East Japan Railway Co. has unveiled a shinkansen decorated with sparkling images of fireworks. The eye-catching train will serve on a stretch of line that ends in Niigata.
The Genbi Shinkansen was unveiled at JR Omiya Station in Saitama on Tuesday. Its exterior features images of fireworks taken by photographer Mika Ninagawa laid against a basic navy blue livery.
The train is scheduled to operate this spring on the Joetsu Shinkansen Line between coastal Niigata and upland Echigo Yuzawa station, mostly on weekends and holidays.
The design of the six-car Genbi Shinkansen is based on the E3 Series used for the Akita Shinkansen Line.
Its exterior was customized at a train yard in the town of Rifu, Miyagi Prefecture.
The train will soon be moved to a yard in Niigata, where its interior will be fitted with artworks and videos by artists including Nao Matsumoto and Alfred Brian.
"We are hoping it will revitalize tourism in the Niigata area," said JR East official Takahiro Kikuchi.
As the colorful carriages pulled into Omiya Station, bystanders snapped photos.
