JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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In an OECD survey of 36 nations on people's perceptions of their living conditions, Japan ranked 21st in terms of quality of life; Australia, Norway and the U.S. were the top 3. What do you think of that?
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The Fukuoka mayor is banning public servants from drinking alcohol for a month; the Osaka mayor has declared war on tattoos on civil servants. What do you think of all this?
( 21 )
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Why do you think Facebook's stock failed to live up to the hype in its trading debut?
( 13 )
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Which sport, when played well, do you think is the most exciting to watch?
( 62 )
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What's the difference between an average burger and a great one?
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- Business Teaching Positions - Part-time - Kanto Region
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥3,000 ~ ¥5,000 / Hour
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- National Relief/Substitute Teacher - summer start
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥275,000 ~ ¥300,000 / Month
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- 営業パーソン
- 加治金属工業株式会社, Tochigi
- Salary: ¥240,000 ~ ¥350,000 / Month Negotiable
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67 Comments
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Dewaashita
I think they are very nice.
A suggestion, have a very visible chart guide on the walls, indicating the stations and proximity, like the Tube in London.
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aussiemac
No contest, Japan has the best
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some14some
Complicated, Costly but Convenient if you are not a visitor !
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noborito
Aussiemac, Sorry.... Singapore's MRT are awesome. On Time, Air conditioned, escalators, and cheap. Japan's No Air conditioned in Japan, lack of escalators at the stations I personally feel knock Japan out of the running for convenience. There is more than simply being mostly on time. (Which odakyu line has a serious trouble doing arriving 5 to 15 minutes late every morning and evening)
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patjs
Dewaashita, they do often have those charts with the order of the stations and the time in minutes it takes to get there. They are usually posted on a pillar on the platform. Problem is not all lines/companies do this. It's kind of hit and miss which is annoying. They help a lot if you are new to the area.
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american_bengoshi
Japan has the best subway and rail systems hands down, however some of the subway / rail lines need to run during the early morning hours. I can understand if they cannot offer 24 hour service, but some of the lines should run until 2:00 am or so.
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tokyonovice
They probably have the highest incidence of groping on them in the world. Not helped by probably the most flesh magazine advertisements hanging from the ceiling.
But they are quiet. I appreciate that when I'm trying to read my porn cartoons.
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hereandthere
perspective? if you live in the "inaka" your opinion may not be the same as those who only experience Tokyo...
overall quality of the trains is great, the shinkansen are awesome, schedules are kept and accidents are few... though suicides do interrupt a bit too often in Tokyo.
what other countries have similar size and population density similar to Japan?
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Dewaashita
"they do often have those charts with the order of the stations and the time in minutes it takes to get there. They are usually posted on a pillar on the platform. Problem is not all lines/companies do this. It's kind of hit and miss which is annoying. They help a lot if you are new to the area"
patjs--Thanks!
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CruzControl
Compared to New york it is heaven. And comparisons to Singapore is funny since my uncle has a ranch larger than that entire country.
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ilcub76
From my experience, Tokyo is great with trains coming every 3 minutes or so. However, in the countryside, if you live near a "local" train stop, there may only be 2-3 trains per hour, depending on the time of day.
Tokyo is also relatively cheap for train and subway transportation compared to the countryside. People who come to Kyushu are amazed at how much it costs to travel (even a 30-minute ride).
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kyushujoe
@ilcub76
So you might have to wait twenty or thirty minutes? Hardly a serious problem.
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Papigiulio
american benogshi agreed. They should run much later, especially since everybody zangyous until 2 or 3 am in the morning. That would be so great.
But yeah Japans rail system is the best for ME, I have heard however that the chinese one is just a little bit better, but havent used that one so I cant say.
what more can you ask for?
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MrDog
Very good. But, I wish they would STOP using the heating. In summertime, the AC is good, but in winter EVERYONE wears coats etc and they don't need any heating. It just makes the ride a thousand times more uncomfortable.
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Gurukun
MrDog, Thank you!! I thought it was just me! It's freakin' hot on the trains in winter.
