feature

Japanese people take their public transportation very seriously. Millions commute to work either by train, subway or bus on a daily basis. When spending so much time on buses and trains, one tries to find joy in the small things in life, like the sound and satisfaction from pressing the alight button on a bus to indicate you want to get off at the next bus stop.

That thrill can soon be yours to hold and enjoy to your heart’s content. Tokyu Bus Corporation, which operates multiple lines in and around Tokyo, will be releasing a Tokyu Bus alight button kit, which allows transportation nerds to press away all day long.

If you’ve ever been in an elevator with a small child, you’ve witnessed the sheer and simple joy they get from pressing all the floor buttons. That same thrill can soon be enjoyed by adults and children alike from August 22 when the Tokyu Bus alight button will be available for sale. For 3,500 yen (US$28) you can own your very own replica bus alight button that is not only portable, but also very realistic, employing the same mechanics as used on real Tokyu buses.

When you press the button the handheld device lights up and plays a recorded message indicating that the bus will soon be stopping at the next stop.

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Apparently, there are enough bus otaku out there to warrant a market for such a product. Last year, Tokyu Bus released a similar product, which required considerable work to construct. That product was discontinued, but now Japanese consumers can rejoice because the resurrection of the bus alight button will soon be available to purchase in a slightly modified form. The latest model will only require you to put a few screws together to assemble the button device.

Members of the TOKYU STYLE online shopping site can pre-order the bus alight button between August 10-16 from the Tokyu online store. The rest of us will have to wait until August 22 where it will also be available to purchase from the Tokyo Train and Bus museum and Tokyu department stores (Shibuya and Tama Plaza branches) and other special bus events and fairs.

The joy of owning and pushing a bus button to our heart’s content without having to pay a bus fare does seem rather bizarre, but apparently makes for excellent BUSiness.

Source: Tokyu Corporation, ITMedia
Images: Tokyu Corporation
Top image: Tokyu Corporation edited by RocketNews24