Untouched for 40 years, Hokkaido’s Railway Overrun by Nature has People Thinking of 'Spirited Away'

Whether they be mysterious Game Boy mail boxes, spooky stairwells to nowhere, or convenience stores that look like Studio Ghibli castles, there's something eerily enchanting about seeing manmade structures reclaimed by nature.

Japanese Twitter user and train enthusiast R.Münchener (@pax_miyaponica) got a good glimpse of that sort of fascinating scenery when they traveled to Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido. There they observed the remnants of the The Shihoro Line, which once connected Obihiro Station to Tokachi Mimata Station. The entire line was discontinued in 1987.

In particular, R.Münchener visited the ruins of Horoka Station, which was virtually abandoned in 1978 and the building itself no longer remains. Outside, however, there's some truly gorgeous scenery to be found!

旧日本国有鉄道青空支線 pic.twitter.com/OBgnrxvNKe
— R.Münchener (@pax_miyaponica) August 17, 2022

The tattered track and its surrounding area are covered with greenery, creating a fantastic atmosphere. Melted snow even creates a makeshift river reflecting the sky above and the scenery around it. Many on Twitter were floored by the gorgeous scenery, comparing it to a lost civilization, isekai anime, and Studio Ghibli's classic Spirited Away.

The rest of the article and a video of the scenery can be viewed on our partner’s website, grape Japan at “Untouched for 40 years, Hokkaido’s railway overrun by nature has people thinking of Spirited Away.”