🗺️ Old National Rail Hand Palace Line旧国鉄手宮線

The Old Kokutetsu Handai Line is part of Hokkaido's first railway, the "Government-operated Poronai Railway," which was built to transport coal from the Poronai coal mine in present-day Mikasa City to the port of Otaru City. It was in operation from 1880 until it was abandoned in 1985. Today, as Otaru City works on revitalizing the old railway site, it has been transformed into a walking path. Starting from the central area, it connects to the "Otaru City General Museum," which is about 1.6 kilometers away and is the birthplace of Hokkaido's railways. The original railway tracks, level crossings, and signal devices have been preserved, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of that time. In 2018, it was selected as a Hokkaido Heritage site, known as the "Otaru Railway Heritage." Along the path, vibrant seasonal flowers bloom, providing great photo opportunities on the former railway grounds. It has become popular for capturing rare and eye-catching photos. A leisurely stroll from the north side to the south side takes about 30 minutes, and along the way, there are several nostalgic attractions worth seeing, including the nationally designated important cultural property "Old Nippon Yusen (K.K.) Otaru Branch," as well as cafes and dance studios converted from stone warehouses.

The old railway, which was in operation from 1880 to 1985, has been transformed into a walking path. It stretches approximately 1.6 kilometers from north to south. The original railway tracks, signal devices, and level crossings have been preserved, allowing visitors to take photos filled with a travel atmosphere.