Yubari
Understand
editYubari is a coal mining town famous for melons, a film festival and staggering rates of depopulation. When the mines closed in 1980s, the town shrank from a peak of 120,000 down to about 6,000 and still dropping, a 95% collapse unmatched even in Japan. With a median age of 65, also the highest in Japan, a turnaround is unlikely anytime soon.
Tourist information site
editThe local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.
Get in
editThe Yubari branch line closed in 2019, leaving the town with no train service. The closest station is the misleadingly named Shin-Yubari (新夕張), 16 km away, which has services from Sapporo every two hours or so, with connecting buses to town.
Alternatively, take a direct Hokkaido Chuo Bus from Sapporo.
Get around
editSee
edit- 1 Yubari Coal Mine Museum (夕張市石炭博物館), 7‐1 Takamatsu, ☏ +81 123 52 5500.
Do
edit- Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
- 1 Mount Racey Ski Area, 2 Chome-4 Suehiro, ☏ +81 123 57 7766. Ski resort. "Racey" is an Anglicized name for marketing purposes. Proper transliteration is Mount Reisui (冷水山). Day pass at ¥5,100 for adults and ¥3,100 for child.
Buy
edit
Yubari is famous for the Yubari Melon, the very best of which are sold in the department stores of Tokyo for north of ¥10,000 each. In season (May to August), you can buy less perfect specimens for about ¥1000 per melon.
Even outside season, you will not be able to miss one of Japan's most bizarre mascots, the Melon Kuma bear, whose melon-helmeted raging maw adorns all sorts of souvenirs ranging from keychains to underpants.
Eat
edit- 1 Yubari Yatai Village (ゆうばり屋台村（バリー屋台）), 1 Chome-81 Suehiro (Across from the old JR Yubari station), ☏ +81 123 52 0230. Small food court with a couple of restaurants.
- 2 Orenchi (俺家), 3 Chome-71 Honcho, ☏ +81 123-52-2670. M-Sa 17:30-23:00; Su 17:30-21:00. Izakaya restaurant.
- 3 Nonkiya (のんきや), 1 Chome-52 Honcho (Walk 15 mins north from old Yubari train station). F-W 11:30-14:30. Ramen restaurant. ¥600 (as of 2018).
