Today there was an unusual crowd in the Toei Shinjuku line in the morning. Generally everyday morning travel is on the heavily packed trains. Most of the commuters will get down at Morishita.
Yesterday due to heavy wind, there were some delays in the Tozai line. I heard an announcement in Japanese saying that something happened in the Tozai line due to wind and trains will be delayed. Combined with the common sense I guessed the rest part of the announcement. My Japanese speaking level is still at low!
Later in the evening while watching television (terebi in Japanese) I realized the danger effects of the storm. There was an accident in the Narita Airport and two pilots of FexEx courier service met with death. 16 of the international flights were cancelled due to the accident.
Heavy wind is not an uncommon thing in Japan, especially during season changes. Japan is witnessing a season change at present. The winter is just finished and the spring will start within a few days. The start of spring will bring more colors to the life of Japan. Sakura trees are getting themselves prepared to welcome the spring. It is a festival to the eyes, the Sakura flowers blossom. The cherry blossom is typical to the Japanese life and it is almost symbolic to the psyche of Japanese people.
Coming back to the crowded train today, I have been witnessing a strange scene at railway stations for many months. I have seen crowd in the railway station and crowded trains in my country also. But in Japan what is strange is the station staff help to push people inside the train. They use all their energy to push commuters inside the train. Japanese people are co-operative and they adjust to the maximum extent. When the trains are crowded or otherwise too, Japanese people do not make any noise. They are silent throughout the journey and walk out of the train without making any noise. They move in line slowly towards the escalator to the exit.
Most of the commuters will have a book with them. They are busy with their book while waiting for the train and travelling. Some people read while walking also. This keeps them busy with the things they like to do rather than looking around and talk with others and making public nuisance. The public discipline of Japanese people is noteworthy to mention here. How to bring a whole nation to such a military discipline?
When the station crew push the struggling passenger inside, people inside adjust themselves as far as they can to accommodate one more co-passenger. Pushing passengers is the typical thing I have seen in Japan.
Japanese obsession towards cleanliness makes the crowded trains also tolerable. The passengers are clean and gentle. They wear decent clothing that makes the journey comfortable even in such a crowed train. Public morality is also high in Japan. The reasonably low crime rate and immoral activities at public places makes the public life in Japan more convenient.
This is just a page from the daily life in Japan, not representing any reinforced ideas based on many years of experience. As some of my friends like to comment on my views, probably I am yet to know the real Japan! Wonder I though how different it will be than what I have been passing through!
Yesterday due to heavy wind, there were some delays in the Tozai line. I heard an announcement in Japanese saying that something happened in the Tozai line due to wind and trains will be delayed. Combined with the common sense I guessed the rest part of the announcement. My Japanese speaking level is still at low!
Later in the evening while watching television (terebi in Japanese) I realized the danger effects of the storm. There was an accident in the Narita Airport and two pilots of FexEx courier service met with death. 16 of the international flights were cancelled due to the accident.
Heavy wind is not an uncommon thing in Japan, especially during season changes. Japan is witnessing a season change at present. The winter is just finished and the spring will start within a few days. The start of spring will bring more colors to the life of Japan. Sakura trees are getting themselves prepared to welcome the spring. It is a festival to the eyes, the Sakura flowers blossom. The cherry blossom is typical to the Japanese life and it is almost symbolic to the psyche of Japanese people.
Coming back to the crowded train today, I have been witnessing a strange scene at railway stations for many months. I have seen crowd in the railway station and crowded trains in my country also. But in Japan what is strange is the station staff help to push people inside the train. They use all their energy to push commuters inside the train. Japanese people are co-operative and they adjust to the maximum extent. When the trains are crowded or otherwise too, Japanese people do not make any noise. They are silent throughout the journey and walk out of the train without making any noise. They move in line slowly towards the escalator to the exit.
Most of the commuters will have a book with them. They are busy with their book while waiting for the train and travelling. Some people read while walking also. This keeps them busy with the things they like to do rather than looking around and talk with others and making public nuisance. The public discipline of Japanese people is noteworthy to mention here. How to bring a whole nation to such a military discipline?
When the station crew push the struggling passenger inside, people inside adjust themselves as far as they can to accommodate one more co-passenger. Pushing passengers is the typical thing I have seen in Japan.
Japanese obsession towards cleanliness makes the crowded trains also tolerable. The passengers are clean and gentle. They wear decent clothing that makes the journey comfortable even in such a crowed train. Public morality is also high in Japan. The reasonably low crime rate and immoral activities at public places makes the public life in Japan more convenient.
This is just a page from the daily life in Japan, not representing any reinforced ideas based on many years of experience. As some of my friends like to comment on my views, probably I am yet to know the real Japan! Wonder I though how different it will be than what I have been passing through!
It is really interesting Jay. Pushing commuters into the train is a common thing in Japan. For many people outside Japan, it is a funny act happening in Japan, but true. We do not find any wrong in doing so. The reason is, if somebody wants to travel urgently, he/she must not miss that particular train and must travel. So, it is a help for him/her that the train crew pushes them inside the train.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, there will be enough space inside the train for some more people. People inside will not adjust themselves automatically, but they will adjust when the pressure from outside comes. This is what the train crew does by pushing people into the train. Interesting!