Museum "Shayokan."
Dazai Osamu Memorial Museum "Shayokan" <Information>
Facility name: Dazai Osamu Memorial Museum "Shayokan"
Address: 412-1 Asahiyama, Kanagicho, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture
The Tsugaru Shamisen Hall is also located near Kanagi Station
You can enjoy performances of the Tsugaru shamisen, a specialty of the Tsugaru region. However, please note that the museum is closed during the winter (December 1st to March 31st of the following year)
Tsugaru Shamisen Hall <Information>
Facility name: Tsugaru Shamisen Hall
Address: 189-3 Asahiyama, Kanagi-cho, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture
Inquiry number: 0173-54-1616
Business hours: 9:00-16:00
Closed: December 1st to March 31st of the following year
Tsugaru Iizume Station opens the Tsugaru Iizume Station Museum & Train Travel Library on the third Sunday of every month
The museum displays valuable items related to the Tsugaru Railway
Additionally, at the Train Travel Library, you can see the books and favorite writing desk of the late Naoki Tanemura, a renowned railway writer. The Train Travel Library the "Meizume Revitalization Association," but is quickly becoming a new attraction on the Tsugaru Railway.
Admission to the museum and the Train Travel Library is free, but donations are accepted in the fare box at the entrance (the same one used on trains operated by a single driver)
Tsugaru Railway Iizume Station Museum & Steam Train Travel Library <Information>
Facility name: Tsugaru Railway Iizume Station Museum & Steam Train Travel Library
Address: 22-3 Iizume Kiyono, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture
Inquiry number: 0173-34-2148 (Tsugaru Railway General Affairs Division)
Opening hours: 10:00-14:00 on the third Sunday of every month
The Tsugaru Railway tracks run under the rows of cherry trees that line the area around the station, and when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, the train passes under the blossoms, which bloom like a tunnel
It's a sight well worth seeing
Ashino Park <Information>
Facility name: Ashino Park
Address: 84-170 Ashino, Kanagicho, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture
There are no automatic ticket gates at stations. Tickets are "hard tickets" made of hard paper, and station staff cut them open at the ticket gates
The Tsugaru Railway has scenery that has been completely lost from urban railways
When it comes to methods for safely operating trains, the long-standing methods of tablet blocking and staff blocking are still in use even in the Reiwa era (note: this does not mean that they are unsafe)
At Kanagi Station along the way, you can see tablet staff being exchanged, something that is now rare nationwide
semaphore signal
Additionally, Goshogawara Station and Kanagi Station are semaphore , a type of old-fashioned signaling equipment. At Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station, vintage rolling stock from the past remains, allowing visitors to relive a part of railway history.
This is also a recommended route for railway fans
A winter tradition: the stove train
What further accentuates the retro feel of the Tsugaru Railway is the "stove train," a winter tradition
It usually runs from the beginning of December to the end of March the following year, and as its name suggests, stoves are lit inside the cars. It has a history of running since the Tsugaru Railway opened in the winter of 1930, except for the wartime and immediate postwar periods
The passenger cars currently used on the stove train are the fourth generation
This old passenger car was manufactured around 1950 and is equipped with a potbelly stove. Looking out the window at the scenery of Tsugaru in the harsh winter, you can enjoy a nostalgic atmosphere
You can also grill dried squid on a wire rack above the stove, and there is even alcohol on board
Enjoying a drink with some dried squid as a snack is a pleasure that can only be enjoyed on a train journey
To ride the stove train, you need to purchase a 500 yen stove train ticket in addition to your regular ticket, but it's definitely worth trying (there are also regular cars attached to the train that do not require a stove train ticket)
Stove Train <Information>
Train name: Stove Train
Operation period: December 1st to March 31st of the following year
From July to August, the train operates as the "Wind Chime Train," with Tsugaru Kanayama-yaki wind chimes hanging from the inside of the train, and from September to October, the train operates as the "Suzumushi Train," with baskets filled with bell crickets placed on shelves inside the train
These trains operate as regular trains equipped with wind chimes and insect cages, so no special tickets need to be purchased
summary
This time we introduced the Tsugaru Railway, which runs through the hometown of literary giant Dazai Osamu
This winter, why not head to Tsugaru and enjoy a drink while admiring the winter scenery on a stove train, an experience that can only be had on the Tsugaru Railway?
I'm a member of the Neft editorial team. I love alcohol, music, and traveling, so I indulge in some drinks after work on weekdays, and on weekends, if I have free time, I travel to nearby areas. I work hard every day with the goal of eventually traveling overseas to find connections to Tohoku through NEFT reporting.
