Do you take the train in Japan? Some people may come by boat, but I think most people visit Japan by plane.
Whether you’re flying from Haneda Airport, Narita Airport, or Osaka International Airport, you’ll probably first travel to your hotel by train. (Fukuoka Airport is close to the city, so you might take a taxi.)
This time, we will introduce some unusual manners when riding Japanese trains that might make you wonder, “What is this?”
First, carrying a bag or backpack on your stomach.
Have you ever seen someone riding a train with a backpack in front of them?
You may not know this if you have never ridden a train in the Japanese capital region centered around Tokyo, or in major cities such as Osaka and Nagoya.
In the Tokyo metropolitan area, especially during rush hour, you will see many Japanese people wearing their backpacks facing forward, in front of their stomachs. Why is this?
To protect your backpack from theft? To protect your stomach? To get a book or tablet out of your backpack?
The answer is…
To free up some space on the overcrowded trains!!
If you have ever ridden a crowded train in Japan in the morning or evening, you will know that the occupancy rate is 300%, and even when the train arrives at the platform, you wonder if you can really get on.
Because it’s so crowded, everyone on the train gets annoyed. If people get on with backpacks and there’s no space, it causes trouble! That’s why the etiquette of wearing backpacks over the headboard was born! Surprising!
You might think it would be okay to just put it on the wire mesh of the luggage rack, but on a crowded train you can’t even get close to the mesh in the first place. In such a commuting situation, the apron backpack was invented as a courtesy to prevent people from getting annoyed.
I would like to ask everyone to please carry their backpacks on their stomachs when on a crowded train, and when you see people with backpacks over their aprons, I would appreciate it if you would appreciate it as a typical Japanese act of consideration.
Second, when the train arrives, don’t jump on it. Wait on the platform.
You are waiting for a train at the platform. A crowded train arrives at the platform. What do you do? Do you approach the train immediately to get on?
Don’t do that when a crowded train is approaching! The correct answer is… to watch the hordes of people getting off as the doors open.
In Tokyo mornings, trains arrive nonstop, so you might feel anxious when the departure bell rings, but don’t panic.
Don’t worry, the conductor will be patrolling the entire platform until people waiting on the platform board the train!
At Akihabara Station, where there are many people transferring during the commute (too many!), when a packed train enters the platform, an announcement is made saying, “Please do not approach the train and wait where you are,” and you are not even allowed to approach the train!! It’s surprising, isn’t it?
This is a measure to create space, as people near the entrance of a crowded train must first evacuate to the platform before people further back in the train can get off.
It’s an incredible situation, but it happens every morning in Tokyo on every train between 7am and 9am!
I’m sure you all hate being on a crowded train, but if you have to, try and observe how Japanese people behave!
Photo by
binmassam
Third, when it’s crowded, the edge of the door becomes a sanctuary.
Finally, I would like to introduce you to a sanctuary on a crowded train.
If you have no choice but to get on a crowded train, where should you sit?
The best thing is to have a seat, which is impossible on a packed train. So where’s next?
The correct answer is… the space beside the door! This is a sacred space given to only two people beside each door!
As mentioned in the previous chapter, the atmosphere inside packed trains is so desolate that you are not even allowed to carry a backpack, and passengers near the doors are forced to get off on to the platform every time the train arrives at a station so that passengers at the back can be allowed to get off at the station.
Meanwhile, what about the people who are quietly occupying the space beside this door? They can place their backpacks and bags on the wire mesh, and they don’t have to get on and off the platform every time they arrive at a station!
A truly sacred place!
The only downside is that you lose hope of getting a seat. However, even if you stand in the aisle at the back, it’s a gamble as to whether the person sitting in front of you will get off at the next station! So it’s best to choose a sanctuary with less risk.
If you’re riding a crowded train, be sure to take the time to observe the paladins stationed in this sanctuary!
fanfanjapan!!
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