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Pukey2
Certainly better than the West. My biggest complaint is the price - the standards, comfort, speed of trains and their frequencies are just as good in HK, Taiwan, China, Singapore and Korea, but these countries manage to offer them at a fraction of the price. High speed rail is expensive in Japan. And trains and stations in HK and Singapore are a lot cleaner than those in Japan, simply because eating and drinking are not allowed. Hell, you can't even bring a durian into the Singaporean subway. If you let people eat, they will. And the result - discarded bottles and packaging on the trains in Japan (as well as puke). I've had ojiisans dropping peanuts all over my feet, schoolgirls eat ramen next to me on my commute, and smell of junk food can be terrible.
They should make sure ALL trains have a list of the stations by the door. I've been on some trains in the Metropolis area which don't have them - probably more concerned about plastering the train with ads for extra revenue.
They can do more to improve it, but all in all, very convenient, with an extensive network, provided you're in the big cities and don't stay out too late. One good thing is that I don't ever remember a price hike in fares - something that happens EVERY year on the London Underground and British Rail.
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Disillusioned
The system in Tokyo is great, but the etiquette of many of the users is terrible. Why do so many people run and barge their way through the crowd to catch a train that comes every three minutes? It is ridiculous! - The only negative comment I would make about the train system in Tokyo is, many of the suburban stations do not have escalators or elevators, which needs to be addressed.
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ukguyjp
Compared to the UK - and every other country I have visited - Japan's system is superb. Prices on regular trains I think are very fair.
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gaijintraveller
Punctuality and cleanliness are good points. However, some trains companies, especially JR, seem to try to make travel in ordinary trains an unpleasant experience by continually bombarding you with noise. I believe JR is currently holding a competition between stations to see which one can play the most irritating sound to warn you the doors are going to close. When you are waiting for a train, maybe for 20 or 30 minutes in the countryside, it is impossible to find an even reasonably quiet place at many stations.
What is the point of a suburban train network? It should be to get people to work quicker. However, this is not what has happened. It has had such an effect on land prices that people have been priced out of city centres and forced people to live up to 100km from their place of work.
I have to wear earplugs whenever I travel on JR.
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asahi_man
Compared to the british underground or the tube it is light years ahead, travelling around london on the subway is a joke, old broken trains, lights go out, trains stop, rubbish & newspapers discarded everywhere and slow as all hell. Then the pakistani people get on with back packs making everyone nervous!!
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ReformedBasher
For those who say there are not many trains in the country, that fact that they have trains, compared to a lot of countries where there no trains at all (and I'm talking about 1st world countries) makes it no contest.
Actually some of the trains in the country are great from a travel point of view...
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papasmurfinjapan
Compared to Sydney... where to begin...
Generally on-time VS 5-20 minutes late
Clean VS Graffiti, slashed seats and bubble gum on the floor.
Safe (gropers aside) VS Fear of getting mugged when traveling late at night.
Quiet and fairly smooth ride VS screeching sounds and bumped around like a roller-coaster.
Audible announcements VS unintelligible garble.
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jam_sandwich
Tokyo is great, but Japan does not equal Tokyo... Trains in the countryside are messy, sometimes reek of shochu, and stations ridiculously cold in winter. The one thing I wish for are heaters either in the station, or on the platform, especially since trains only come once an hour. I mean, they have vending machines at every corner serving ice cold tea, why not divert some of that electricity to keeping people warm in the winter time?
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kokorocloud
It's one of the things I missed very much when I went back to America some two years ago. I think they're extremely convenient, clean, and I haven't really had a bad experience yet, save for some weirdos on the train (but you can't really fault JR for that, it could happen in any country). I agree that the Shinkansen is way too expensive though. If they made that a little cheaper, I would be travelling all the time.
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nalunui05
I have no other place to compare it with - since I basically drove all the time. The public transportation system (rails and subways) here are GREAT! I rant and rave about it all the time. Just a few things that they might want to consider:
1) Operating longer hours; from 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. 2) No need for the heater to be turned up high during winter months.
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nisegaijin
It's slow! Moscow Metro trains arrive every 40 seconds and zoom through tunnels at excess of 120km/h.
