Yoshida Hatsusaburou
1931
Famous Places along the Jozankei Railway Line Outside Sapporo
Yoshida’s maps with bird’s eye views also depict places and railway routes that no longer exist, and this is another example. The Jozankei line once linked the East Sapporo Station on the Chitose line of the Japan National Railways with the Jozankei hot springs. It served all of the tourism spots in the area, which offered beautiful scenery, spas, and ski resorts. It also made a significant contribution to transportation of iron ore, coal, and lumber. In 1969, however, the whole line was taken out of service.
On the rear of this picture, Yoshida wrote a comment to the effect that the railway was still under construction when he first visited the area, that it had been completed when he went back more than 10years later, and that he was deeply moved by how the area had been transformed into a vibrant tourism district.
