Every year the Japanese travel over 260 billion kilometers using trains. Meanwhile, Americans travel just 10 billion miles a year, even though they have a larger population and country. In this article we will see some curiosities about trains in Japan.
Japan has over 20,000 km of railway lines, the train is the easiest way to get around Japan. Trains transformed Japanese culture in many ways and also dramatically improved the quality of life in Japan.
Did you know? There are stamps to collect in Japan's train stations. Click to find out more...
Table of Content
Benefits of using trains in Japan
Trains in Japan are used more than cars, as they are much more practical and bring numerous benefits such as:
- Health assistance - The person should walk to the train station;
- Free of charge - Many companies tend to cover all expenses with a pass;
- Safety - There is no danger of a car hitting yours;
- Punctuality - Trains in 日本 are super punctual, delays are in seconds and they still apologize;
- No traffic jams - You won't have any problems with traffic;
- Professionalism - Customer service is the priority, all stations organized, staff uniformed;
- Nightlife - Thanks to the trains, having a fun night becomes easier;
- Read and study - On the trains, you have the freedom to read and study and even sleep;
- Urban landscapes - You will have a much more enjoyable ride;
- Environment - Trains pollute less and use less energy than cars;
- Transportation - Thanks to the trains, it is possible to travel across the country in just a few hours;
Shinkansen - Bullet train in Japan
The famous bullet train called shinkansen [新幹線] in Japanese, is the fastest and safest transport in the world. They generally operate at a speed of up to 320 km/h.
Since its opening in 1964 there has never been a serious accident involving rail derailment or the like. Some of these bullet trains have traveled far enough to land 30,000 times.
Currently, the shinkansen system spans more than 2,397 kilometers, connecting all of Japan. Japanese bullet trains are comfortable and quiet, almost like an airplane on rails.
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Oshiya - Pushing people on trains
In some places at peak times, trains in Japan are full, and people have to be pushed to fit them on the train. There are officials who do just that, and they are called Oshiya [押し屋].
You can also push people when you are boarding or even inside the train, but it should be gently, using your body and not your hands, and only do this when necessary, as depending on the situation, they may consider harassment.
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Japanese train decoration
Some trains in Japan are decorated with characters from anime and manga, sometimes even the stations so in the decoration mood. There are really countless trains and photos spread over the internet, which could make an article just with these photos.
The trains are also full of advertisements, depending on the location they can have different colors and designs. Some are colorful and flashy, others receive diverse local advertising.
We recommend reading: Train Melody: Exploring Train Jingles in Japan
Train Stations in Japan
To end the article, I will leave a video of our daily Japan channel, showing how the trains and stations are.
We recommend reading: How to catch a train in Japan