The Tsugaru Railway runs through a remote and snowy part of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. As well as being a vital mode of transport for locals, especially in winter, the train has a potbelly stove and views of magical wintry landscapes that attract visitors from afar. Among the passengers are a high school student poised to move to Tokyo, and a man who returned here to his hometown after several decades away. For three days in midwinter, we hopped aboard the rustic train and asked the passengers what this railway means to them.