Hisho, Spiral sculpture at Nagoya Station Intersection, Japan
Hisho was a 23-meter-high cone-shaped sculpture positioned at Nagoya Station's eastern intersection, made of 16 structural pipes and 96 decorative pipes arranged in a continuous spiral. The installation featured fiber optic lighting and water fountains integrated into its design.
The sculpture was erected in 1989 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Nagoya City during the World Design Expo event. After more than three decades of standing at the station, it was removed in 2022 and relocated to storage at Nagoya Port area to make way for railway infrastructure improvements.
The spiral pattern draws inspiration from ancient Jomon pottery designs and was meant to represent local people building a shared modern city together. This visual connection to traditional craftsmanship gives the work cultural roots in Nagoya's identity.
The location served as a central gathering point at the station's eastern rotary, making it easy to reach for travelers using the main terminal. Since the sculpture no longer stands at this site, visitors can pass through the area, but there is no specific reason to stop there today.
Despite its prominence at the station, many visitors never noticed that the sculpture featured integrated fountains that glowed with fiber optic lights at night. This hidden water feature made it a special sight during evening hours at the busy terminal.
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