“Happiness” ByeBye！ Demolition and Reconstruction of an Old Hokkaido Train Station

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin

 

In Taiwan, there are old train stations famous for their auspiciously named tickets, such as “Zhui Fen” (Separation), “Cheng Gong” (Success), “Yong Kang” (Eternal Health), and “Bao An” (Safety). Similarly, in Obihiro City, Hokkaido, there is an old station named “Happiness” that is especially popular among couples and is also a hot spot for travel and wedding photography, earning it the nickname “Sacred Place for Lovers.” However, after the Happiness Station was closed in 1987, its platform and part of the tracks were preserved. Over the years, its interior and exterior walls became covered with postcards from visitors and couples wishing for happiness.

Happiness Station in Obihiro City, Hokkaido, and the nearby Aikoku Station became wildly popular in 1973 thanks to a Japanese NHK travel program. The following year, singer Serina Hayashi’s song “From the Land of Love to Happiness” (“愛の国から幸福へ”) sparked a buying frenzy for the auspiciously named “Aikoku–Happiness” train tickets, with over 10 million sold within four years. However, after enduring 50 years of weathering, Happiness Station began renovation work earlier this month, with completion scheduled for early November. When the renovation news was announced, it attracted tourists from across Japan who came to see the old station one last time. Internet users planning to visit Hokkaido after early November will have the chance to see the newly renovated Happiness Station.

 

 

●  Extended Reading:

Watch Sea of Clouds and Waterfalls in Hokkaido – A New Experience of Soaring Above the Clouds

http://goo.gl/Lnltju

 

MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network – The Largest Chinese Travel Information Platform

www.mook.com.tw