Paean for the Trees

This is the first time for me to make stained glass, and I was much interested in it. Since I thought that I would be in charge of the sketch only at first, I was a little bit annoyed when I had to make the original painting also, honestly speaking. On the other hand, I understood well that the painter has to do it to make a good work. As the work progressed, the differences from the painting that comes from the fact that the material is transparent glass have also become clear. I think that was a good lessen for me as well as a difficulty to be overcome. More than anything, I enjoyed working together with Mr. Louis Fransen of shaping and Mr. Otake of stained glass production. Painters are usually doing lonely work alone. In that sense, I am happy that I got the opportunity to meet the fun and wonder of the unknown world.
Since I have heard that this work will be decorated at Sendai station refurbished lately, I am honored as a Tohoku person. Although some sights and specialties of Sendai are taken as the theme, I intended to express what I felt, saw and heard when I myself went to Sendai for coverage on the screen. Altough it took a very long time for collaborative production, it was not a lot of trouble for me if compared with the enjoyment at the production process.

This stained glass artwork was created in anticipation of the opening of the Shinkansen, wishing for the development of Sendai Station, the redesigned gateway to Tohoku. Befitting the “City of Trees,” the subject matter incorporates Tanabata decorations, the equestrian statue of Date Masamune, and the scenery of Matsushima—one of the Three Views of Japan—resulting in a bold composition rich in local flavor. European antique glass was imported for its production, making it one of the largest full-scale works in Japan that utilizes natural light. The title was chosen through a public call for submissions. (From the artwork plaque; current as of installation on June 8, 1978)
In 1998, restoration work was carried out, and today, backlit, it welcomes travelers in the open-ceiling concourse just outside the station’s central gates, widely cherished as a meeting spot and as a backdrop for events.