Weird and wonderful things happen on Tokyo’s Yamanote train line. From puzzle-solving challenges to weddings and men walking ears of corn, it seems the popular downtown route is a great way get on board with new trends.
From this month, Yamanote line trains will be continuing their tradition of innovation with a surprising collection of artistic photographs. Mounted at a perfect angle for the eye of the passenger, these photos will take you away from the discomfort of a crowded train and transport you to a much more beautiful place.
One of our Japanese reporters first stumbled upon the exhibition when she boarded her usual train and suddenly found herself surrounded by the series of unique photos. Looking closely, she noticed that a large number of them featured a common subject: popular actress Haruka Ayase.
The arty photographs of Ms Ayase were interspersed with thought-provoking black and white shots and bright blue-hued images.
The neat lines created by the series of photos, cleverly mounted and numbered like an exhibition in an art gallery, really changed the atmosphere of the carriage, evoking a quieter, more contemplative mood.
Looking lower, towards the seats of the carriage, our reporter discovered the creative force behind the exhibition: Panasonic’s Lumix GM, the world’s smallest mirrorless interchangeable lens camera.
If you want to find out how it feels to take in some art on an otherwise ordinary commute, you have until Monday, December 16. Until then, all eleven carriages will carry a total of 600 pictures, of which there are 63 varieties.
There are also seven types of hanging posters and, as an added bonus, three types of special, 60-second commercials on the small in-car displays.
Our reporter was truly taken aback by the movement and colour in the photos, going so far as to call them works of art. It takes about an hour to do one full circle on the Yamanote line, which is just enough time to take it all in! We think we could get used to strolling through a moving art gallery each morning instead of staring at our iPhones!
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]