"Kingyo neputa" lantern hanging in a Konan Railway train along the Owani Line, July 14. (©Kyodo)
The Owani Line of the Konan Railway, which runs through Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture, features a unique train decorated with around 350 goldfish lanterns known as kingyo neputa. The train will run until the end of August.
On weekends and holidays, the train operates at night with only the lanterns' lights illuminating the interior, creating a calm and refreshing ambiance during the hot summer days.
A Magical Ambiance
The tradition of kingyo neputa dates back to the Edo period (1603–1868). Since commoners could not afford to keep goldfish as pets, they crafted these decorations from bamboo and Japanese paper as a substitute.
The lanterns on the Konan Railway train are approximately 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) in size. When illuminated, the LED lights inside make the red Japanese paper glow, casting a magical ambiance throughout the two-car train.
No Additional Fees
A high school student from Sapporo traveling with their family remarked, "I'm a railway enthusiast, but I've never been on such an atmospheric train ride before. It really captures the essence of Tsugaru, and I enjoyed it a lot."
The train travels between Chuo Hirosaki Station and Owani Station, covering a distance of 13.9 kilometers (8.6 miles) in about 35 minutes. It makes eight round trips a day. There are no additional fees to board this special train.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
