Japanese Life – Japan Episode 6

By C.I. Sivasubramanian
Aged 96, Retired Director, Ministry of Commerce, New Delhi

Introduction by Venkat
This comes after a huge gap since the last episode on Japan and in general in the publication work itself. Yet the wait is worth the patience as Mr. Sivasubramanian mesmerizes us with another wonderful descriptive imagery on Japanese life. In this episode he takes us through the railway services in Japan with particular focus on two stations, an overview of the railway network and some key places of interest around Tokyo region. In his usual lively pace, he takes us through the Japanese way of life spruced with interesting parallels to the Indian ways. Looking forward to the next one which will take us through an actual train ride in Japan!

Japanese Trains & Stations – Japan Episode 6

Train services in Japan are fantastic. So also Railway stations. Japan has one of the most elaborate railway network, covering the whole of the 7000 and odd islands in the country. The trains are reported to be punctual. The railways help workers reach their workplace in time. As I said earlier workers are required to be punctual to office or they are punished, no leniency is shown. Train services play an important function in this connection as most workers depend on railways to commute to work. ‘Shinkansen’ that is Japanese for bullet trains, especially carry officegoers fast and in time. The charges are very heavy, ordinary passengers cannot afford the price. I am informed that the offices and other organisations subsidise the price to make it easier for officegoers to use this train. I shall give more information on bullet trains a little later. But now we revert to Railway stations.

Like parks, Railway stations in Japan have to be seen to be believed. Some are so huge that we may easily lose our way. One such station is Shinjuku station –This Station is reputed to be the largest and busiest station in Tokyo, and some say, in the world! It is a junction where several subway and JR (Japan Rail) trains meet. We went to the station by walk as it is just a km or so away from the house. We have to go through a big thoroughfare — Shinjuku dori (street), on both sides of which are located large department stores, restaurants and shops of various kinds. There are also pavement shops dotted along the line. It is one of the famous shopping centres, which turns into an amusement centre in the night.

The station as I said is a huge one, covering l km square. It has an underground city so large that you tend to lose your way. There are moving platforms (travellators) for more than half a km which transport people who cannot walk long distances or who are tired of walking. There are information booths to help people find their way. There are passengers, (I learn that more than 3 million commuters take train in a day at this station!) visitors like us, young and old, and shoppers – there are any number of shops and restaurants within the station precincts and Japanese officegoers often pick up their breakfast packs and dinner boxes from these shops on their way to and from work.

Shinjuku Railway Station

Just outside the station, there were a large number of skyscrapers, a mini Manhattan. The tallest tower is the Tokyo Metropolitan tower (twin towers) which has 45 floors and rises to 243 meters. There is an observation deck from where we viewed the whole of Tokyo and beyond. I am told that on a clear day we could see even Mt. Fuji, which is l20 km or so away. I am talking of Mt. Fuji often as it is not only the most revered mountain but most elusive too! – most of the time it is covered by clouds.

Tokyo Metropolitan Tower

The beauty of Tokyo is wherever you turn you see greenery and flowers. They have a knack of arranging flowers. Even the towers are of different sizes and shapes and show the Japanese architectural skill and art. They are built with care to absorb earthquake shocks. You know Japan is affected by frequent earthquakes. Close to the Shinjuku station is Kabukicho, a nightspot, famous all over Tokyo. Shibuya station – We went to Shibuya station especially to see the memorial built for a dog called Hachiko in the complex of the station. One day, my grandson said that he had read in III or IV class about a faithful dog named ‘Hachiko’, which had been immortalised in Tokyo and wanted to see the memorial, built for it. We all went there and took pictures alongside the dog. (Unfortunately I am not able to retrieve those pictures now at this distant point of time.) It is said that for years Hachiko met his master there each night and after the master’s death in 1925 the loyal pet continued to wait patiently beside the station door until the last train arrived. The statue was built after his death with contributions from all over Japan.

Hachiko the Faithful

Shibuya

Shibuya is another big station in Tokyo. I have not gone inside but around the station there were very tall buildings, department stores, eateries and a variety of other shops. The station and its surroundings looked a mini city by itself. In one corner, there was a restaurant, which specialised in serving whale meat only. In a shop close by, they sold snakes and snake products, not for eating but for medicinal (aphrodisiac) purposes. Snakes and raw fish are in fact eaten in this part of the globe, as horsemeat in Iran. It is difficult to imagine the types of meat eaten in many parts of the world but who are we to complain? It depends on the availability of grains and vegetables, animals and fish; environment; custom, religion and other practices.

Train rides

After the Railway stations let me take you on a ride in Japan railways. Train ride in Tokyo by itself is an experience. Tickets are sold not by the counter clerks but by vending machines installed outside the station. As you insert your ticket at the slot the gates open up automatically and close as you come out. The doors of the trains also open and close automatically. (Actually, this is controlled by the conductor who operates a switch to open or shut the doors.) The platforms and the trains are very clean and neat. There is a special zone in the platform for smokers. People do not smoke outside this zone or in the train. The commuters talk in low tones and some of them take a quick nap while they ride. The trains go fast. There is one line which goes round Tokyo (Yamonote line) (like the ring railway in Delhi), while the other lines go to distant destinations.

The Japanese show leniency towards foreign travelers. They can purchase JR (Japan Railway) passes valid for one week or two weeks at a greatly concessional rate. We got such tickets at Delhi and were fortunate to travel in Bullet trains and covered quite a distance – north to south and east to west – in a short period of one week – details follow in the next chapter. The Japanese archipelago is over 3000 km long. It is narrow and no point in Japan is more than 150 km from the sea. It is remarkable the railway network covers almost all islands in the nation.

To be continued…

By C.I. Sivasubramanian
Aged 96, Retired Director, Ministry of Commerce, New Delhi

Mr. Sivasubramanian hails from Coimbatore. He has been living in Delhi throughout life. He was employed with the Government of India, Ministry of Commerce and retired as Director in 1986.

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