By Wu Yongcheng
Taking a one-car local train from Abashiri and traveling along the snow-covered Sekihoku Main Line, you’ll pass through the most famous Kushiro Marsh in Kushiro, eventually arriving at Kushiro, a major city in the southern part of Eastern Hokkaido. This journey takes about 4 hours, and is quite a tough ride by regular train.
Akan International Crane Center
The highlight of visiting Kushiro is undoubtedly Japan’s largest marshland: the Kushiro Marsh, which is also Japan’s 28th national park. However, as the marsh covers a vast area and is difficult to access without a car, the best way to explore it is by train. In addition to regular local trains, there is a limited-time summer service called the “Kushiro Marsh Norokko Train” (from late April to the end of September), where you can enjoy the lush green scenery of the marsh. As for winter, when the marsh transforms into a somewhat desolate white world, there is the “SL Winter Marsh Number,” a steam locomotive pulling passenger cars. It ran on January 23–24 and from January 30 to March 7 in 2010.
Summer Train
SL Winter Marsh Number
Japanese people really love steam trains — not only do many tourists come to ride them, but during operation you can also see many photography and railway enthusiasts waiting by the tracks to capture the sight of steam trains speeding through the white landscape. Although Taiwan Railways also has an irregularly running CK124, being able to ride a passenger train pulled by a steam locomotive in the icy and snowy landscape still holds great appeal for Taiwanese people, who rarely see snow.
This “SL Winter Marsh Number” departs from Kushiro, travels northward along the Sekihoku Main Line through the Kushiro Marsh, stops for a while at “Shibecha” Station, and then returns to Kushiro, making one round trip per day. However, for tourists, coming all the way to Eastern Hokkaido just to ride a train might feel a bit monotonous. A common arrangement is to take a local train from Shibecha to stay at and soak in the hot springs of Kawakami Onsen, or do it the other way around by soaking in the hot springs first before taking the steam train to Kushiro via Shibecha. Additionally, transferring to a bus to visit Lake Akan, Lake Mashu, or Lake Kussharo is also a frequent itinerary option.
★★★ Extended Reading = Oguma Lookout
Oguma Lookout is a representative scenic spot in the Kushiro Marsh because it is located atop a hill with excellent visibility, earning it the nickname “Great Viewpoint.” From here, you can see the Kushiro River meandering through the marsh, and in the distance, you can also view mountains such as Mount Oakan, Mount Meakan, and Mount Akan Fuji...Click to see detailed attraction information
Oguma Lookout
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