[Kofuku Station in Obihiro] Real Life Sacred Place for Couples Is Famous for Lucky Train Tickets

Kofuku Station

Kofuku Station (幸福駅) is a former station in Kofuku-cho located in the south 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 south 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.

List of Means of Transportation

Highway buses run between Obihiro and Sapporo or Asahikawa. Refer to following the means of the transportation in the Obihiro. As for car rental comparison websites, you can compare vehicle rental prices on Tabi-Plaza Rental Car Reservation (旅ぷらざレンタカー予約), Jalan Rental Car (じゃらんレンタカー) and Rakutem Travel Rental Car (楽天トラベルレンタカー).

Chuo Bus(中央バス)	From Sapporo to Obihiro	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Chuo Bus(中央バス)	From Obihiro to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Takushoku Bus(拓殖バス)	From Asahikawa to Obihiro	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Takushoku Bus(拓殖バス)	From Obihiro to Asahikawa	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nippon Rent-a-car(ニッポンレンタカー)	Their offices are near the Obihiro Station and the Obihiro Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Times Car Rental(タイムズカーレンタル)	Their offices are near the Obihiro Station and the Obihiro Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyota Rental Lease(トヨタレンタリース)	Their offices are near the Obihiro Station and the Obihiro Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nissan Rent-a-car(日産レンタカー)	Their offices are near the Obihiro Station and the Obihiro Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Orix Rent-a-car(オリックスレンタカー)	Their offices are near the Obihiro Station and the Obihiro Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Station Rent-a-car(駅レンタカー)	Their office is near the Obihiro Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nico Nico Rent-a-car(ニコニコレンタカー)	Their offices are in Nishi 5-jo, Nishi 18-jo and Odori Steet.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

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

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Obihiro. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Onsen Hotel Boston(ホテルボストン)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Midorigaoka Onsen Sauna Business Hotel(みどりヶ丘温泉 サウナビジネスホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Obihirominami Onsen Hotel Konan(帯広南温泉 ホテル光南)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tokachi Gardens Hotel(十勝ガーデンズ ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Plum Field(ビジネスホテル プラムフィールド)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Casa Inn Hotel Obihiro(カーサーイン ホテル帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Yamako(ホテルやまこ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyoko Inn Hokkaido Tokachi Obihiro Ekimae(東横インとかち・帯広駅前)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Tokachi Inn(ホテル十勝イン)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel AreaOne Obihiro(ホテルエリアワン帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Dormy Inn Obihiro(ドーミーイン帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Route-Inn Obihiro Ekimae(ホテルルートイン帯広駅前)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Paco Obihiro 3(ホテルパコ帯広3)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Obihiro Grand Hotel(帯広グランドホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
JR Inn Obihiro(JRイン帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Nupka(ホテルヌプカ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Richmond Hotel Obihiro Ekimae(リッチモンドホテル帯広駅前)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Fukui Hotel(ふく井ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Grand Terrace Obihiro(ホテルグランテラス帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Natural Hot Spring Premier Hotel CABIN Obihiro(天然温泉プレミア ホテル-CABIN-帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Nikko Northland Obihiro(ホテル日航 ノースランド帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
APA Hotel Obihiro Ekimae(アパホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Musashi(ホテルムサシ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Comfort Hotel Obihiro(コンフォートホテル帯広)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Paco Obihiro 2(ホテルパコ帯広2)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel New Obihiro(ホテルニューオビヒロ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Sun Park(ホテルサンパーク)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hokkaido Hotel(北海道ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Grandy(ビジネスホテル グランディ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Arm Obihirominami(ホテルアルム オビヒロミナミ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Obihiro Yachiyo Youth Hostel(帯広八千代 ユースホステル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten