Unparalleled access draws Japan railway lovers to pricey closed photo shoots

[bill937ca]

 

From The Mainichi:

 

The tours are organized by JR West, and they have welcomed almost 1,000 people between May 2022 and January 2023. Although the fee is a not insignificant 12,800 yen (approx. $94) per adult, the 100 places put on sale for November sold out in about 5 minutes.

 

"I was reminded once again how high the demand is among railroad fans," a JR West representative commented.

 

JR West is not alone in organizing paid events; East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) held about 230 of them in fiscal 2021, priced from several thousand to several tens of thousands of yen, and attracted a total of about 4,800 people. In late December 2022, Nose Electric Railway Co. in Hyogo Prefecture offered an event for 80,000 yen (some $590) per group (limited to six groups) that included a train photo shoot, a tour of the rail shed, and a train driving experience. The package sold out in a few days.

 

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230227/p2a/00m/0li/003000c?fbclid=IwAR05Auqk992T__9gGwldAjzIHugmhrWPWEYwjUOf86Xc305MAROXeZ4nA40

Edited March 14, 2023 by bill937ca

[cteno4]

Seems like getting Taylor swift tickets!

 

jeff

[Beaver]

Here's hoping that small companies. local railways will also offer opportunities like these. I'd love to take a look at the workshops of some little inakaden and see how they keep their ancient second hand trains in working order.

[cteno4]

Keeping events like this going for rail fans in the long run can be good to get the next generation into loving trains as they can become great things to take a youngster to and be something fun and different than just a train trip somewhere. Keeping a good anchor worh the public to see past just the usual train experience helps later when needing public support of rail.

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

25 minutes ago, Beaver said:

Here's hoping that small companies. local railways will also offer opportunities like these. I'd love to take a look at the workshops of some little inakaden and see how they keep their ancient second hand trains in working order.

The Hiroshima Electric Railway did a photo session this month when the last two remaining 350s were retired.

https://www.hiroden.co.jp/topics/2023/0305-350event.html

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by bill937ca

[kndy]

As much as I would love to partake in something like this (professionally I have shot photos at concerts, celebrity photoshoots, various anime, music and sporting events, cosplay events and more in Japan), when it comes to fan-based events, in Japan it's quite brutal.

 

I think in Japan, Japanese cosplay, train and building photographers are so darn competitive.  And of the two, I think train photographers are the worst, followed by building photographers.

 

You would think cosplay would be the worst, but at least the cosplayer can easily turn around and each photographer has a chance.  Trains/buildings, people want their positions and for train photography, a lot of pushing and shoving.

 

So I choose to shoot trains whenever I'm at a location and If I get lucky that it's stationary, I'm good.