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May 2020. While the world was at the mercy of the coronavirus, an art piece by artist GOMA was painted inside the Inakadate Station building on the Konan Railway Konan Line.
In this article, we will introduce ART STATION, a train station that was suddenly transformed into art by artist GOMA in 2020
Konan Railway Konan Line
The Konan Railway Konan Line is Honshu's northernmost electrified private railway line. Inakadate Station is one of the stations on the Konan Line. The Konan Line runs from Hirosaki Station in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, to Kuroishi Station in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, and is nicknamed the "Rice Field Railway." This two-car local train runs through endless rice fields, offering views of Mount Iwaki in the distance. The line is 16.8 km long (13 stations) and has an average daily ridership of 5,549 (according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's National Land Numerical Information Download Service, released on July 25, 2022), making it popular with students and the elderly.
History of the vehicles running on the Konan Railway Konan Line
The current trains are the silver 7000 series, a one-man train, and Japan's first all-stainless steel train. The 7000 series that runs on the Konan Line is a train that was introduced to the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, a Teito Rapid Transit Authority subway that opened in 1964 (Showa 39) just before the Olympic Games in Japan, and entered the Konan Line in 1988 (Showa 63). This is a train that once ran in Tokyo.
The Konan Line opened in 1927 (Showa 2), and at the time, steam locomotives pulled passenger and freight cars. Electrification was completed in 1948 (Showa 23), and the steam locomotives were replaced by electric locomotives, and electric trains were introduced at the end of 1949 (Showa 24). Freight operations were carried out at stations such as Tsugaru Onoe Station and Hiraga Station, with apples and rice being transported to various locations via the Ou Main Line. For this reason, agricultural warehouses were located near the stations. An agricultural warehouse still remains around Inakadate Station.
Due to the rationalization of the Japanese National Railways, freight operations on the Konan Railway Konan Line were discontinued
Inakadate Station
Inakadate Station can be seen on the right hand side as you head towards Kuroishi on Prefectural Route 268, which faces Inakadate Village Hall. Inakadate Station opened in 1950 (Showa 25). The station building, constructed over 70 years ago, is an unmanned station with a retro Showa-era appearance. When the railway opened, there were complaints that "building a station in the center of the village would be bad because young people would go to town to have fun," so it was built in its current location, a little away from the center.
At the time, the station building housed a snack cafe called "Kakurenbo" in the station office, but it has since closed down and the unisex flush toilets have been removed.
Next to Inakadate Station is the "Rice Field Art Station." From June to October, rice field art is held, and a free shuttle bus runs from the station to the venue.
Have you heard of artist GOMA? Born in 1985 in Hirosaki City (formerly Soma Village), Aomori Prefecture, and currently living in Hirakawa City, GOMA is an artist who draws without preliminary sketches using permanent marker. GOMA has two developmental disorders. One is ADHD, a brain dysfunction characterized by an inability to concentrate and stay still. The other is dyslexia, a learning disability that makes it difficult to read. People with dyslexia see letters in different ways, but GOMA says that letters appear broken down. He can read them by tracing them with his finger, but if he moves a little further away, he loses his sense of them.
GOMA was diagnosed with a developmental disorder when he was in elementary school. During his teenage years, he was not accepted by those around him due to his two developmental disorders, which caused him great distress and even led to him losing the meaning of life. One day, GOMA began drawing pictures, such as imaginary towns in his head. GOMA found that drawing calmed him down, and he continued to draw without pause.
After graduating from a local junior college, GOMA spent three years working as a nursery school teacher. Although he enjoys working with children, he had a strong desire to study art, and so in 2010 (Heisei 22), he enrolled in Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts. He began receiving more and more illustration work soon after enrolling, and in 2011 (Heisei 23), he received an offer from Miami, USA, and moved there. After returning to Japan, he was inundated with job offers, and established a live art style in which he could paint an entire sheet of plywood in 20 minutes.
In 2012 (Heisei 24), the year he graduated from Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts, he performed at JAPAN EXPO in Paris, France, where he gained popularity among locals. He was supposed to perform spray art, but due to an accident where the booth was not prepared, he quickly had to perform live art using oil-based pens. This marked the start of his career as an oil-based pen artist, and he is currently active both domestically and internationally.
Artist GOMA x Inakadate Station
In 2019, GOMA wanted to encourage local people during the COVID-19 pandemic, so he approached an old acquaintance of his at the local Konan Railway about painting art on the station building. They decided on Inakadate Station, which is spacious enough and has a parking lot so tourists won't have any problems, and the project began.
The inside of the station was painted white, and the entire building was treated as a canvas. After nine days of construction, the ART STATION was born.
The station is filled with art from every corner, from the ceilings and walls to the chairs and trash cans. Once you step inside the station, you'll be immersed in the world of artist GOMA. It's as if you've entered another dimension. It's a world that's hard to imagine from the retro Showa-era exterior.
There is a large eyeball on the ceiling! It is meant to be an eye watching over local children and those working in the fields
On the other hand, countless hands and cute flowers are smiling
Numerous buildings and "Gomangelion" instead of Evangelion
Evangelion was the theme of the 2019 rice paddy art project, but it was canceled and never realized. It is depicted alongside GOMA's heartbreaking message.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Inakadate Rice Field Art "Evangelion" was cancelled. GOMA, an Evangelion fan, was very saddened. Hoping that the rice field art "Evangelion" will be revived someday, he drew "Gomangelion." He hopes that it will rise again without succumbing to the coronavirus. GOMA, the first person to line up at the Evangelion exhibition held at the To-o Nippo Building from the night before,
*To everyone involved with Evangelion, I apologize for drawing this without your permission!!!
Finally
Inakadate Station [ART STATION] is a seemingly ordinary, old, unmanned station located in the countryside, but the inside of the station building is a work of art itself. It's amazing that GOMA is able to create such a work without any preliminary sketches. The real thing is even more impressive than it looks in photos, so why not come and experience art at Inakadate Station?
INFORMATION
Name: Inakadate Station
Location: Takahi Miyamoto, Inakadate Village, Minamitsugaru District, Aomori Prefecture
I'm a housewife writer born and raised in Aomori Prefecture. I grew up on delicious rice and apples. I'd love to share the delicious foods and fun things about Tohoku.
