Tokyo's subway (Marièke POULAT)

One of the most known image of Japan, after the one of the temples, of the cherry blossom and of the Geishas, is the one of a crowded subway, with people entering and leaving it in waves. And, as it is often the case with clichés, this image is not so true. Indead, if Tokyo's subway is crowded during the rush-hours and Shinjuku station is the biggest subway station with more that 3 millions passengers in a day, it is possible to seat in the subway outside rush-hours and this
transportation doesn't mean a lot of lateness even if many people use it everyday.

Tokyo's subway during the rush-hours

(From Michael Fulvia, a photograph1)

This first cliché a little demystified, let's answer to the second question... Is it possible to use Tokyo's subway if we don't speak a single word of Japanese ? And the answer is... Yes. Most of the time. And this is thanks to a system well adapted to the foreigners, with, for instance, the presence of the name of each station and of each line in kanjis (Japanese characters imported from China and illegible) but with some romajis subtitles (romajis being the translation of Japanese characters in romans letters so you can understand them without an hesitation). Each line is distinguished by different colors and letters and each station has a number which let us know where it is located on the line and a music... That's why you will be able to hear the opening of Astroboy each time you will get off at Takadanobaba station, the district where this character has born the 7 th of april in 2003. Moreover, ticket machines can be put in English: you only have to push the « English » button on the screen... a button that, even if you can speak a little Japanese, you are always released to find... So, in the stations, it is easy enough to understand where you are. It is also quite easy to not lose yourself in the trains, where most of the time the name of the station where you are arriving is written on a screen in Kanjis and Romajis... even if there are still some lines where there isn't any screen and then, you will have to listen attentively to the voice which announces the stations or ask to your neighbour who will help you most of the time (See the little Lexico at the end of this
article).

Kanjis and Romajis on Hybia line

1 http://www.tuxboard.com/metro-de-tokyo-aux-heures-de-pointe/

So, yes. If you are able to understand how does the parisian subway work, you will be able to
understand the one of Tokyo... even if the system is quite different. Indead, there exist in Tokyo two different companies, a situation which creates sometimes some problems while you are transfering and most of the time when you have to pay. Indead, if you take two lines, and if each line is from a different companie, you will have to buy two different tickets... which is not really practical and quite expansive. The two companies are JR East and Tokyo Subway Metro. The first one holds the Yamanote Line, the biggest line in Tokyo which goes to most of the most important districts of the city (as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, Ueno or Ikebukuro...), and some lines going outside of the city, to Kamakura, for instance. On the other hand, Tokyo Subway Metro's lines are exclusively inside the city. To simplify everyday life of the subway's custommers the authorities are currently talking about a fusion for next year, but it is very hypothetical...

The different companies of Tokyo

For practical purposes, the passage from a company to another is only signifies by a portal, the lines being located in the same stations... However, it is very visible when you have to pay. The charge system of Tokyo's subway is also a little different from what we have in France as you have to pay for a distance and not for a lenght of time. That's why each station has is own price, indicated on maps located close to the ticket machines. To make the payment easier, it is also possible to buy a prepayed card. There exist two different ones: one is the Suica, sold by JR East, and the other one is the PASMO, sold by Tokyo Subway Metro. They both cost 500¥ (about 5€) and can be charged from 1000 to 10 000 ¥, but their use doesn't make the prices smaller. For most of the customers, there isn't any real difference between these two cards (as you can use them on both kinds of lines). The only difference which exists is about the monthly season ticket: if you want a season ticket for JR East's lines, you need the Suica, and if you want one for Tokyo Subway Metro's lines, you need a PASMO.

PASMO and SUICA

Finally, it is not so complicated to take the subway in Tokyo, even though the size of the stations can be scary at the first sight... To find the good exit can be epic the first time... An advice: you should think of checking the number of the closest exit to go to the place you want to go to avoid searching during too many time... And don't hesitate to ask to the station agents who wear an uniform and who are located at all the exits: they have maps of the subway and of Tokyo in English and they will be glad to be able to help you... even if most of them don't speak a single word of English...

However, please note that these informations are only valables for Tokyo's subway... Indead, I decided to visit some others places by train in Japan, and these adaptations for those who don't speak Japanese are not settle everywhere... and even close to Tokyo, as I was at only one hour from Tokyo. Moreover, the system of trains is a little complicated, with the Shinkansen, the Express trains, the Limited express trains or the local trains... which are all differents and which don't stop in the same stations. So, if you want to travel outside from Tokyo, you should well prepare your travel by writing all the names of the stations, of the directions and the lines, and if it is not enough, don't be afraid to ask to take the right train... to avoid to pay some extra fees because you took an Express train instead of a local one... (Yes, I did that...)

And, after all, you also came to Japan to prove to everyone that you were able to survive, don't
you ? So, enjoy your trip and, don't worry, even if you're lost in the biggest subway station of the world you will always find out your way !

Usefull Vocabulary ! (you should have the same in your guidebook -_-')
– きっぷ = Kippu = Ticket
– 駅 = えき = Eki = Station
– 北口 = Kitaguchi = North Exit
– 南口 = Minamiguchi = South Exit
– 東口 = Higashigushi = East Exit
– 西口 = Nishigushi = West Exit
→ Place は どこですか。= Place wa doko desu ka ? = Where is this place ?
→ Or, if you're lost: Where are we now ? Ima wa doko desu ka ? Or Koko wa doko desu ku ?