Yubari Downtown
& Memorial Place of "The Yellow Handkerchief"

Yubari Downtown

Yubari in the middle Hokkaido used to prosper by coal mining. In 1960, the population of Yubari was approximately 117,000. However, in 1960s, the main energy source was changed from coal to oil. Also, the coal from Yubari was used for Iron and steel industry, but coal mining industry in Japan lost the cost advantage against coal from abroad, especially from Australia.

All the coal mines in Yubari had closed in 1990. Yubari fell into ruin and the pupulation of Yubari is approximately 6,600, as of June, 2023. There used to be two railroad lines in Yubari in 1960s. They were Yubari railroad, the private railroad company, and Japan National railroad, present JR Hokkaido. Yubari Railroad stop their operation in 1975. JR Hokkaido also made abolished the Yubari Branch Line in 2019.

In 2011, I visited Yubari to take a train on the Yubari Branch Line and to see the situation of Yubari City, at that time. A local train left Shikano-Tani Station to the destination, Yubari Station, in October 2011.

The below picture shows the Yubari Station building and the Yubari tourist information office, taken in October 2011. Behind the station building, you will see "Hotel Mount Racey", which is a sky resort hotel.

The location of the former Yubari Station is approximately one kilometer south from the Yubari downtown. There were many abandoned buildings and houses on the way to the downtown. In most cases, public security in Japan is very safe. I believe the public security in Yubari is also nice, but when I saw these abandoned buildings, I became nervous.

The below picture shows Yubari Civic Center in the middle and Yubari Municipal Office, right side of the civic center. The civic center was built in 1963 and the municipal office was built in 1978. As the civic center did not comply with the revised Japan's Building Standards Act, which came into effect in 2000, it was closed in 2014.

From 1985 to 1990, Yubari Station was located behind Yubari Civic Center.

If you walk further to the north, you will see picture signboards of movies. The picture signboards shown in the below picture are those of Japanese movies.

The picture signboard on the wall in the below left picture is that of "Roman Holiday". The right hand picture shows the picture signboard of "Shane".

Movie was a popular amusement for coal miners. In Yubari, there were seventeen movie theaters in 1960s. When the coal mining industry declined, "Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival" started in order to grow sightseeing and movie as main industries. Also, many movies took place in Yubari. The main street in Yubari is named "Cinema (film) Street" and picture signboards of a movie started to be displayed from 2000.

"Hotel Shuropa" was located at the north end of Yubari Downtown. The hotel was closed in 2020.

There is a narrow street to the east of the hotel. There used to be snack bars along the street. Until 1985, original Yubari Station was located to the north of this street. After work, coal miners would stop a snack bar on this street. When I visited here in 2011, almost all these snack bars were closed.

Finally, I arrived at the site of the original Yubari Station. The coal produced from Yubari mines was shipped out from the station. There used to be many train tracks on this place.

Now, at the site of Yubari Station, Coal Memorial Park and Yubari Coal Mine Museum are built. These facilities are run by City of Yubari. Yubari is now well-known for the production of melon. As Yubari Melon is very delicious, it has high reputation.

Memorial Place of "The Yellow Handkerchief"

On the way from downtown Yubari to Shin-Yubari Station on JR Sekisho Line, the Memorial Place of "The Yellow Handkerchief" is located. "The Yellow Handkerchief" is a well-known movie in Japan, made in 1988.

The brief story of "The Yellow Handkerchief" -- Click "▶" button

SHIMA Yusaki who was a coal miner, acted by TAKAKURA Ken, was released from Abashiri Prison. He met with HANADA Kinya acted by TAKEDA Testsuya and Akemi acted by MOMOI Kaori. These three people traveled together by car driven by HANADA Kinya. HANADA and Akemi knew that SHIMA was going to Yubari, where his wife was living. SHIMA was in the prison, because he made a murder. He happened to know that his wife Mitsue had a miscarriage before they got married. As SHIMA did not know the fact, he got upset. He went to a bar and he killed a man over something trivial.

SHIMA was sent to a prison and he decided to divorce with his wife. When SHIMA was released from the prison after the six years of serve time, he sent a letter to his former wife. On the letter, he said to her to raise yellow handkerchiefs if she was still single and was waiting him to come to her after his serve was over.

HANADA and Akemi knew this story and both of three headed to Yubari where SHIMA's former wife lived.

From the bus stop, you will walk to the memorial place of "The Yellow Handkerchief" on the street shown in the below picture. Only an abandoned house is located on the street.

In Hokkaido, the population density is very lower than other area of Japan. Especially in Yubari, the population had drastically reduced after 1960s. After approximately fifteen minutes walks from the bus stop, you will see a coffee shop in vacant land. The coffee shop used to be a barber shop.

The coffee shop is located at the entrance of the memorial place of "The Yellow Handkerchief". At the memorial place of "The Yellow Handkerchief", an old tenement house for coal miners is located. The tenement house was built as movie sets of "The Yellow Handkerchief".

One room is used to display the MAZDA "Familia" driven by HANADA Kinya in the movie. Yellow papers cover all the walls and ceiling of the room. Wishes, feelings and heart to the movie are written by visitors on yellow papers.

In the room, everything changes to yellow. It was very much impressive.
The last scene of the movie is displayed in the room.

At the end of the tenement house, yellow handkerchiefs are being flown.

The story of the movie is very touchingly to most Japanese, many people visit this memorial place of "The Yellow Handkerchief".

How to get there
To Yubari, highway buses are available from Sapporo Station Terminal to "Racey Resort" in Yubari. It takes one hour and forty-five minutes.Bus fare is 1,950 Yen, as of in July 2023. Alternative route to Yubari is to take a Limited Express "Ozora" bound for Kushiro from Sapporo to Shin-Yubari. Change a bus from Shin-Yubari to Yubari Downtown, "Racey Resort".

Other Historical Sites near by:
Biei Area
Sapporo Clock Tower
Hokkaido Univercity
Otaru Canal
Cope Chikyu