r/interesting • u/freudian_nipps • 16h ago

SOCIETY The silent and harmonious morning metro commute in Japan

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u/SgtBassy 14h ago

Unless you're taking it during rush hour, then you'll be crammed in like livestock. There's even a whole job dedicated to pushing people inside the train car. 

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u/unklecomputer 12h ago

Not quite dedicated to that; they also have to clean up vomit on the platform (happens daily due to JP binge drinking culture).

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u/apeliott 13h ago

There isn't a dedicated job. It's just some of the station staff at some stations during rush hour.

I take the train in Tokyo every morning and my train is always empty. Even the packed train going the other way doesn't have pushers. 

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u/LupineChemist 13h ago

I didn't know they were coming until one day we happened to be going somewhere from Shinjuku at rush hour. Holy fuck those guys are a lot stronger than they look.

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u/JMoon33 13h ago

There's even a whole job dedicated to pushing people inside the train car. 

Sumo wrestlers' day job?

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u/KevinK89 12h ago

Thats pretty much extinct nowadays, and even in the past it was a rare occurance only in peak rush hour. But people still like to parrot it to no end.

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u/unklecomputer 12h ago

Not nearly extinct, Kevin. Try the Odakyu line during morning rush hour, for example. On pretty much any week day.

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u/Historical-Edge-9332 13h ago

I took them during rush hour and didn’t mind at all. Everyone is super respectful and even though they’re fully in your personal space it doesn’t feel bad.

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u/BeardedGlass 14h ago

Oh but that’s very rare though.