Railway fans are full of praise for this heartwarming display of thoughtful customer service.
For railway fans in Japan, few station sights are as nostalgic as the “patapata” departure board. Affectionately named after the “patapata” (Japanese onomatopoeia for a clattering sound) they made, these mechanical split-flap displays clattered away on station platforms as they flipped through destinations and departure times, creating a distinctive sound and mesmerising visual that became intrinsically tied to the daily commute.
Once a common sight on platforms in Tokyo, none remain in regular railway service in the Kanto region today, with Keikyu Railway removing the last board at Keikyu Kawasaki Station in February 2022 and replacing it with an LCD display. Rail enthusiasts were quick to express their sadness at the removal, which marked the end of an era for rail travel, but as it turns out, Keikyu loved the patapata boards so much that they did the unthinkable – they brought them back in digital form.
The so-called “digital patapata” recreates the look of the old destination boards, but is entirely digital. Instead of the static text seen on most modern-day departure boards, the destinations and train information flip into place just as they did on the original mechanical units, capturing the charm of a system many passengers thought had disappeared for good.
▼ The last split-flap board at Keikyu Kawasaki Station, before its removal.
The digital patapata quietly appeared in March 2025 on the concourse at Shinagawa’s Aomono-Yokocho Station as something of a trial run, where it acted as an information display. Shortly afterwards, Keikyu said it had received such an overwhelmingly positive response that it was considering expanding the concept to other stations.
Then, on 2 July, Keikyu Corporation unveiled a newly renovated departure information display on the platform at Kamiooka Station in Yokohama, marking the first digital patapata to be installed on a station platform, bringing it back to its original purpose as a departure display. Keikyu shared news of the installation on its official Twitter account with a video that immediately went viral, receiving over 2 million views in less than 24 hours.
The post above reads: “That famous ‘patapata’ has gone digital! From the first train on 2 July, the departure information displays at Kamiooka Station have been renewed. We’ve introduced a new ‘Digital Patapata’, inspired by the classic split-flap departure boards.”
The development caught many commuters by surprise, and people were quick to express their joy at seeing the retro patapata technology being revived in such a clever way, leaving comments like:
“In this age of efficiency, it’s truly wonderful to see a renovation that cherishes history like this. I’m so glad to be a Keikyu fan!”
“It’s amazing how it looks so realistic even digitally, without appearing unnatural.”
“As expected of Keikyu! I love that they don’t just focus on efficiency and cost!”
“Please give the technical department a bonus increase. I love it so much I could watch it forever!”
“The fact that it even plays the flapping sound is helpful because it makes it easy to tell when the sequence is progressing.”
“It’s not just about convenience – the way they’ve integrated digital technology in such a kind and user-friendly way is truly wonderful.”
“I want these to spread through the entire country!”
It really is heartwarming to see a railway company working hard to keep old-school traditions alive in new and innovative ways. Rather than attempting to recreate the old displays mechanically, which would be expensive and difficult to maintain, Keikyu has decided to embrace modern digital technology while still preserving the look and feel of the patapata that made them so beloved by passengers.
Here’s hoping other railway companies embrace the patapata revival by installing them at other stations too, so that one day we might be able to see them at a Shinkansen bullet train platform, for a real display of old-yet-new technology.
Source: Twitter/@keikyu_koho
Featured image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Keikyu
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