Maker’s Story: Japanese Railway Goods from TRAINIART

Are you familiar with Railway Day (14 October)? In Japan, Railway Day, also known as Tetsudo no Hi (鉄道の日), is a special occasion dedicated to everything related to railways and trains. It’s a day that holds great significance for all of us here at JAPAN RAIL CLUB as we celebrate by bringing you the finest Japanese snacks from our railway network.

Photo by Sue Lynn

In line with the theme of “Tetsudo Encounters” this month, it’s only fitting that we feature a snack from the shelves of TRAINIART. We recently visited the Gransta Tokyo Station store to explore what they have to offer and had the pleasure of speaking with Store Manager Ms Yoshino (吉野) to delve deeper into the exciting world of TRAINIART.

Photo by Sue Lynn

Tell us more about the concept of TRAINIART.

TRAINIART is a shop that expresses and curates the charm of railways, which are a familiar part of our daily lives, from various perspectives, under the concept of “Enjoying Railways More” 「鉄道をもっと楽しむ」. With a focus on sophistication, authenticity, and storytelling, we offer railway design goods that emphasise both “design” and “functionality”, aiming to pioneer a new market for railway-themed design goods. 

Fun fact: The word “TRAINIART” is a palindrome that includes the words “TRAIN” and “ART”!

Photo by Sue Lynn

What are some of TRAINIART’s popular products?

We have a wide range of stationery products, including masking tapes with designs of local trains, shinkansen bullet trains and station buildings, and brand collaboration notebooks, which can be purchased and enjoyed by both children and adults.

Other than that, we also have a range of lifestyle goods which combine the functionality of Japanese daily life and culture with railway-inspired designs, such as tenugui (hand towels), small dishes, teacups, and chopsticks. Some of our products are also made from environmentally-friendly materials such as bamboo fiber, recycled paper, and recycled polyester fibers as part of our sustainability and eco-friendly efforts.

Photo by Sue Lynn

That’s very interesting! What makes this TRAINIART store at GRANSTA Tokyo Station special?

In particular, we offer a varied selection of TRAlNlART original goods, including Tokyo Station-exclusive merchandise whose designs highlight the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building as an iconic and important heritage building, to capture cherished memories and moments in Tokyo. 

Photo by Sue Lynn

Which products would you recommend as souvenirs for overseas customers?

Masking tape, notebooks, and stickers are popular. We recommend the “Shinkansen × Washi Pattern” 「新幹線×和柄」 series (notebooks, letter sets, and coin purses) which was released in lieu of the 150th anniversary of Japan’s railway development in October 2022. This series features a design that combines the shinkansen, a symbolic icon of Japan, with traditional Japanese patterns inspired by the train’s colourway and specialty products from the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions it travels through. 

These goods showcase different motifs and Japanese patterns depending on the shinkansen model, and they are crafted with attention to detail in every aspect.

Photo by TRAINIART

Those are lovely designs! Is TRAINIART doing anything special this Railway Day (14 October)?

Yes! From September 2023, we are holding a “COQTEZ Fair” (pronounced as “kokutetsu”) that will surely pique the interest of railway fans. This fair will feature products that evoke the nostalgia of old train cars, using moquette fabric that were actually used on real train carriages. Repurposing the train seats and turning them into lifestyle products such as pouches and cushions, we hope that this fair will help you reminisce about the days of classic rail travel. 

Photos by TRAINIART

That’s so cool! Those products are like a walking railway exhibition. Speaking of exhibitions, there’s also The Railway Museum in Omiya, Saitama. Is TRAINIART part of the museum in any way?

We operate the Museum Shop TRAINIART at The Railway Museum. In fact, it is also positioned as a ‘second exhibition room’ at the museum and offers a wide range of original goods with railway-inspired designs and functions that give form to the experiences and learning at The Railway Museum.

Photo by Sue Lynn

Lastly, do you have any parting words for our overseas readers?

At TRAINIART, we offer a wide range of goods such as memorabilia that aim to make railways more enjoyable and help you feel closer to and more fond of them. We have exported and sold selected TRAINIART’s goods in Singapore, London, Los Angeles, and Taipei before, but the full collection is exclusive to Japan. So when you come to Japan, and especially Tokyo, please do visit us!

As of September 2023, there are four Trainiart stores: 2 in Tokyo Station (TRAINIART TOKYO Gransta Store B1 & Museum Shop TRAINIART Tokyo Station Gallery 2F), a museum shop at The Railway Museum in Omiya, and an online store at JRE MALL’s e-commerce site. Specially curated for the month of October, check out our railway-themed snack box “相遇鐵道” at JAPAN RAIL CLUB today! Order yours now!