An art exhibition that most certainly would have been on my itinerary had I been traveling in Tokyo, Art And Railway – 150th Anniversary Of Railway In Japan ( 鉄道と美術の150年 ) celebrates the ubiquitous transport system that continues to move the illustrious country and its 120 million inhabitants today.

Held befittingly at the Tokyo Station Gallery ( Oct 2022 – Jan 2023 ), one of the oldest and busiest train stations in Tokyo, the exhibition showcases over 150 art pieces curated from over 40 different locations over Japan that includes Nishiki-e/Ukiyo-e ( woodblock prints ), oil paintings, Nihonga ( traditional Japanese painting ) and photographs.

This art book is the official catalogue book and collects most, if not all the art pieces that were displayed at the exhibition.

Some of the exhibition highlights include the ‘Gokuraku-yuki no Kisha’ (‘The Steam Train Towards Paradise’, 1872 ) from Kyosai Kawanabe’s ‘Jigoku Gokuraku Meguri-zu’, a painting series illustrating the pilgrimage of hell and paradise as well as ‘Yokohama Kaigan Tetsudo Jokisha-zu’ (around 1874) by Hiroshige Utagawa. This ukiyo-e woodblock print shows a steam train on the Yokohama Coastal Railway. 

(image above) The epic and vibrantly colored ‘Yokohama Kaigan Tetsudo Jokisha-zu’ (around 1874) by artist Hiroshige Utagawa.

(image above) A painting depicting a Showa era Shinjuku station. The station is the world’s busiest passenger station, with a passenger throughput of 3.5 million passengers per day (1.27 billion per year). I have a strong fondness for the station as I pass through it every day during my time living in Tokyo.

The railway system in Japan is quite likely the most punctual and efficient in the entire world, and is certainly a pride and integral part of Japan’s national identity. This exhibition is a fascinating glimpse into the history, 150 years since it’s conception through a stunning collection of art pieces. I was not fortunate enough to see this exhibition in person, but this official catalogue has reproduced all the art work brilliantly and is the next best thing. Recommended.

I would also recommend the exhibition catalogue for yet another visual hallmark of Japan – Power Lines.

“Art And Railway – 150th Anniversary Of Railway In Japan 鉄道と美術の150年 図鑑” art book details :

Dimensions – 2 x 21 x 28 cm
Softcover, 244 pages
Full color, In Japanese language

  
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