Design consultancy Tangerine drew on traditional Japanese colours, shapes and ideas about hospitality and applied them to the design of next-generation bullet trains, as Emilie Eisenberg reports
It’s difficult to find a train anywhere in the world that compares to the Shinkansen. A journey taken on a Japanese bullet train is a clean, quiet experience, providing unmatched views of the surrounding countryside.
But take the fact that some of its lines have been running now for almost thirty years and combine it with Japanese expectations of high standards, and it’s hardly surprising that a refresh is due.
Enter Tangerine, a British-born consultancy with offices in London and Seoul and the first non-Japanese design partner to be involved in the Shinkansen’s design. Following its work on interiors and exteriors for clients including British Airways, Southwest Airlines and Japan Airlines, Tangerine was commissioned to design the new Shinkansen interior and exterior, in partnership with the East Japan Railway Company, JR-East. Other Japanese clients include Nikon, Seiko, ceramic sanitary ware brand Toto and office furniture manufacturer Okamura.
With its blend of Japanese spirit, innovation and usercentric design, the E10 Shinkansen is poised to redefine high-speed rail travel for decades to come Matt Round, chief creative officer at Tangerine
Storied past, high-speed future
The Shinkansen relies on a network of high-speed railway lines, on which trains reach speeds of 200 miles per hour and connect all of Japan’s major cities. The first line linking Tokyo and Osaka opened in October 1964, followed by eight more lines. It’s one of the world’s busiest high-speed railway networks.
The new E10 Shinkansen will replace E2 trains that have been in use since 1997, and E5 trains, in use since 2011. The E10 will run on the Tohoku route, the longest train journey in Japan, covering 674.9 kilometres between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori. Although no set date has been confirmed, the new trains are expected to enter service in 2030 and run throughout the following decade.
Tangerine’s overall goal in designing the E10 trains was to create a manufacturable design that balances quality, budget, and, crucially, timelines. The design interior is inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics and landscapes, with a consistent design visible across all passenger classes. It features a green and blue colour scheme with graduated effects in the wall panelling and seating upholstery. Soft lighting and cool colours are intended to reflect Japan’s nature, while also creating a calming atmosphere inside the carriages. The layout of carriages varies across classes, but all layouts are intended to make seating as comfortable and spacious as possible, while simultaneously maximising space and ensuring operational efficiency.
The train exteriors, meanwhile, are primarily green, borrowing colours from the mountainous Tohoku region. The two primary shades of green are a bright green called ‘Tsugaru green’, and a darker green called ‘evening elm’. Curved line designs connect the carriages, inspired by Sakura cherry blossoms in an homage to previous Shinkansen designs.
“The E10 Shinkansen represents a milestone in UK/Japan collaboration within the rail sector, setting new benchmarks for hospitality-focused design and sustainable travel,” says chief creative officer Matt Round. “With its blend of Japanese spirit, innovation and usercentric design, the E10 Shinkansen is poised to redefine high-speed rail travel for decades to come.”
Exploring design options
Early in the design process, Tangerine prioritised sketching, CAD modelling, mood boards and quick rendering to explore different design options. As the project progressed, Tangerine refined 3D renders of the seating, carriage and surfaces using SolidWorks and Rhino, focusing on CMF (colour, material and finish). This work was led by Tangerine’s head of CMF, Monica Sogn. A separate team of graphics experts created the livery design.
The CMF team created mood boards to establish colours and themes, and applied different options to 3D models, in order to better understand how CMF interacted with the train carriage environment. Tangerine collaborated with multiple supply chain partners to specify exact colours, materials and finishes.
Blender was used for VR rendering and visualisation of the three seating classes, which were viewed using headsets in the studio. Using a clear space like a reception area or meeting room, the designers at Tangerine studied the carriages through headsets to get a sense of the layout of each class. Both VR and animated flythroughs were used for showing the designs to JR-East, including CEO Yoichi Kise. These showcased specific customisations and applications for design approvals and sign-offs.
The designs were optimised and edited multiple times using feedback from both stakeholders and manufacturing partners, who also viewed Tangerine’s renders and visualisations.
Looking ahead, Tangerine is eager to expand its footprint in Japan. The collaboration with JR-East has been a positive one, encouraging the studio to seek other work within the Japanese rail sector in particular, as well as other industries in general.
This article first appeared in DEVELOP3D Magazine
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