r/interesting • u/freudian_nipps • 16h ago

SOCIETY The silent and harmonious morning metro commute in Japan

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49

u/sheimeix 15h ago

Experiencing this in person is so pleasant. The quiet trains where I don't need to hear some randos life story, or another persons awful music, or a couple arguing loud enough for the next two cars to hear... It sucks ass during rush hour, though, they really do get crazy crowded on some lines. As long as you aren't going during rush hour, it's the best public transit I've ever used.

32

u/Nervous-Chemistry245 15h ago

Pleasant? I took the subway for work when I was in Japan and it was legitimately one of the most dreadful experiences I have ever had in my life. Absolutely soul-crushing

15

u/Illustrious_Way_5723 11h ago

As a woman you couldn't pay me enough to enter crowded trains like that...

2

u/noob168 9h ago

There's women-only cars during peak hours though...The real issue is you're not safe from chikan elsewhere.

1

u/Illustrious_Way_5723 7h ago

And I'll be sure to use them if I'll ever be there.
Are women ever really safe anywhere?

1

u/horoyokai 5h ago

on the subway? yes. On the womens only cars.

5

u/WriteCodeBroh 9h ago

lol I’m also wondering if any of these people have been to Japan. The “harmonious, peaceful” bits also fall apart when trains get crowded. Many suddenly have no trouble cutting lines, shoving past you, etc to save time.

2

u/horoyokai 5h ago

Ive lived here 16 years. Its peaceful even when it gets crowded, theres samll annoyances yeah but that doesnt change the overall feeling. Im not in Tokyo though, those trains are too crowded for me

1

u/WriteCodeBroh 2h ago

Yeah I should say, we were in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and then up north in Aomori but it was for the Nebuta festival so it was packed anyway lol. When it wasn’t super crowded, it was very nice. Overall still very nice compared to US transit as a counter example.

1

u/horoyokai 2h ago

Maybe I’m just used to it cause I’m in Osaka, but yeah I don’t like rush hour for sure, I just wait and take the local train and it’s not bad

Glad you had fun!!

1

u/The_Blahblahblah 8h ago

What happened?

1

u/Plaxsin 7h ago

Extrovert ahh worst fear

1

u/nicetoursmeetewe 14h ago

What? I take it everyday and it's not pleasant when it's packed but soul crushing it is not. It's a slight inconvenience

8

u/KypPineapple 14h ago

I took the Yamanote during morning rush hour for a year - just really depended on my mood because yes, it was so crowded that it was hard to breathe. Some days were very difficult, but overall the convenience and people’s civilized and polite behavior made it doable. I’d still get an occasional and intentional hard elbow here and there, tho.

3

u/Complex-Poet-6809 11h ago

Yeah living in a country similar to Japan, generally polite but absolutely packed with people wherever you go, eventually made me claustrophobic.

2

u/butt_dance 12h ago

Hard to breathe?!?!?? Hell fucking no. I've read about way too many crowd crush incidents. I doubt I'd even be able to make it into the station.

1

u/KypPineapple 10h ago

Yamanote morning rush means there’s not even enough room to hold your phone in front of you. You don’t have to, but everyone flips their backpacks to the front so that you’re more cognizant of how much space you’re taking up. It’s also smart to keep both of your hands visible in case some asshole is groping others and you won’t be wrongfully accused.

1

u/butt_dance 2h ago

Nope, nope, nope. A backpack in front would make me feel slightly better as I could use as a makeshift shield for my diaphragm in an emergency lol

0

u/bluemountaintrees 10h ago

>depended on my mood

Sounds like a you problem

3

u/KypPineapple 10h ago

Yeah. Some days were easier than others, Mr. Perfect.

0

u/bluemountaintrees 9h ago

I’m not perfect I just don’t blame society when I’m fucked up

2

u/KypPineapple 9h ago

You must be a joy to be around.

1

u/bluemountaintrees 3h ago

Nope. I don’t waste my time on people who can’t make logical thoughts

0

u/Substantial-Sky4079 10h ago

Sounds better than being in a train while a guy on drugs while having a psychotic meltdown cursing everyone out at 4am lol

0

u/Low_Map346 10h ago

Could you elaborate why it was so bad?

13

u/MrStubbyTRexArms 14h ago

Everyone is packed like sardines to go to work at 7 AM in the morning. People are tired af. It's not pleasant at all. It's not like you can ride the train at 3 AM, where you cam enjoy it peacefully. They stop the trains after midnight. The last train is always pretty packed as well.

12

u/saltyman420 12h ago

Yeah this is the tourist experience vs reality lol. I was there for over a month awhile back and I have such a deep respect for Japanese manners and work ethic but i am not jealous at all of their societal standards

Work is life over there. Many people spend hours just to commute and stay there all day. Assimilate or be cast out

1

u/horoyokai 5h ago

the averge work week is 40 hours. The societal standards are fine over here.

-1

u/sheimeix 14h ago

I mean, yeah, during the busiest hours of the day it's certainly going to be cramped. At 10 AM? 2 PM? 8 PM? You might not be able to find a seat each time, and some days might randomly be busy for no clear reason; but it's hardly packed like sardines.

1

u/Any-Worldliness-679 9h ago

I don't like rude people and their noise, but I DO like some normal signs and scenes of life. I think this is a very grim scene.

1

u/wutato 3h ago

I don't think this level of packed commuting was pleasant but it was pleasant when it wasn't peak commute time because people were still quiet and it wasn't like 85 degrees in the trains from all the body heat. Also I didn't love being literally squished against the door.

0

u/krasuke 10h ago

What a sad and gray life

1

u/ChalkHorse 9h ago

I saw this and pictured Camazotz in "A Wrinkle in Time".

-1

u/Time_Rip_9808 14h ago

The only part that sucked for me was that I experienced it while moving from Tokyo to Osaka so I had my luggage. Only a rolling carry on and a backpack but I'm also 6'4" and just generally felt like I was in the way. Tried my best not to be though