Steam Locomotive Through Kushiro Wetland Starts Seasonal Run, Gives Passengers Stunning Midwinter View of Hokkaido

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:13 JST, January 18, 2026

KUSHIRO, Hokkaido — A sightseeing steam locomotive that runs through the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido began its seasonal run on Saturday. The SL Fuyu-no-Shitsugen Train runs on the 48.1-kilometer stretch between Kushiro Station and Shibecha Station on the JR Senmo Line through March 15, mainly on weekends.

The locomotive, manufactured in 1940, pulls five passenger cars equipped with amenities including potbelly stoves.

The first train departed from Kushiro Station shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday, allowing passengers to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the wetlands in midwinter.

“The nostalgic passenger cars, red-crowned cranes and magnificent nature have quite the appeal,” said a 48-year-old company employee from Sapporo, who takes the tourist train every year.

The sightseeing train has carried about 350,000 passengers since it began operations in 2000, according to JR Hokkaido.