I also hate how there are always escalators and stairs going up and down all the time. Just have one long escalator to take you underground and that's it. How hard is it to dig straight line?
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Wakarimasen
Singapore and HK just as good, if not better. Too hot down in Metro. No Engrish signs.
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ronaldk
Timely and efficient. However the smell is awful; the salarymen constantly pass gas, and in the confined space it is horrible. Also, what is with the fans blowing down? Can't they make normal air conditioning. Also, they are entirely unfriendly to families. If one wants to take a small child to daycare in the morning--good luck! And get ready for some cold stares.
I rode Caltrain in SF for work in my prior life. It was slow and untimely, but once it arrived I had about 500 sq/ft to myself, could sit down on a double seat by myself, spread out and enjoy reading the Chronicle without ever being stared at once.
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Foxie
They are really great. I just wished they had more space for luggage.
@nisegaijin: Compared to Moscow's high-speed escalators, they feel like slow motion in Japan.
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jasperandy
Generally excellent, for comments on rudeness, barging or smell, you obviously have not ridden a subway in China then.
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BoratLikeBarry
@papasmurf - I dunno about "audible announcements" in Japan. Outside of Tokyo where you have the automated voice, train drivers are notorious for their incoherent mumbling.
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lostrune2
They need to be 24 hours. Life does not stop at midnight. The best parties happen "after hours," heheheh.
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Zenny11
Problem is with 24/7 operation those tracks and trains also need maintenance.
Had some good times after I couldn't go back home till the 1st train(here and overseas), would have missed those of the trains were running. ;)
Happy with the system here and found that the last trains/subways are scheduled in an outward method, so that you can get home.
Example: Last subway train will stop at a time that will allow you to catch a further outbound(last) train, etc.
Lets face it if you are inside the yamanote-line you could walk home or catch a taxi easily.
Picked up a few nice ladies while waiting for the 1st train, etc too.
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techall
I can only compare agains the Singapore MRT, and frankly MRT is cheaper, on time, clean, safer (gropers included), trains every 2 to 5 minutes. I rode the Yokohama subway system from Kamiooka to Shin Yokohama and just missed the train so had to wait more then 25 minutes for the next one.
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hoserfella
Can't agree with some posters who complain about there being not enough escalators. The only place u really need them are for the subways. Bit lazy, methinks..
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Zenny11
Lots of escalators and elevators now as stations been forced for some time to put them in(handicapped access). Granted many of them are badly situated due to existing station design.
Go back 14yrs ago and there were NONE.
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my2sense
overpriced indeed. Its like paying for a website and getting all the nasty spam too with ads. Shinkansen should be reduced to promote economic growth. I know its a long shot but safety could use improvement with the billions of yen pumped into it daily. I find myself a few times a month stuck somewhere due to "human damage".... Osaka is due for a new subway system but too much money goes missing. Yamanote has come a long way over the last 15 yrs yet still overpriced. Sg and HK had an IC system as far back as 2002 and most metro stops have walls of plexiglass. That said- its still a pioneer in many ways, like women only punk cars.
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my2sense
pink sorry...but you can keep the punk too and the funk. After 9PM its all funk.
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Pestronika
Subways and trains are great, and I have ridden them all over the country. My favorite, even over Singapore, HK, and all the other nice places.
I have no complaints except the lack of aircon in the station in Tokyo subway in the summer! The rest is great, though.
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Realistic
Ginza line scks! Poor air conditioning!
Overall Japan rail system is one of the best in the world.
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imacat
Excellent system and beautiful ladies traveling on the system. Perfect.
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eigokun
I nominate Oedo-line as is the worst Tokyo subway. Every station is like five levels below ground and the cars size are designed for midgets.
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Monkeyz
Still not enough elevators or escalators, and often they require you to go well out of your way to use them or search endlessly, such as in Ikebukuro Station. I agree that it's better than it used to be, but it still sucks. I live in Tokyo and my nearest JR station just has a lot of stairs. They don't even have those machines that lift the wheelchairs up. Just ... stairs. I especially love those stations that only have escalators going up or down but not both ways.
Not enough AC in summer, too much heat in winter, and turning the air off completely if it's between 15-23 degrees out, which means everyone on the train suffocates.
