News Discussion

A Dreamy Train Ride with Glowing Goldfish in Aomori

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.

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.

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.

1. 1. run　（列車、車などが）運行する、走る、駆ける
   The company will run a new marketing campaign.
2. 2. feature　特徴とする、呼び物とする、（俳優を）主演させる
   The new smartphone features a high-resolution camera.
3. 3. known as～ ～として知られている
   This dish is known as the best in the region.
4. 4. tradition　伝統、慣例、（芸術上の、古来の）型、伝説、言い伝え
   It is a tradition to eat mochi on New Year’s Day in Japan.
5. 5. substitute　代用品、代理人、補欠（者）
   You can use honey as a substitute for sugar.

1. 1. What is unique about the train on the Owani Line of the Konan Railway?
2. 2. Why did commoners in the Edo period create kingyo neputa lanterns?
3. 3. What is the distance covered by the train between Chuo Hirosaki Station and Owani Station, and how long does it take?
4. 4. Have you ever been on a train with unique decorations or themes? If so, what was it like?
5. 5. Do you have any traditions in your community that are similar to the kingyo neputa?

青森県弘前市などを走る弘南鉄道・大鰐線で、津軽地方の夏を代表する工芸品「金魚ねぷた」約３５０個を車内に飾った列車が８月末まで運行中だ。土日祝日などの夜には、ねぷたの明かりだけを車内照明に走行。暑さが続く日々に涼やかな雰囲気を演出している。

金魚ねぷたは江戸時代、庶民が高級魚だった金魚を飼う代わりに竹と和紙で作ったのが由来とされる。飾り付けたのは一つ約１５センチで、ライトアップ時は、内部の発光ダイオード（ＬＥＤ）ライトが金魚の赤い和紙を通して２両編成の車内を幻想的に照らす。

家族と旅行に来た札幌市の高校生（１７）は「鉄道ファンだが、こんなに風情のある電車は初めて。津軽らしさが出ていて楽しめた」と声を弾ませた。

中央弘前駅から大鰐駅までの１３・９キロを約３５分で結び、１日８往復する。追加料金はない。