Japan
FOTO FRIDAY: THE YAMANOTE LINE IN TOKYO, JAPAN
Every Friday I’ll be sharing a photo from someplace in my travels.
This week’s photo is of the busy Yamanote Line in Tokyo, Japan.
People often joke about the crowdedness of Tokyo trains.
There are all these visions of people being pushed on by conductors and the so-called “train pushers”. While that does still happen on occasion, it is not exactly the norm. Most trains would never even get that crowded, except for maybe the Yamanote Line. Tokyo’s most important train, it loops around the main downtown area connecting all of the major urban centers. For most people working, or even just visiting, in Tokyo, this is the only train you’ll ever need.
Passengers line up orderly, all awaiting the next train. Everything seems calm and organized, until the next train arrives. It is then that the chaos begins as people start trying to push and squeeze themselves into non-existing space. The train conductor watches, giving it a few mere seconds before closing the door, and if anything gets caught in the door, it’s about to be dragged to the next station.