Train operators would rather speed up the train to unsafe levels than be a minute or two late to a terminal station.
Shinkansen are horribly overpriced.
Some well-traveled lines (Saikyo, for instance, and recently I rode a Hibiya line train as well) don't have the auto-announcements, and you must rely on the mumbler to tell you where you're going. If the train is packed, it's impossible to look out the window and you could miss your stop. On the Saikyo I once watched a guy wake up and wander to the door to stare out the window to try to figure out where he was. There was no sign to tell him, and it would be a few minutes before we reached Shibuya.
As for how this compares to other places, I have no clue. We have no trains where I'm from. I've ridden the L a few times in Chicago and it seemed a lot more convenient and way cheaper, but there were lots of pee-scented elevators and the span of it isn't really that great compared to Tokyo. Still, as someone who didn't live there I managed to go from my hotel to the airport without getting lost or having any problems. Can't say the same for Tokyo, where unless I use the N'ex I risk getting majorly lost.
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Badge213
The best. Aside from Suicides, trains are usually ON TIME in Japan. You're lucky to have a train on time following a real timetable in the part of America I am from. Also I find it to be more userfriendly in that, dual announcements, LCD screens that show station transfers etc.
The best part, "virtually" zero beggers/homeless people and husslers at Japanese train stations. I cannot tell you how many times when visiting home in America, some homeless person or crackhead hassling for money in the transit systems there.
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sillygirl
too hot in summer - very weak airconditioning too hot in fall - no air moving at all too hot in winter - the heaters blasing away esp. at the back of my legs too hot in spring - no air moving at all.
the trains run rather timely though.
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ambrosia
Horsefella: It's not a matter of laziness. Have you never seen the elderly, disabled or women well into their pregnancies struggling up flights of steps? Even people who are ill seriously or suffering from a nasty cold would benefit from more escalators, up and down ones. This is a country full of elderly people and not all of them are spry. Those that aren't shouldn't have to stay home because they can't make it up or down the stairs. And what's up with having up but not down escalators in many of the stations? Clearly the thinking of a young, self-involved man with no grandparents!
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techall
Excellent system and beautiful ladies traveling on the system. Perfect
I suppose you also enjoy the puke on the platform and in the cars, the half empty drink can rolling around depositig the remainder of their contents on the floor, the drunk salarymen who have a tendancy to use your sholder as a pillow. Not to mention being stuffed in the cars like sardines during rush hour.
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JeffLee
Clean, punctual, go everywhere. However, unbearably uncomfortable during rushhour. Singapore's is my all time fav. Bangkok's is awesome too. The individual seating in those systems feels like a luxury after Japan's bench-style seats, where people are squished together.
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GW
eigokun, the Oedo is the newest line, it HAD to go deeper to avoid all the other lines so a realistic shoganai on that one.
overal good with a few temp control problems others have pointed out.
The only BIG problems are the inhumane rush hours, poor value for money(massive problem throughout Jpn but hey we have to apy for all the bid rigging & kickbacks) & the stns that need to get those last few escalators/elevators
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Bazza
I think the Tokyo system is brilliant.
The trains are modern, wide, comfortable, cheap with an extensive system. You could spend your whole life there without having to use a car.
Stations also well-lit, well designed (Omote-sando!), and not threatening at all.
Finally, the people using them are clean and don't dump sweet papers, wrappers and uneaten food all over the place. UK trains have improved alot, but people using them are bloody dirty!
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Bazza
A bit too noisy though.
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hoserfella
ambrosia - nope, cause just about every station has an elevator for these people. The other 95% who have to huff and puff up 20 stairs? Cry me a river..
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Junnama
If you have babies and of course a stroller you have to plan which stations have platform to street elevators. Hiroo and kamiyacho don't for instance.
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aksksks
To Junnama: Yes? but, you can say that to almost all transit systems in the world, especially those built before 1980's.
Only 10% of whole NYC subway is accessible and all the accessible stations are outside of the core area. Transportation for London does better than MTA, but again, all the underground stations in the city centre are inaccessible (except for Waterloo and Westminster).
