- October 22nd, 2014
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- EasternArea
[Kofuku Station in Obihiro] Real Life Sacred Place for Couples Is Famous for Lucky Train Tickets
CONTENTS
Kofuku Station
Kofuku Station (幸福駅) is a former station in Kofuku-cho located in the southern part of Obihiro city, and was closed in 1987. Around here was originally named "幸震 (Satsunai)", but reading out loud is difficult, so they used "福 (Fuku)" and renamed "Kofuku" because a lot of emigrants from Fukui Prefecture (福井県) settled around here. The station is preserved as a traffic playground at present, and still has some traces of the past. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.
Because this was a lucky station name (The kofuku means "A happiness" in Japanese), getting a train ticket with its station name became popular at that time. When a romantic slogan "From Aikoku to Kofuku (愛国から幸福行き * From Country of Love to Happiness)" particularly was announced in 1973, train tickets from Aikoku Station (Aikoku means Country of Love in Japanese) to the Kofuku Station became very popular. At that time, Ms. Yoko Seri (芹洋子), a Japanese singer, sung a song "愛の国から幸福へ (From Country of Love to Happiness)". However, Hiroo Line (広尾線) was abolished for money-losing routes. Although the Kofuku Station was closed down, a station building has been preserved. The lucky name is popular among oversea people, too, and Ms. Ella Koon, a Hong Kong singer, made a song using the Kofuku Station as a motif.
Aikoku Station
Aikoku Station (愛国駅) is a former station in Aikoku-cho located in the southern part of Obihiro city, and was closed in 1987. The station is preserved as Aikoku Traffic Memorial Hall (愛国交通記念館) at present, and still has some traces of the past. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More
Restaurants, cafes and a convenience store are not built around here. But the park is close to Nakasatsunai (中札内), and the restaurants, the cafes and the convenience store are built as well as Rokka-no-Mori (六花の森) and Tokachi Denen Kukan Museum (とかち田園空間博物館) there. In addition, the park is near Shichiku Garden (紫竹ガーデン) and Obihiro Airport, too.
Shichiku Garden
Shichiku Garden (紫竹ガーデン) is a popular garden that is one of 8 gardens chosen by Hokkaido Garden Path (北海道ガーデン街道) in the southern part of Obihiro city, and is far away from the downtown of the Obihiro, and is near Kofuku Station (幸福駅) and Tokachi Obihiro Airport. Mrs. Akiyo Shichiku (紫竹 昭葉) over 90 years old is a garden owner, and has opened the garden sorrounded by fields since 1992. About 2500 types of flowers are planted from a spring to an autumn at the site of about 60,000 m2. About 100,000 people visit the popular garden. Admission is JPY 1000. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More
A highway bus "Potato Liner (ポテトライナー)" runs between the Obihiro and the Sapporo, and a express bus "North Liner-go (ノースライナー号)" runs between the Obihiro and Asahikawa. Besides, Rent-a-car can be rented around Obihiro Station and Obihiro Airport.
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OBIHIRO
Obihiro (帯広) that about 170,000 people live is the 6th largest commercial city in Hokkaido, and is one of regional hub cities of the Eastern Hokkaido area. It has flourished as the center of the Tokachi district. The Obihiro is also a stockyard for agricultural products in whole Tokachi district, and Potato, Beet, Wheat and Chinese Yam are famous as a local product. As for a climate, it is hot that temperature rises to nearly 30 degrees in a summer, and it is cold that temperature falls to nearly -20 degrees in a winter. It has a large temperature gap, but it has less snow relatively in the Hokkaido. Therefore skating is popular in the winter. Mr. Hiroyasu Shimizu, an olympic gold medalist, come from the Obihiro, and there is much competition population of the skating. Read More
Look of Kofuku Station
The Kofuku Station turns into a tourist attraction, and a station building, an old platform and an old trains are at the site now. Visitors can go in and out freely. A big train ticket is sold at a shop nearby the station, and it is popular that the visitors put it on the walls of the station building. Both the outside and the inside of the station building are filled with the train tickets closely. I was suprised at the views. I wondered if it was the horror.
This place is also called a real life sacred place for couples (カップルの聖地), and a bell of the love (愛の鐘) is built. It is said that the visitors will be happy when they ring the bell. Kofuku Station Happy Ceremony (幸福駅ハッピーセレモニー) is held, too. If a pair of couples make a reservation beforehand and pay JPY 3,000, the couples can experience a mini-wedding ceremony. A pair of married couples often participate it to remembers old days. For more information, please read here.
Atmosphere of Kofuku Station Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Kofuku Station
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (36 Cars) |
| Business hours | Open 24 hours |
| Regular closing day | Open all year round |
| Telephone number | - |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 396 874 146*07 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Obihiro. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
A page of Obihiro is here
Obihiro
By the way, Club Tourism (クラブツーリズム), a Japanese tour travel agency, provides various types of tours such as day trip tours or ordinary tours. In the case of bus tours, tourists do not drive their cars themselves, so they can savor alcohol. Choosen tourist attractions are national parks such as Rishiri and Rebun, Shiretoko, and popular tourist places such as Furano and Biei, and some activities such as hiking and fruit picking are also enjoyed depending on seasons. If you are interested in tour trips, you should visit the club tourism's website for details.
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