Tourist attraction • 3-chōme-11-9554 Nangū, Okaya, Nagano 394-0081, Japan
Steam locomotives once vigorously traversed the nation's tracks, serving as vital transportation that supported people's lives. The D51 349, as a witness to this grandeur, has been statically preserved in a plaza near the Okaya City Welfare Center.
This 349 locomotive is a renowned machine born in 1940. It has extensively operated on routes from Tokyo to Sapporo, and after the war, spent its remaining years on the routes of Kamisuwa and Nagano. After retiring in 1976, it was preserved by Okaya City.
What sets this locomotive apart is the Hokkaido-style snow removal equipment it is equipped with. The trimmed wheelset and snowplow evoke the image of the northern land. It seems that a unique chimney was also installed during the Kamisuwa era.
While the explanation board has weathered, it provides insight into the routes and era it once traversed. While the instruments are no longer present, its dignity remains. Its presence on the grass allows visitors to reminisce about its past glory.
The steel soul enclosed in this 349 locomotive is a tribute to the past and a link to the future. You are invited to come and experience the allure of steam locomotives.