This work was created for ” Matatsuma in Busshozan” held in the summer of 2019. The subject at that time was ‘a work on the theme of Kotohira Electric Railway (Kotoden) in Kagawa Prefecture’, and the idea of ‘Kotori’ came to…my wife.
Also, I decided to use a “bullet train,” which Kotoden does not have. In addition, I added the image of a “Java spallow” to it.
I made a box with a little perspective by gluing cardboard with instant adhesives (a paper craft I have not done for a long time), and pasted photos of Jin Katagiri from various eras on each window and hardened them with resin. The photos themselves were thick and remained clear, but the resin made the inkjet prints show through.
The setting is as follows : Normally, the train stops at each station in “Bird Mode,” but once the nose of the train transforms into “Shinkansen Mode,” it travels at 250 kilometers per hour!
I wanted the back of the head to come out with a snap when transforming into “bird mode,” so it can be stored in the front of the head with a paper bellows. When the plane transforms into the head in “Shinkansen mode,” it attaches to the nose with a magnet. The head is made of clay, and the rest is made of cardboard or construction paper. I thought that paper was suitable for making symmetrical objects. But I was not good at drawing a plan with a ruler and cutting it out carefully.
On the underside, I attached a sliding wheel for a sliding door to allow it to run. At this time, too, it was easy to make paper that could be quickly perforated. It’s lightweight and can provide a certain amount of strength.
I was not sure about the color, but Kotoden’s two-tone yellow and white cars were cute, and when I think of yellow, I think of Doctor Yellow (a yellow bullet train that is rarely seen, and passengers are not allowed on it! ) And this is the color. It was sad to see only blue and yellow when the wings were painted, so I added pink. The eyes have LEDs in them that light up when pressed, so they glow red. It would have been better if they also glowed white..
The left and right wings were expressed only with paint, but it might have been interesting to make them three-dimensional with clay. Also, for some reason, I made the first part of the train that you can see in bird mode an owl. Although there is a face of a java spallow on the top…
Photo provided：TOYTOYTOY
Also, apparently I like Doctor Yellow, so I made the Katagiri Shinkansen “Jibun” 20 years ago, also with a yellow and blue base.
Photos：Naoto Otsubo/Kodansha Ltd.
※About Matatsuma The project started as a NOTTV craft variety show. Jin Katagiri and Keiko Otsuhata, a delusional craftsman, teamed up to create and present a work of art based on a theme solicited from the viewers. The program has ended, but is now held as an irregular event.
Jin Katagiri Born November 27, 1973 / Born in Saitama Prefecture / Graduated from Tama Art University Active in the stage, movies, radio, etc., mainly in TV dramas series. Major appearances in recent years include “99.9% -Criminal Lawyer-” (TBS), “Your Turn to Kill” (NTV), and “NHK Morning drama series Yell” (NHK). In addition to acting, he also creates clay, and from 2016 to 2018 he held a national tour at the “Jin Katagiri Absurdity Clay Art Exhibit Giri Ten.” In 2019, he is holding his first overseas solo exhibition in Taiwan.
About Kagawa Prefecture
Photo Provided： kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association
Kagawa Prefecture is the smallest prefecture in Japan in terms of area. Located in the northeastern part of the Shikoku region, it is bordered by the Sanuki Mountains to the south and the Setonaikai (the Seto Inland Sea) to the north, and is dotted with islands in the surrounding area. It is said to be characterized by a very mild climate with few natural disasters, making it an easy place to live. Known as “Kompira-san,” Konpira-gu Shrine has long been visited by many people. In recent years, the Setouchi International Art Festival, held mainly on the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, has attracted attention from around the world, and the prefecture is gaining recognition as a center of contemporary art.
About Takamatsu Kotohira electric Railroad
Takamatsu Kotohira Electric Railroad was established on November 1, 1943, when three companies, Takamatsu Electric Railway, Sanuki Electric Railway, and Kotohira Electric Railway, were integrated in accordance with the national policy of traffic control at the time. The railroad is loved by local residents as “Kotoden,” as it is commonly called.
Beer Pub Station” was located at Kotoden Takamatsu Chikko Station. This is said to be the only home pub in a station in Japan. Craft beers from Japan and abroad were on sale, including craft beers with Kotoden’s very popular character “Koto-chan” on them. Koto-chan Ale” is a beer made from udon wheat. Quintessence! Udon prefecture, right? If you like beers, you gotta try it! It was very delicious.
About Sanuki Udon
Do you remember the TV advertisement that Kagawa Prefecture has changed its name to “Udon Prefecture” and the movie “UDON” starring Katagiri-san in 2006? Many of you may have toured around Sanuki Udon after watching the movie. It is fun to find a hideout in the middle of a rice paddy or in a residential area, and each store has a different personality, so you will never get tired of eating and walking around for four meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack). Here are some of the places you may want to visit again.
It is said to be the birthplace of katamata udon. The special soup stock for katamata on the right is exquisite.
■Sanuki udon Gamo
420-1 Kamo-cho, Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture
A popular restaurant you can’t miss on your Sanuki Udon tour! The best is the soup stock that spreads in your mouth when you eat this large fried bean curd.
■Omine no udon shop
5164 Tonosho-cho Kou, Azuki-gun, Kagawa
Here’s a restaurant you can’t miss when you visit Shodoshima island! I went there with my pet bo dogu in 2019.
One of the reasons why people never get tired of eating Sanuki udon is that you can enjoy various toppings at different restaurants, such as tempura, oage, and so on. Another point is the difference in the dashi (soup stock). The “firmness” of the noodle, which is created by the process of forging the udon dough with footsteps, is said to be a characteristic of Sanuki udon. I felt that the foundation of enjoying “Sanuki Udon” is to be able to encounter this texture at any restaurant. We hope you will enjoy authentic Sanuki udon in Udon Prefecture.
Afterword
Kagawa Prefecture has another local work called “Udonkenstein. This is the first of a series of local monsters created on the theme of udon. It was created at the “Mata Tsuma” event, a.k.a. “I made something boring again,” organized by TOYTOYTOY, a general store located in Kagawa Prefecture. It is scheduled to be held again this year on Sunday, May 15. We are looking forward to seeing what kind of works will be created. Details of the event will be announced on TOYTOYTOY’s SNS, so please check it out.
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