Trains are an integral part of daily life in Japan, supporting commutes, errands and all other forms of daily life. And while their existence can be taken for granted, their many forms and colors add to the uniqueness of each neighborhood they traverse. Capturing the scenery of the city and the warmth of trains lines that envelop them throughout the seasons is street-walking illustrator Shinjiro Ogawa.
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a side street near Shōin-jinja-mae Station on the Tokyu Setagaya Line in Tokyo
Because trains and their infrastructure are such vital bloodlines for Japanese cities, they are also constantly changing and being upgraded. The nostalgic moments in time that Ogawa depicts are both an homage to the trains but also a testament to how they and their surrounding neighborhoods once looked.
Originally from Nagoya, Ogawa attended university in Tokyo where he obtained his law degree. After working for a Japanese auto maker he pivoted to illustration. The artist is having an exhibition at Ginza Tsutaya in Tokyo from September 1 – 30, 2023 where you can see his work in person. He also has a shop where you can purchase prints.
Keisei Tateishi Station in Tokyo. Work began in 2022 to elevate the train tracks so this cityscape no longer looks like this.
Obayashi Station in the city of Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture. It appeared in the 2011 film “Hankyu Railways – A 15-minute Miracle”
A wintry view of Kugayama Station along the Inokashira Line in Tokyo
August 27, 2023 at 12:40 pm
Wonderful stuff
August 27, 2023 at 6:36 pm
I love how these pictures convey the relative congestion of Japanese city life, with people, buildings, and trains all very close together. But it’s a friendly feeling congestion that suggests a very humane, even warm, relationship that is missing in many other cities of the world.
August 28, 2023 at 9:42 am
Nostalgic and evocative. Love.
August 28, 2023 at 5:52 pm
Stunning
September 4, 2023 at 1:03 am
Wish I could order some of these, but the shop doesn’t ship overseas.
September 10, 2023 at 10:26 am
Just wondering what is the medium Ogawa san uses to do his illustrations? His style is reminiscent of a certain French/Belgian style of illustration from the 60’s, 70’s.
September 14, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Pierre – I believe the artist works entirely digitally.