As a natural phenomenon loved by many, snow can be pretty cool. Unfortunately, in Tokyo, it’s often more like a wet, cold monster that ruins everything!
trains (Page 36)
The story of the lone schoolgirl and the country train that takes her to school every day is capturing hearts around the world.
New year, new bullet train as Japan Railway debuts its high-speed art gallery.
A metro operator set up a monitoring device and announcement system to single out individual commuters caught using their smartphones while walking near escalators or passing trains.
This pigeon got on the wrong train. What happens next is probably exactly would happen to any of us!
Chōshi Electric Railway gets an A for effort, even if they don’t quite nail the whole Christmas spirit thing…
Amidst talks that strengthened the ties between the two countries comes news that you will soon be able to ride a Shinkansen in India.
A Japanese train conductor’s final announcement aboard a train about to be transferred to Jakarta, Indonesia hit some passengers right in the feels.
What do you do when you want to draw a picture on your computer, but Paint just won’t cut it and you don’t have the money to invest in any software? You use Excel, of course!
After these passengers got stranded, they walked the rest of the way in such a precise line they practically became a train themselves.
Earlier this year, we shared news about a restaurant in Tokyo where you can dine between the train tracks of the busy Chuo Line. One of our Japanese-language reporters finally got the chance to visit the location for himself, and we’d like to share his thoughts about getting up close and personal with some trains!
Japan is famous for fast trains, but one new line crawls along at 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) per hour! Can the ultra-slow Snow Turtle save an endangered company?
For those times when the train is too crowded to keep your hands where everyone can see them.
Earlier this year, nearly 1,200 rail stations in Japan chose to ban the use of selfie sticks in reaction to the dangers of users not paying attention to their surroundings and the general nuisance caused by the photo-snapping peripherals in crowded areas. Now, East Japan Railways, Japan’s largest train operator, is taking aim at another problem: people walking through the station while staring at their smartphones instead of watching where they’re going.
But while you can ban selfie sticks and only ruffle the feathers of tourists and other leisure-oriented train passengers, millions of people rely on their smartphones during their daily commute to keep in touch with family, coworkers, and clients. So instead of prohibiting them, East Japan Railways has started a campaign to remind people not to use their smartphones while walking, and the reminder is so gentle that you can put it in your butt.
Japan’s public transportation network gets high marks for its punctuality and cleanliness. Not every ride on the rails is a pleasant one, though, because some lowlifes called chikan use the crowded conditions on commuter trains as cover to grope unsuspecting women.
Now, one high schooler and her mother have had enough, so they’ve started a crowdfunding campaign to design and distribute what ae essentially “Don’t touch!” signs for women to wear while taking the train.
With all the sights, sounds, and history Kyoto City has to offer, from the Golden Pavilion to the thousands of torii shrine gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine, most people forget that there is much more to Kyoto outside of the bustling capital city. Kyoto Prefecture actually reaches farther north, with its northernmost cities bordering the ocean on the Sea of Japan side, earning the area the nickname “Umi no Kyoto“, literally meaning “Kyoto of the Sea”.
For travelers looking to explore more than the usual tourist spots, there are trains departing from Kyoto Station which will take you for a scenic ride through the northern part of the prefecture to view other famous sites such as the beautiful Amanohashidate land bridge in Miyazu City. And now, Japan Railway (JR) has teamed up with a well-known designer to make the travel experience much more unique in this old-style Umi no Kyoto-themed train, set for departure soon!
Public transportation can be a cheap and convenient way to get around, but sometimes that means having to occasionally deal with rude strangers. For minor offenses, usually the best thing to do is ignore the situation and hope you’re not stuck with their unpleasant company your whole commute, but what happens when their behavior is so atrocious you and those around you can’t help but speak up?
In the best-case scenario, voicing your objection might urge them to re-think their actions, but for some, like this rowdy passenger captured on video in Shanghai, China, it may only serve to fuel their disorderly conduct.
A lot has been written about Japan’s incredible train culture. From carriages dressed up as anime characters to people who band together to rescue a fellow commuter, you don’t even have to get on a train to experience all the action; you can see it all first-hand from the platform itself.
That’s what one commuter found when they stumbled upon this little guy while waiting for the train in Japan. Caught on video, it shows an adventurous pigeon who doesn’t even flinch when the train arrives, instead walking up to the passenger doors, waiting for them to open and then hopping on board to find a seat.
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Monthly
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
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Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
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Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
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We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
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Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
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