“Intriguing, exotic, mind-blowing”! You just run out of words if it is your first experience coming to Japan: one of the coolest places on Earth. A tiring day at work seems glorified with the glittering streets, eye-catching malls, gigantic skyscrapers, luscious food and of course the public transportation- one of the best in the world.
Imagine driving a car every morning to work for two hours, only to know that you have to drive back home after a long, tiring day at work. To add to the woes narrow streets and jammed roads make the journey much exhausting. Such features are regular in most countries around the world, even in the developed ones. However, what makes Japan stand out is its remarkable public transportation system that is spread all across the country.
Most noteworthy is the complex train system, both inter-city and intra-city, that caters the needs of the majority people in the country, especially Tokyo. If you are a businessman, student, artist, housewife or casual fun-loving traveler, the trains and subways in Japan are the ideal choice. The JR (Japan Railways) covers all important destinations, while the other trains and subways reach out to specific routes in the city. Starting from a nominal charge of 130yen, the trains provide enough seats and cover for standing passengers. A day’s journey can be dynamic and eventful. Early morning experiences the “Rush Hour” with packed trains and passengers ready for a long day’s work. The afternoons are pleasant and less crowded with students going back home and working people travelling to get lunch. Evenings are amusing and the opposite of mornings; the people who were fresh in the morning, now wearily return to their homes. Nights again catch momentum, especially on weekends when mostly the young people get free from work and enjoy in clubs, shopping complexes or bars.
It’s cool how a train journey can enriches experiences. You often see two strangers starting a talk formally, only to realize they have a common friend; after all ‘It’s a small world’. They rest of their journey is full of laughter and beaming expressions which brings a smile to the ones around them. It’s fun to see some of the passengers sleeping while standing; while others enjoy reading manga or novels and make the most out of their time.
The amount of planning behind this infrastructure is cool and worth admiring; the trains literally leave no area in the city unattended. You just name an area and the trains would get you there! Yet another cool thing in Japan is the punctuality. If the schedule says a train would arrive at a certain time, it would definitely be there on time. This enables you to carry out your plans punctually with no time lags. Moreover, there are special seats reserved for pregnant women, mothers with small children and the old people. Considering the increasing foreign population, announcements are made both in Japanese and English. In short, the trains facilitate you in every way possible to make your journey comfortable, cool and safe.
However, it is not only the train journey that is full of experiences, the train stations are worth admiring too. Some of them have developed into huge shopping complexes with huge diversity of things for the passengers to choose from. It is said, a passenger can never go hungry out of a train station. Each station has a variety of restaurants which either catches your senses by the delicious aroma of food or the glittering ornamentation it possesses. You can enjoy an appetizing meal with your friends at the station and continue with your schedule.
But my friend, the journey doesn’t end here! In Japan, you don’t need reasons to smile; happiness embraces you at every spot. Just as you exit from a train station, there are public spaces with groups of people enjoying the moment. Some smoke, others cheer. But the ones who catch most attention are the casual musicians or dancers who are always successful to gather a mob and earn their applause. It actually gives you a grand welcome with music, cheers and joy all around as you exit the station.
And eventually you realize, “It’s not worth having a personal car and paying expensive parking tickets! The trains in Japan are cool and the experience to travel in them worth admiring!”
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