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A portrayal of one of the best-known works of fantasy fiction by Miyazawa Kenji, Japan's much-loved poet and author of children's literature. The original title is Ginga tetsudô no yoru, probably best known in the West from the anime film "Night on the Galactic Railroad" (but there are many variations on this translation).
Kagaya portrays the train in earthbound mode, yet in a surreal setting.
Wikipedia article on Miyazawa Kenji
Born in Saitama (just north of Tokyo) in 1968, Kagaya spent his childhood in wonderment of the stars in the sky, and never stopped painting them. He has had a successful career as an illustrator for astronomical books and magazines, and many of his works have been turned into jigsaw puzzles, among other products. Since 1996, he has worked exclusively in the digital medium, using a Macintosh. Perhaps that is why he does not appear to sign his pictures.
He goes by his family name; his given name appears to be Yutaka, but in English you will also find him called Joh Kagaya (Jô is the Chinese reading of his name).
 This is a glow-in-the-dark puzzle.
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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101042 (10-1042 on box)
Retail price ¥3900 (approx. US$48.15 €37.86 £31.20)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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The local train passes through the rice fields, not long after leaving Aizu Wakamatsu...
This single-track, non-electrified line, joining East to West across Japan's mountain backbone was only completed in 1971 from Aizu Wakamatsu (Fukushima) to Koide (Niigata). It has escaped "rationalisation", because heavy winter snowfall closes the only road alternative.
Born in Kanagawa in 1973, Matsumoto Tadashi took an arts degree from Tohoku University, before pursuing a career in illustration. He specialises in the railway scene, and his work has appeared both in specialist train magazines and general travel literature. He combines attention to engineering detail with a warm evocation of rural charm.
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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101145 (10-1145 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$37.04 €29.13 £24.00)
Shipping from ¥1000 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$12.35 €9.71 £8.00)
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A rare sight anywhere: a station with a thatched roof. This station serves Yunokami Onsen, a resort evocative of the Edo period before the modern age, and famed for autumn colours. This is on the Aizu Railway, running north-south through the mountains along the old Nikko Road.
Born in Kanagawa in 1973, Matsumoto Tadashi took an arts degree from Tohoku University, before pursuing a career in illustration. He specialises in the railway scene, and his work has appeared both in specialist train magazines and general travel literature. He combines attention to engineering detail with a warm evocation of rural charm.
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A Yanoman puzzle: 500 pieces; 53 x 38 cm (21" x 15")
Code: Y05914 (05-914 on box)
Retail price ¥2000 (approx. US$24.69 €19.42 £16.00)
Shipping from ¥700 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$8.64 €6.80 £5.60)
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© Matsumoto Tadashi
A striking composition, reminiscent of a classic woodblock print... near Yanaizu on the Tadami line
The artist tells how he took the train to Yanaizu, left the station, and found this footbridge providing a splash of colour against the winter monotone: it was then only a question of waiting for a train to pass.
This single-track, non-electrified line, joining East to West across Japan's mountain backbone was only completed in 1971 from Aizu Wakamatsu (Fukushima) to Koide (Niigata). It has escaped "rationalisation", because heavy winter snowfall closes the only road alternative.
Born in Kanagawa in 1973, Matsumoto Tadashi took an arts degree from Tohoku University, before pursuing a career in illustration. He specialises in the railway scene, and his work has appeared both in specialist train magazines and general travel literature. He combines attention to engineering detail with a warm evocation of rural charm.
In stock
A Yanoman puzzle: 500 pieces; 38 x 53 cm (15" x 21")
Code: Y05915 (05-915 on box)
Retail price ¥2000 (approx. US$24.69 €19.42 £16.00)
Shipping from ¥700 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$8.64 €6.80 £5.60)
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A peaceful summer scene, as the train passes through the gentle landscape around Lake Inawashiro. This is the West Ban'etsu line running east-west across northern Honshu, and principally serving the historic town of Aizu Wakamatsu.
Born in Kanagawa in 1973, Matsumoto Tadashi took an arts degree from Tohoku University, before pursuing a career in illustration. He specialises in the railway scene, and his work has appeared both in specialist train magazines and general travel literature. He combines attention to engineering detail with a warm evocation of rural charm.
In stock
A Yanoman puzzle: 300 pieces; 38 x 26 cm (15" x 10")
Code: Y03700 (03-700 on box)
Retail price ¥1400 (approx. US$17.28 €13.59 £11.20)
Shipping from ¥400 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$4.94 €3.88 £3.20)
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A steam locomotive captured among the cherry blossoms, on the Mōka line in Tochigi. Passing through a traditional cotton-growing area, this line has never been electrified, and on weekends and holidays the usual diesel railcars are replaced by this steam train.
