The Tsugaru Tetsudo railway in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, launched its winter train service on Monday, equipped with coal-fired potbelly stoves aboard. The first run from Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station welcomed about 50 passengers with local delicacy soup and a Tsugaru shamisen performance. The service targets tourists with this nostalgic ride.
The Tsugaru Tetsudo railway company in Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, began its winter train service with potbelly stoves on board on Monday. A ceremony marked the departure of the first stove train at Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station in the city. The coal-fired stoves are featured to cater to tourists, with two or three services daily running until the end of March next year along a 20.7-kilometer stretch to Tsugaru-Nakazato Station in Nakadomari town.
About 50 passengers boarded the inaugural winter run, greeted with soup made from local delicacies and entertained by a performance of the Tsugaru shamisen three-stringed lute. Though snow—a typical winter sight—has not yet fallen this year, riders savored the retro train that has been in service since the late 1940s. Attendants roast bottles of sake or surumeika dried squid on the stove for passengers to enjoy.
A smiling 33-year-old railway fan from Beijing said, “I can feel history with this train, and the warmth of the stove makes me feel nostalgic. I’m deeply moved.” The service aims to bring warmth and smiles to passengers amid the cold season.