The Seikan Tunnel, the longest in the World

Once opened, in 1988, all rail transport between Honshu and Hokkaido (the islands linking) used the tunnel, the majority (90%) of the air transport of passengers was due to an alternative that is faster as well more economical. In fact, now the tunnel is rarely used, with air travel preferred for the reasons already mentioned.

It covers an area of ​​53.85 km, of which 23.3 km are under the sea, and is found through Tsugaru Strait in Japan, 100 m below the sea and 240 m below sea level . It also forms part of the Japan Railways Kaikyo Line.

Construction work, which took more than two decades, it was very difficult and dangerous during that killed 34 construction workers. In 1954 five ferries (which was the Toya Maru) from sinking into the sea during a typhoon and the following year the Company of Japan National Railways (JNR) began exploration for its construction.

Another reason to carry out this tunnel was the increase in travel between the islands. Finally, the decision of its construction was taken in 1971. It was opened on March 13, 1988, and its cost of 3.6 billion dollars.

The portion of the tunnel (which has a length of 23.3 km) which is under the sea has two seasons: Yoshioka Kaitei-on the side of, and Tappi Kaitei Hokkaido, Honshu side. Both stations (the first under the sea in the world) are used as enclosures for emergencies.

What is remarkable is that these stations have museums that detail from the story to the function of the tunnel, even the two can be visited on special tours. However, currently only remains Tappi-Kaitei museum, Yoshioka-Kaitei that was demolished on March 16, 2006, giving rise to the Hokkaido Shinkansen preparations.