JR East Atami Station Square "Flower Country"

Stained Glass

Atami City Mayor
Sakae Saito
This time, owing to the cooperation by Japan Traffic Culture Association, a stained glass public art "Flower Country" has been installed in Atami Station Square renovated based on the original painting created by Mr. Reiji Hiramatsu, a representative Japanese-style painter in Japan. I express sincere gratitude from the bottom of my heart to Mr. Reiji Hiramatsu and other stakeholders for their efforts in production and installation of the stained glass.
"Flower Country" was produced at an atelier in Atami city. Plums which are the flowers of Atami city are blooming in red and white, the Sea and "Seigaiha" which is a symbol of hot springs are drawn on the work, so it can make us feel Atami. It is a stained glass suitable at Atami station which is also the entrance of Izu as well as Atami.
At Atami station, we renovated the station building which has been used since its opening in 1925. The number of users at Atami Station increased dramatically as a result of the opening of Tanna tunnel in 1934 and the opening of Tokaido Shinkansen in 1964. It is not an exaggeration to say that the development of Atami City is together with the development of Atami station. I hope "Flower Country" welcomes the tourists and the visitors warmly, charms them, and continues being loved by them with Atami station and the towns in Atami, as a new symbol of Atami station.

Director General, Japan Traffic Culture Association
Hisao Taki
Congratulations on renewal of Atami station, a gateway of Izu. I am very pleased to have installed a public art work at this memorable time.
This stained glass work "Flower Country" with the theme of "plum" which is a flower of Atami city is the 520th work for our Japan Traffic Culture Association, and was produced at CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio in Atami city based on the original painting specially drawn by Mr. Reiji Hiramatsu. Seeing the Tokyo Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games in 2020, I hope that this work will welcome the visitors from home and abroad who use Atami station and to see them off, and will be familiar as a symbolic existence.
Since its establishment in 1948, our association has been actively engaged in promoting art and culture. The main pillars are the exhibition project represented by "Traffic Cultural Exhibition", the education projects represented by "Takifuji Foundation" and "International Takifuji Art Award", and the public art promotion project.
The words expressing the thought that is the basis of those efforts are the next sentence left by Herbert Read.
"Now, what we are missing is not an artist, but the masses. It is not the art-conscious masses, but the unconsciously artistic masses."
We continue our projects with the hope that arts installed in the public spaces will help realize a social environment with relaxation and moisture where everyone unconsciously touches arts.
I deeply appreciate the many people who sponsored and cooperated with this work, and would like to ask your continued understanding and cooperation in our efforts including the spread of public arts.

Atami Station Manager, East Japan Railway Company
Satoko Miyahara
Atami station was reborn in this 91th year from its opening in 1925. Aiming to make a more convenient and comfortable station for local residents and visitors for sightseeing, we carried out the construction work since 2014, and finally, we have reached the opening of the whole station on November 25, 2016.
Completion of a beautiful stained glass "Flower Country" that colors the entrance of Izu is a great pleasure in accordance with the station's new opening. I think that a variety of lights falling down from the stained glass will heal the customers who use the station every day, and will create an uplifting feeling for the customers visiting for sightseeing. In addition, I hope that conversations among people will arise from this stained glass, and then an environment in which pepople mutually help each other will be created. We also would like to foster the new Atami station together with the local people and this stained glass.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude on behalf of the station to everyone who cooperated with the work including Mr. Reiji Hiramatsu as the painter, Japan Traffic Culture Association as the planner, CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio as the producer, and all the sponsors.