A snowy mountain in a tunnel. What is the trick behind this image?

There is no screen or projector in this room, so how is the image being projected?

In fact, there is a railway model laid out in the darkness with “various objects” placed around. A train with lights travels along the track and is used to create shadowgraphs.

The train travels through tunnels unique in snow countries known as snow sheds, as well as snowy mountains and beech forests. It is as if you are viewing Echigo-Tsumari from the window of a train.

So what exactly are these “various objects” that are the source of the shadows? Actually, they are all tools relating to the textile industry, a local industry of the region.

And here, the art poses a question to you.

Where does the feeling of “nostalgia” come from?

There are people who mention that they are overcome with nostalgia when they look at this artwork.

Much like this piece, you can’t always look at your past, or your hometown through a video reel. What you are looking at is probably something closer to an imagined landscape, shadows and echoes rather than sharp images.

If by any chance you feel nostalgic when looking at this scenery, try digging through your memories and you just might find some commonalities between Echigo-Tsumari and the place you once lived.