Tokyo's trains stations are better, in terms of accessibility, compared to NY or London. Nearly all overground stations are accessible and even on underground, if one station is inaccessible, usually the next or nearby stations are accessible. All new lines are 100% accessible, and even older rails are doing their best to solve the problems.
For an example, stations for Odakyu (built in 1927) with over 70 stations are now 100% accessible and also, Tokyu lines (built in 1922) with nearly 90 stations, are accessible except for two.
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jianadaren
Excellent system
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ambrosia
horsefella: It's true that they have elevators but they're usually in the middle of most platforms, which is not always the most convenient location for those who struggle, not to mention that some of the platforms are dangerously narrow, making it difficult for the elderly, infirm and disabled to get to them unless they've managed to situate themselves correctly on their arrival train. Besides that, some of the elevators won't hold more than 6 people, requiring long waits if you didn't manage to get it in time and on lines such as the Oedo require a lot of getting on an off as they rarely go straight up to the ticket floor. It's not moaning, it's simply a difficult reality for a lot of people who rely on the trains. Are they bad overall? No, absolutely not. Could the escalator system be improved? Yes, absolutely. I've seen more than a few elderly people tumble down the stairs that they no doubt took because of a lack of down-escalators and I'm sure they'd agree with me. People may be lazy and choose to take the escalators when they don't really need to but the reality is that you don't know why they're taking them unless you ask them. You don't know who's injured or not feeling well so there's really no need to be so smug about it. Walk up the steps if you like but try to have some sympathy for those who find them difficult. This is a rapidly aging country after all and it's going to soon enough have more, not fewer people who'll need to ride those escalators up and down.
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hoserfella
ambrosia- I think we've established the fact that old people need escalators and elevators. We've established the fact that there ARE escalators and elevators. Now you suggest that every train station (at enormous cost) in the land of the rising sun double their numbers, or rip out then widen existing ones? Because you saw a few people fall down? I think it's all a bit anal, wouldn't you agree?
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ambrosia
I'm suggesting more escalators going down and less judgement on your part. If that's anal, so be it. may you live long enough to need escalators.
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Junnama
Aks, I was responding to the post that said pretty much every station has elevators. That's simply not true. No other meaning :)
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whiskeysour
the rail systems are reliable and 90% on time.
The people on the other hand are annoying, non friendly type, and no manners or polite, people sleep to much on the train.
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BlackWidow
Is it just Chiyoda or other lines are equally crowded on Saturday mornings (10:30-ish)? No complaints except that you must share it with the badly mannered crowd. It's good to be able to commute quickly and mostly efficiently, but the human factor...a nightmare
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BlackWidow
which in fact is not very human..
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powsurfing
I think the Subways and rail systems are second to none in the world! But that doesn't mean its perfect. there is a lot they could improve on. -More wheelchair and Stroller access for starters. -Maybe a surcharge for Peak Rush Hour. -Late night train service! with surcharge of course. but that will never happen as the Taxi Union will not let that happen. -Find a way so no one can jump in front of incoming trains! The Japanese solution to preventing suicide by trains is to fine the Family of the deceased. that makes no sense.... -more SIGNS IN ENGLISH!
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sugamosumo
I like the culture of riding the trains here. Step on anyone at anytime just to literally save a second or two. No decent manners required yet the ironic thing is now we see those silly Tokyo Metro posters everywhere trying to show people what bad manners on the train is. No one cares!
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kurumazaka
Compared to NYC, Tokyo is clean, quiet and comfortable assuming you are not riding at rush hour. Agree with others that it is expensive and shuts down way too early. My guess is that the early shutdown was an intentional element of Japan Inc. With the nomikai culture here, if it were too easy to pull all-nighters then the workforce would always be destroyed by hangover or still drunk in the morning.
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BlackWidow
"badly mannered" = bad-mannered
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KSB1978
It's a lot better than a lot of places around the world. London tube is pretty good too.
Compare it to Sydney or Brisbane, the Japanese train system is a million times better. 2-3 trains in countryside? Australia only gets that even if you live in the metro area... and bus system here is absolute bollocks. National rail system? there is none...
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