This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size. In stock
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E15531 (15-531 on box)
Retail price ¥2500 (approx. US$30.86 €24.27 £20.00)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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The iconic shot of modern Japan: the "bullet train" passing below Mount Fuji. This is the N700, the version introduced in 2007, cutting the journey time between Tokyo and Osaka to under two-and-a-half hours.
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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E11336 (11-336 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$37.04 €29.13 £24.00)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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Steam trains still run on the Oikawa line, a private railway running from the Pacific coast mainline up into the foothills of the Southern Alps. This one is called Sakura ('Cherry'), appropriately enough, since the line is famous for the cherry trees planted on either side to form a "tunnel".
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A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101129 (10-1129 on box)
Retail price ¥2500 (approx. US$30.86 €24.27 £20.00)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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This tourist train ambles through the lavender fields of Hokkaido, its speed kept deliberately low. The name is a meld of noro-noro ("dawdling") and torokko, meaning a simple open-top wagon; the nameplate is written in deliberately imitative characters, so it looks rather like "Joyo" — but this probably doesn't mean anything!
In stock
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E11337 (11-337 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$37.04 €29.13 £24.00)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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A historical shot of the C62 class locomotive number 47 pulling the Yuzuru express on the Joban line on 2nd August, 1966. This is the east coast main line north from Tokyo, in the brief interval when only the section north of Iwaki had not yet been electrified.
This is a lightly colorised version of a photograph taken by Tajima when still a schooboy.
Original photograph on photographer's website
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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E11188 (11-188 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$37.04 €29.13 £24.00)
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Below Mount Fuji we see the "Blue train", the long-distance sleeper service connecting Tokyo to Kyushu, with a history stretching back to 1929. The service was finally withdrawn in 2009, with emotional farewells from crowds of fans.
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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E11349 (11-349 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$37.04 €29.13 £24.00)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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This scenic line, right in the middle of Hokkaido, extends from Asahikawa through Biei to Furano, and the area is famous for its varied colourful fields of flowers. Here a diesel multiple unit passes a sea of golden sunflowers...
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An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E11344 (11-344 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$37.04 €29.13 £24.00)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$14.81 €11.65 £9.60)
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This steam locomotive is number one of the C57 type, which has acquired the nickname of Kifujin, or "Lady", runs a nostalgic service on the Yamaguchi line across western Honshu.
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An Epoch puzzle: 450 pieces; 38 x 26 cm (15" x 10")
Code: E08035 (08-035 on box)
Retail price ¥1400 (approx. US$17.28 €13.59 £11.20)
Shipping from ¥500 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$6.17 €4.85 £4.00)
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In the Meiji era (late 19th century) Japan decided on a narrow gauge rail system, because this allows tighter curves in the difficult mountain terrain. Now the Shinkansen ("Bullet train") network is progressively replacing the old lumbering trains - "expresses" by name only, since the lines are too tortuous to achieve high speed. This 183-series in its smart red and cream livery passing below Mt. Yatsugatake is a nostalgic sight, as it was phased out in December 2002. The train bears its name "Kaiji" on the front; it is an L tokkyû: a "limited (i.e. faster) express", though no-one seems to be sure what the "L" stands for.
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A Yanoman puzzle: 300 pieces; 38 x 26 cm (15" x 10")
Code: Y03582 (03-582 on box)
Normally ¥1200 - special offer 50% off: ¥600 (approx. US$7.41 €5.83 £4.80)
Shipping from ¥400 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$4.94 €3.88 £3.20)
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This historical line, which opened as an electric railway in 1902, joins the cities of Kamakura and Fujisawa, providing local access to the tiny resort island of Enoshima and the great Kamakura statue of Buddha (actually three stations from Kamakura). One reason for its preservation may be a number of TV dramas featuring the line.
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An Epoch puzzle: 300 pieces; 38 x 26 cm (15" x 10")
Code: E26230 (26-230 on box)
Retail price ¥1400 (approx. US$17.28 €13.59 £11.20)
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A local line snaking across the Boso peninsular south-east of Tokyo, the Isumi railway is fringed for more than half its length by bright yellow rape blossoms, tended for by local people. The line was rescued from oblivion in 1988, and is run as a joint private-public operation to serve local communities.
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An Epoch puzzle: 300 pieces; 38 x 26 cm (15" x 10")
Code: E26231 (26-231 on box)
Retail price ¥1400 (approx. US$17.28 €13.59 £11.20)
Shipping from ¥500 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$6.17 €4.85 £4.00)
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Two otherwise insignificant stations in Hokkaido became famous in a 1974 song "From Ai-no-kuni to Kofuku". The picture shows Kofuku, which means "Happiness"; the other station Ai-no-kuni means "country of love"...
This puzzle is postcard size, with TINY pieces
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A Yanoman puzzle: 204 pieces; 15 x 10 cm (6" x 4")
Code: Y98273 (98-273 on box)
Retail price ¥500 (approx. US$6.17 €4.85 £4.00)
Shipping from ¥400 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$4.94 €3.88 £3.20)
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