It’s Monday, which is the worst way to start the week, isn’t it? So, how about some heart-warming news to get things going?
Let’s see, what have we got? Oh, yes, a story about how, while alighting from a train in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture, a woman slipped and became pinned between the train and the platform.
Wait, that’s not the heart-warming part!
Around 9:15 on Monday morning at Minamiurawa Station, a woman in her 30s got the fright of her life when she slipped and found herself lodged between the train and the platform, pinned at her hips.
Fortunately, the station staff were paying close attention and caught the problem immediately, quickly announcing, “Someone is trapped!”
According to one Twitter user who was on the scene at the time, the station staff first asked passengers to move to the opposite side of the train, but when it became clear that merely shifting their weight to one side of the car wasn’t going to be enough to pull the unfortunate commuter free, staff called everyone off the train to help.
Fellow commuters then disembarked and pushed the train away from the platform with all their might, allowing the staff to free the trapped woman.
Once she was pulled to safety, the woman was taken to the hospital, though fortunately she had no visible injuries.
If you’re wondering how this could possibly happen, the East Japan Railway Company explained that the gap between the train and platform is about 20 centimeters (7.87 inches). Just enough for someone to get properly stuck, we imagine.
The company went on to explain that the train car weighed about 32 tonnes (about 35 US tons), including its base and wheels. However, thanks to the suspension, pushing on the car only moved the upper body, and didn’t affect the wheels’ placement.
Apparently, even with all this commotion, the train was only eight minutes late! We’re thinking the company should get a new logo, maybe something like: “East Japan Railways: getting you to work and giving you a solid workout!”
Japanese Internet users felt the cockles of their hearts warming:
This is such a great story!
This is really amazing.
I’m glad she wasn’t injured!
What a sense of unity. I wish I could have to been there. I wish I could have helped them push.
It’s a great story, but the photo is so surreal!
All that and only eight minutes late? Isn’t that amazing?
It looks like a festival!
Japan’s not finished after all!
Who the heck took this photo? If you have time to snap pictures, get in there and push!!
There’s always someone who’s got something to grumble about…
This isn’t the first time that someone has fallen from the edge of a platform in Japan. Just last month, a woman fell through the gap at Roppongi Station and ended up lying next to the train as it departed, having been mistaken for dropped luggage. Fortunately, that woman also survived unscathed.
Well, we hope you have a great Monday! If nothing else, you can at least be glad you’re not trapped between a train car and a platform!
Sources: Itai News 2Channel, Yomiuri Online, Twitter

Woman delivers baby on passenger train just outside of Tokyo
Elementary school girls rescue wheelchair-bound woman stranded on train tracks
Kyoto train station thanks commuters for saving life of passenger who fell on the train tracks
Woman in Tokyo gives birth onboard one of Japan’s busiest train lines
Attempted murder at a Japanese train station
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Hatsune Miku successfully wraps Miku Expo 2026 North America tour with 100,000 attendees
Nearly half of Pokémon hot spring’s statues have been damaged less than two months after opening
Japan’s Yellow Shinkansen to be retired, last chances to ride it come with eye-popping prices
Dragon Quest’s next quest is a journey to Yoshinoya for awesome Slime toy meals[Photos]
“Alcohol is the best medicine” removed from Japanese government website
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
7-Eleven Japan to start selling Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches this summer
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino, tea and soda drinks for summer
“Phantom Egg Shop” opens in Japan, with a dozen rare Japanese varieties
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
“Get down!” Man leaps onto train tracks to save fallen woman
Commuter chaos at Shibuya Station after glass window breaks on door of crowded Japanese train
“Can you drop a bomb on America?” Japanese man shocks commuters from tracks of busy train station
Student gets locked inside Japanese station after the last train
Back to work, and back to packed commuter trains in coronavirus emergency state-Tokyo【Photos】
Drink hot sake at Tokyo train station’s “phantom platform”
Man boards women-only carriage on Japanese train, gets his glasses knocked off【Video】
Woman kills self jumping onto train tracks, delay causes conductor to jump off tracks at other station
Starbucks on a Shinkansen bullet train platform: 6 tips for using the automated store in Japan
Tokyo station platform to transform into sake bar with hot drinks, hot oden, and hot kotatsu
Shitty Shibuya – Dozens of human turds discovered on Tokyo train platform
Commuter chaos around Tokyo during peak hour after Typhoon Trami hits Japan 【Pics & Video】
Disturbing video shows man hitting woman for crossing her legs on Japanese train【Video】