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[Toma Station / First Love Filming Location] (Toma, Hokkaido) The Shopping Street Where Young Yae Walks to School
Visited: July 5, 2025 (Saturday)
When the temperature rises, I find myself wanting to go to Hokkaido.
This time I crossed by ferry from Oarai Port to Tomakomai — a long haul, but a good way to arrive.
There are plenty of films and dramas that come to mind when I'm up there. On my previous trip it was Shiawase no Kiiroi Hankachi (The Yellow Handkerchief), and I went as far as Yubari at the end of that journey.
This time the reference point was Netflix's First Love (初恋).
The leads are Takeru Satoh and Hikari Mitsushima; their younger selves are played by Rikako Yagi and Taisei Kido.
Hokkaido is the main setting, and filming took place at locations across the island.
Among them, the one that had been on my mind wasn't any of the well-known spots. It was the brief opening scene where teenage Yae Nogi walks to school, passing through a shopping street with a Showa-era atmosphere.
The story is set in Kitami, but that street felt different from Kitami's covered arcade. After looking into the signage and details, I tracked it down.
Shops Closed, Barely a Soul Around
It turned out the location was near Toma Station, a short distance from Asahikawa — so I stopped by on my way through Hokkaido, either just before or after a stop in Asahikawa.
The filming spot appeared to be right near the station itself, so I headed there first.
Toma Station is on JR's Sekihoku Main Line, in Toma Town, Kamikawa District, Hokkaido. It is a small unmanned station, with average daily boardings said to be in the low hundreds.
Arriving at the station, I walked around to get a feel for the town.
A small place with a handful of restaurants. Toma Town has a population of just under 6,000 — though at its peak it apparently exceeded 10,000.
Agriculture and forestry are the main industries, and the town also seems to be known as a rice-growing area.
The scene in question is only about two minutes long, right at the start of the series, but I'm pretty confident this is the spot.
It's not the most dramatic scene, but it's a charming little moment that gives you a glimpse of what Yae — played by Rikako Yagi — dreams of becoming.
If you're into tracking down filming locations, it's worth a detour.
