Arthub Favorite: Week Fifteen

Last week, Arthub acted as your official travel agent, suggesting a summer trip to Shenzhen. But for those of you who hope to leave the borders of mainland China, this week’s favorite gives an alternative proposal – how about a trip to Japan? We know many of our followers already perked up with that suggestion. How does it sound to travel on the world’s fastest contemporary art gallery?

Arthub is excited to announce that JR East (East Japan Railway) will debut “Genbi Shinkansen” this Friday, April 29th, 2016 on the Joetsu line as it travels between the Echigo Yuzawa and Niigata stations.

From an engineering standpoint, Japan’s famed Shinkansen is already a work of art. Recently though, the country has been putting renewed effort into the appearances of their bullet trains, taking inspiration from centuries-old traditions, as well as science-fiction anime.

Genbi, the latest Shinkansen to be unveiled, incorporates design cues more modern than tatami reed floors, yet not as futuristic as giant robots. Envision a traveling gallery of contemporary art, allowing for what operator East Japan Railways calls “the world’s fastest art appreciation.”

A special train needs a special name, and the new Shinkansen has been christened Genbi, combining the Chinese characters gen (現), meaning “contemporary,” and bi (美), for “beauty.”

Passengers can enjoy modern works by some of today’s most prominent artists, including: Nao Matsumoto, Naoki Ishikawa, Yusuke Komuta, Haruka Kojin, Kentaro Kobuke, Brian Alfred, Paramodel and Mika Ninagawa.

There is a café on board that serves desserts, made from local ingredients, with menu direction by Romi Igarashi. These delectable sweets can be enjoyed with the popular Tsubame coffee. A kids room is available, so adults can take in the breathtaking scenery in peace, making their trip truly unforgettable.

The train’s passengers are not the only ones who will have something pretty to look at. The non-windowed side of the Genbi Shinkansen’s exterior is covered with colorful photographs of Niigata’s Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, one of the largest in Japan, taken by photographer Mika Ninagawa.

Check out the sneak peak video of this beautiful train here, provided by Asahi Shimbun.

Come delight in the unique Shinkansen experience and take a moment to travel with modern art.

Find out more about the project here.