Telephone booth surrounded by snow in Hokkaido, Japan (2021)
‘For years, there’s only been one passenger waiting at the
Kami-Shirataki train station in the northernmost island of Hokkaido,
Japan: A high-school girl, on her way to class. The train stops there
only twice a day—once to pick up the girl and again to drop her off
after the school day is over.It sounds like a Hayao Miyazaki film. But according to CCTV News, it was a decision that Japan Railways—the group that operates the country’s railway network—made more than three years ago. At that time, ridership at the Kami-Shirataki station had dramatically fallen because of its remote location, and freight service had ended there as well. Japan Railways
was getting ready to shut the station down for good—until they noticed
that it was still being used every day by the high-schooler. So they
decided to keep the station open for her until she graduates. The
company’s even adjusted the train’s timetable according to the girl’s
schedule. The unnamed girl is expected to graduate this March, which is
when the station will finally be closed.’
