Our reporter shares why taking a limited-express train home after a weeknight drinking party made all the difference in the world for him.

Our Japanese-language reporter Ahiruneko is among the multitudes of people who enjoy the time-honored tradition of nomikai, or drinking parties, that are a common after-work practice in Japan. He enjoys both the drinks and the company while attending them–especially when it’s with his SoraNews24 team members, who happen to be some of the most fun and weirdest writers around.

In fact, there’s only one thing that Ahiruneko really dislikes about the experience of nomikai as a whole–the train-ride home. Namely, he hates the monotony of the time and would much rather just go to bed right there in the restaurant. To make matters worse, last year h and his family moved to the Hachioji area of western Tokyo, meaning his rides home from the city center are now even longer. That’s why, when the SoraNews24 editorial team decided to hold a nomikai for the first time in a while, he felt excited and his stomach flopped at the same time. He couldn’t stop thinking about the long train ride he’d have after the festivities, and it was definitely souring his mood.

▼ A SoraNews24-style nomikai should be a lively affair, not one steeped in blue (Ahiruneko is making a peace sign in the bottom right)

That’s when he decided to try a tactic that he’d never done before–taking a tokkyu (special limited-express) train home on the night of the party. The particular train that would be suitable for his route is available only on weekday mornings and nights and is called the Ome (operating between Tokyo Station and the often confused Ome Station). It began operation in 2019 alongside a similar limited-express train called the Hachioji. Both of the trains run nonstop from Shinjuku Station to Tachikawa Station, where passengers can then get off and transfer if they need to or remain on board until the final destination.

On the day of the nomikai, Ahiruneko reserved a seat on the last Ome train of the night at 10:30 p.m through JR East’s online system Eki-Net. The limited express/seat reservation fare (which included a small ticketless discount) came to 660 yen (US$4.50), which was then added to the basic ticket fare. Now, some readers may question why he bought the ticket so far in advance instead of last minute, since that would presumably put a damper on the party fun. The nomikai was to be held in the vicinity of the SoraNews24 office in the Shinjuku area beginning at 7 p.m., and in all likelihood it wouldn’t be over by the time he had to leave. Sure, it might be a bit of a bummer to have to leave early, but as Ahiruneko eventually met his colleagues and got caught up in a whirlwind of laugher, drinks, and small bites, he was struck by a new realization.

Even though Ahiruneko was having an absolute blast with everyone…

…the little voice in the back of his head that kept saying “I’ve got a train to catch at 10:30 p.m.” caused him to maintain a certain level of soberness and keep his senses about him. On any other night, Ahiruneko would never turn down an invitation to drink one more glass, but this night was different. This time, he had a reserved seat waiting for him.

▼ In other words, it was the ultimate strategy to prevent overdrinking.

And so, when the time came, he bade farewell to his colleagues and hurried down the street to Shinjuku Station.

A quick scan of the digital signboards showed that his Ome train was leaving from Track 10.

Before entering the ticket gates, he wanted to swing by the New Days convenience store for a reason that he’d reveal in a bit.

Ahiruneko has been using Shinjuku Station since his student days, but he had never actually been up to the platform between Tracks 9 and 10. The staircase was also super empty compared to the other ones.

The same went for the platform, at least compared to the opposite side.

However, it started getting a little more crowded as the departure time neared.

As the train rolled into the station, he noticed that there were far more more empty seats than not on its way from Tokyo Station.

Once it was time to get on and find his seat, he noticed that the train was fairly full, but not to the extent that most people had someone sitting next to them. If he had to sum it up in one word, it was comfortable.

As far as he could see, most people seemed to be alone, and the inside of the car was very quiet. This might have been the first time in his life that he was on such a peaceful train ride home after a nomikai.

As soon as the train started rolling, his ears were met with a chorus of drink cans popping open. He thought that they must be people about to kick back and relax on their way home from a long day of work. In fact, he decided to join them with his earlier purchase at New Days, and pulled out a Suntory Highball. Cheers for a second time tonight!

It was truly a perfect setup. Since he’d known that he’d have a reserved seat waiting for him, he could buy a drink earlier with no worries. It would also take the edge off him feeling like he hadn’t fully imbibed at the party.

He had been a little worried about what might happen if he became sleepy before the train, but that turned out to be no cause for fear. The unusual feeling of being on the limited-express train at night, coupled with the novelty of the whole situation, kept him from getting sleepy. Rather, he felt downright invincible.

▼ If possible, he would have stuck his head out of a [non-existent] sunroof and screamed, “Special express trains are the beeeeeest!!!”

Shortly after that Ome train daydream, he was startled to hear the announcer state that they’d be pulling into Tachikawa Station shortly. He was shocked at how fast the ride had been up until this point–only 28 minutes, to be precise. It was a far cry from the tightly packed, standing-room only chaos of riding the the regular Chuo Line to this same destination. He hadn’t even finished his drink yet, but many others were starting to stand up and gather their things.

Unfortunately, he would have to join them. He gulped down the rest of his drink and dunked it in the nearest recycling bin. From here he would ride the local Ome Line all the way back to his local station, but this leg of the ride was usually not that crowded. The next train would arrive in about 10 minutes.

▼ Ome Line noted in green below

While Ahiruneko usually dreads the train-ride home after a nomikai, this new route conversely left him feeling refreshed and energized, and he encourages anyone else who has access to a limited-express train as an option at least part of the way home to spring for that one. He doesn’t think he can ever go back to the previous Ahiruneko that he was before this experience. Next time, he also knows he’ll have to be a little faster about consuming any drinks or food he brings on board–or perhaps save the convenience store run for later in the night.

All images © SoraNews24
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