Retro Bus Braves Snow in Iwate Pref., Offering Tourists a Winter Voyage

By Yuka Takayoshi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

21:00 JST, January 13, 2025

MORIOKA — The retro look and comfort of one bus on the Matsukawa Onsen line, operated by Northern Iwate Transportation Inc., is attracting tourists from in and outside Iwate Prefecture.

The so-called “bonnet bus” is running three round trips a day between the Morioka Bus Center and Matsukawa Onsen until around March. Every winter, Northern Iwate Transportation, headquartered in Morioka, deploys a four-wheel-drive bus that is a 1968 model and has high enough ground clearance to drive on steep, snow-covered roads.

The company purchased the bus when it was first introduced to the market and has continued to use and maintain it. Such buses from that time are rarely used on a regular daily route in Japan.

This winter, the bus has been on the roads since Dec. 5. Passengers have enjoyed taking videos and pictures of the wooden floor and low ceilings as the bus climbs the winding hills in the snow.

“I like the sound of the engine, the vibrations and the smell of old-fashioned oil,” said 35-year-old Junki Akimoto, an office worker from Kamaishi.

His wife Ikumi, 36, added, “The bus shook more than I expected, and it was fun like an amusement park attraction.”

“I hope young people will also appreciate the buses,” said a person responsible for the bus’ operations.