Mikasa Railway Village-It's rare to experience a steam train up close without charging any fees🚂.

It's a rare opportunity to experience a steam train up close and personal for free 🚂. On our last day, we drove back from Asahikawa to Sapporo, where we were pleasantly surprised by the unexpected surprise of the "Mikasa Railway Village" #Hokkaido. The train whistle went off, much louder than expected, and it startled us both (it was really loud). Just for the test run, it made at least four round trips before picking up passengers once (not many people). Each person paid 300 yen for the experience coupon, and we were worried we wouldn't get our money's worth (test runs are more expensive than operating them 😂). But it also showed the Japanese people's meticulous and meticulous approach to everything. There's a museum within the park, and the online reviews are rich with information, which railway enthusiasts will find very enjoyable. Since we're both illiterate, we decided to just wander around and admire the many old trains 🚞, which was quite enjoyable. There are also old railway uniforms and name tags, as well as many preserved artifacts on display, which are worth a visit if you pass by. Note: During this trip to Hokkaido, it seemed that the population of some small towns was rapidly declining and aging, and the streets were also deserted. A few days ago, I watched a short film introducing the small village of Memancho, located in the northeastern suburbs of Sendai in the Tohoku region of Japan. The population is aging and declining sharply, and the Japanese government has announced that it may close towns, etc., which seems to be inevitable in the super-aged society.