#108 A treasure of railroad remain
A precious tiny station that brings you back to what you have forgotten.
Some remains are forgotten as railroads are modernized or, worse, demolished to make way for new buildings. Last week, I took you to Ubayu, one of the most hidden hot springs in Yamagata Prefecture, and if you come here by local train, you can catch a glimpse of its remains. Coming from Fukushima, there are only six trains a day, and you can only see the Yamagata Shinkansen passing by. Still, it is one of the few remaining stations where you can experience the passage of time, and the aptly named "Touge" (in Japanese, a point on a mountain divide) is a source of inspiration to me. I want to tell you about a place where you can feel a piece of history rather than sightseeing.
About Touge station
In the Meiji Era (1868-1912), more than 100 years before the expansion of the modern railroad network in Japan, switchback systems were introduced in many parts of Japan to allow trains to go over steep slopes. Touge Station, located 622 meters above sea level, was established in 1899 as a switchback station on the current Ou Main Line. At that time, the Ou Main Line passing through Toge Station was the fastest line to cross the Ou Mountains, passed through the highest point above sea level, and was said to be the steepest railroad. Switchbacks, in which trains repeatedly moved forward, backward, and forward to gain altitude instead of going straight up steep hills, are few and far between on Japanese railroads, which have become increasingly speedy. Only a trace of this method can be seen at the current Touge Station.
In 1949, 50 years after its opening, a new passing line was built at Toge Station, and in 1990, with the opening of the Yamagata Shinkansen, the switchback system was discontinued.
Remaining Railroad Remains
Today's only thing remains a 200-meter-long wooden "snow shed" built to keep out snow. The snow shed still stands, but most of the tracks from that time have been removed. Passing through it, you arrive at the station covered by a large roof. The station has been uncrewed since 1984, with only a tiny waiting room above the platform. The Yamagata Shinkansen passes through this small station almost every hour. When I visited the station, there were a few train fans. There are only six trains per day in both directions, so you have to think about the time of the next train when coming to the station.
There are two ways to get off the train on the way to Yonezawa from Fukushima or to return to Fukushima again. Considering the connections before and after, the best way is to take the train leaving Fukushima Station at 07:14, get off at Touge Station, and return to Fukushima or Yonezawa by the next train in an hour or so. If you miss this time, you must stay at the station for several hours. Please check the timetable once. However, as I mentioned last week, you can adjust the time if you are prepared to walk to Ubayu Onsen.
Teahouse on the mountain pass, Mogamiya
Another specialty of this station is "Touge no Chikaramochi" (strength rice cake). The "Touge no Chikaramochi" is sold for 30 seconds when the train stops at this station. The history of "Touge no Chikaramochi" dates back to 1901, more than 100 years ago. In the old days, it was common to see people selling bento (boxed meals) and tea through the window at many major train stations throughout Japan, saying "Ekiben, Ekiben~" whenever the train stopped. The most common method of selling bento and tea was the "stand-up selling" method, in which a shallow box-like container was slung over the shoulder and used to sell the bento and tea. In the past, the windows of trains were open so that people could shop for bento and other items through the windows.
I used to visit my grandparents in the countryside in Katsuta City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and took a two-and-a-half-hour trip on the Joban Line from Ueno then. I remember hurriedly buying lunch boxes and tea during the short stop at Tsuchiura, the halfway point. There were times when the shortstop meant that there was no time to get change for the box lunch, and the train had to depart. However, we can't see such a scene anymore.
With the speed of trains increasing, it is no longer profitable to sell boxed lunches at most stations, and the role has shifted to station kiosks, where people can buy the food they buy before boarding the train. The nostalgic sales method and the scarcity of these particular Japanese sweets, which you can only purchase at this location, may be what draws fans to this small station, where the "bento culture" of the railroad that has existed for more than 100 years has disappeared, replaced by the purchase at the station kiosk and boarding the train. The 30 seconds of activity in the snow shelter, along with the vast railroad remains, is the charm of this tiny station that touches the heartstrings of Japanese people.
Reference information: Chikaramochi is sold on the spot from 0830 to 1810, but if you make a reservation by phone, they will come and sell according to the specified train time—They sell eight pieces for 1,000 yen. For more information, please go to their HP, which is in Japanese.
Finally
A small station in Yamagata Prefecture with railroad remains and story-filled Japanese sweets that you have only 30 seconds to buy.
Only a few stations in Japan are this compact and full of stories. You can't experience this kind of travel experience if you go there by car. Suppose you are traveling from Tokyo to Yonezawa or Yamagata. Why don't you consider getting off the Shinkansen at Fukushima and transferring to a local train to enjoy this snow-sheltered pass station? It will surely be a valuable experience. Would you like to walk around the station? In that case, the train departs from Fukushima Station at 07:14. It arrives at Touge Station at 07:43. The next train departs from Touge Station at 08:36, just in time for walking around the station area. You can buy Chikaramochi before your departure. Leaving this travel experience to railroad enthusiasts alone would be a shame.
I like how perfectly precise your advice is!