The opening of a new train line might not sound particularly exciting but for rail-loving Japan these developments usually come with much fanfare: mascots, campaigns and plenty of media attention.
We’ve already reported on some of the augmented reality apps and (troubled) publicity surrounding the new Kyushu shinkansen bullet train line, and here’s another interesting example. The Totteoki site is a portal for people to upload pictures from the stations along the Sanyo and new Kyushu shinkansen lines, building up a library of images of each locale along the route.
Inevitably the various tourist sites get a lot of photos but there are also plenty of images of the more everyday: children, animals, trees…Running from Osaka down along Honshu, via Hiroshima and across to Fukuoka, before ending at Kagoshima, you can browse snippets of life at the stops, learning experientially how the districts will be linked via the joining of the lines in March.
JR is here helping to create buzz about the new railway service by building up a digital community. Interestingly, by getting people from the different regions to upload pictures it connects remote groups together in much the same way as the actual train will do.
The appeal for the locals is evident enough: being able to see snapshots of their homes celebrated and shared. But Tokyo users are of course also free to upload pictures they took when visiting the area and no doubt these campaigns stimulate a kind of sentimental pique, even if the practical benefits of the new line are not primarily affecting them. Nostalgia is a powerful market force!
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