The entrance to modernity of Hokkaido ～Everything had begun with coalmine

～Coalmine heritage close to you～written by Kazu

Without visiting Sorachi Sub-prefectural area, you can easily find the heritage (recollections) of coalmine. For example, the forest adjacent to the New Chitose (Sapporo) International Airport consists of trees planted to make up the pillars for supporting the shafts and galleries (tunnel) of coalmines.

Other than that, iron and steel manufacturing in Muroran City, brick manufacturing in Ebetsu City, cooperative society activities after the World War Ⅱ, taxi companies, Miyanomori Residential district in Sapporo City, TV broadcasting companies, movie theaters playing all night long, geological consultants that had originated with coalmine, made up our life today.

  And above of all, you can certainly find a person who had to do with coalmines among your grandparents, parents and acquaintances. The coalmine heritages are the tributes to the fact that the person close to you had exerted him/herself to live in Hokkaido.   

Hokkaido had started its history with coalmines

In 1882( 15^th year of Meiji Era), HORONAI railway was opened and in use for the transportation of coals, as the 3^rd  railway built up in Japan. Infrastructures necessary for Sapporo City to develop as the capital city of Hokkaido, had been built up with the railways to carry the coals and the inland-pioneering had been accelerated at a burst.

The history of coalmines had been with every step of Hokkaido to make itself as it is today, where natural forest had flourished at the beginning of Meiji Era.

  Where is the origin of our life?

  Please remember again the role of coalmines in its history.

 

Bonds through coalmines

Coalmines are connected.

～coalmine network～

Each coalmine has different and unique atmosphere and customs. But the solidarity of mineworkers are so stable even now even if they worked in different coalmine.

Bonds through coalmines are not limited in Sorachi sub-prefectural area. The relationships between the municipalities in Sorachi Sub-prefectural area and the cities such as Otaru, Muroran, Tomakomai in Hokkaido, through the processing and distribution of coals, are focused on today as well as the connection with the former coalmine area such as Joban, Chikuhou, and Miike in other island in Japan.

  On top of that, international exchanges with Ruhr mining area and Lausitzer Region in Germany, South Wales in the United Kingdom are developed with the theme of regional revitalization making the most of coalmine heritage.

 Thus the loop of coalmine relationship is expanded from in Hokkaido to the world.   

“The place” which evokes memories of coalmines.

Human beings and time are connected with” the place”.  

  The place that connect the past and the future, the outside and the inside.

  People get together at the heritage of coalmines that can be recognized as the actual sign with the shape. Once “the place” was set up there, the in tangible heritage of coalmines such as hidden pride and memories of mineworkers, systems and technology of coalmines can be seen. These tangible and intangible heritage (recollections) of coalmines can be the driving force of Sorachi Sub-prefectural area to generate new values and vigor (energy).

  “The strategy to revitalize Sorachi coalmine area” is aimed at forming “the place” that connect the past and the future, the outside and the inside of the region in order to make the most of the heritage of coalmines to revitalize the region.

  It is the honor for us NPO Hokkaido Coalmine Heritage Association to support and lead to form “the place” in each part of Sorachi coalmine area to crystallize the potential value of the region.