The "Genbi Shinkansen," the world's fastest art museum, where you can view contemporary art while traveling on the Shinkansen, will begin operation on April 29th.
The "Genbi Shinkansen" allows you to view contemporary art aboard a Shinkansen train traveling at a maximum speed of 210 km/h. Transit General Office was responsible for the overall production, creating a train that transcends the boundaries of traditional train spatial design, making the ride itself the purpose of the trip. The train is scheduled to operate for approximately 120 years, with three round trips per day between Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata, mainly on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
The exterior design was created by photographer Mika Ninagawa. The entire train is likened to a canvas, depicting the fireworks of Nagaoka illuminating the summer night sky. Contemporary art created specifically for this event by seven notable artists will be exhibited inside the six-car train. Car 11, the only reserved seat, was designed by Hisashi Matsumoto. The seats, carpet, and curtains feature special designs based on themes of bountiful harvests, festivals, and light, creating tactile art. Cars 12 through 16 have had one side of the window removed, creating a completely art space. Car 12 features a piece by Yusuke Komuta using mirrored stainless steel. Car 14 displays photographs of "Lagoon and Satoyama" taken in Niigata by photographer Naoki Ishikawa, and Car 15 features "reflectwo," an 11-meter-long installation of artificial flowers by Haruka Kojin. Car 16 features a 15-minute animation by Brian Alfred, featuring Niigata.
Car 13 is a kids' space where children can experience contemporary art. The design was handled by paramodel, an art unit consisting of Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano. There are Plarail trains for children to enjoy freely, and a Plarail-themed installation is set up on the blue and white walls. There is also a full-fledged cafe on the premises. Along with colored pencil drawings of Joetsu scenery by Kobuke Kentaro, the cafe serves sweets made with local ingredients, such as pancakes made with Uonuma rice flour, Sado butter financiers, and Sado cream cheese lemon cake, all overseen by Igarashi Shiromi, as well as coffee overseen by Tsubame-Sanjo, a popular coffee shop in Niigata.
The Genbi Shinkansen will run daily from April 29th to May 8th, after which it will operate only on Saturdays and Sundays until June. The train departs Echigo-Yuzawa and arrives in Niigata three times, from 8:24 to 9:14, 12:44 to 1:38, and 3:20 to 4:14, and the train departs Niigata and arrives in Echigo-Yuzawa three times, from 11:26 to 12:20, 2:02 to 2:56, and 6:18 to 7:08.
Tickets for reserved seats in car 11 are available at major JR stations nationwide, JR travel centers, and major travel agencies, while tickets for cars 12 to 16 are available at JR East's View Plaza and major travel agencies. If you purchase tickets at JR East's View Plaza, you will also receive a free "spoon and fork set" with the Genbi Shinkansen logo.
