lifestyle

Train operator sets up special seating for couples

15 Comments
By Casey Baseel

In plenty of situations, Japan’s reliance on public transportation is a life-saver. Need some extra time to study for that test in first period? Pull out your notebook and review on the train to school. Had a few drinks too many? Park yourself in a seat on the subway, take a 30-minute nap, and arrive at the station with just enough power to walk home and get your key in the door.

Now, a railway in Chiba Prefecture is looking to give a hand not just to procrastinating students and heavy drinkers (who are, of course, often one and the same), but to young lovers, too, with its special priority seats for couples. That’s right, singletons, you just got one more reason to hate clingy couples.

On most Japanese trains, the bench seats in the corner of each car are designated as "courtesy" or "priority" seats. While technically anyone can sit in them, passengers are asked to give priority to the elderly, injured, or people travelling with small children and relinquish the seat as soon as someone more in need steps on board.

Rail operator Ryutetsu is still earmarking 75% of its corner seats for such groups, but starting April 1 the company has also been designating one corner seat in each of the five cars in its trains as being for couples.

The special seats can be found on trains running along the Nagareyama Line, which connects Nagareyama and Mabashi Stations, located respectively in the cities of Nagareyama and Matsudo. Both towns are low-key communities in relatively quiet Chiba Prefecture, and neither one is exactly what you’d call a hot date spot. This makes Ryutetsu’s choice of promotion a little surprising, until you remember that Nagareyama is also the city where couples (or even lonely individuals) can officially register their feelings of affection.

Over 4,000 "koitodoke" were submitted in the first month since the forms became available. The romantic paperwork is part of a local publicity effort playing up Nagareyama being the filming location for upcoming romance movie "Momoso, Kochi wo Muite," which comes out May 10.

In addition to the scenes which take place in the town itself, Ryutetsu trains and stations also appear in the film, which led to the rail operators idea to decorate one bench seat (which naturally seats two people) in each car with romantic images. Each car features different decorations, such as samples of the "koitodoke," the high school uniforms worn by the movie’s main characters, and a blackboard scribbled with romantic messages.

The seats are officially known as the "koitodoke" seats, and Ryutetsu is betting they’ll give a boost to local tourism. “We’re hoping couples will sit in them as they make the rounds of the places where the movie was filmed,” said Ryutetsu Rail Division Deputy Manager Koji Kitahara.

The "koitodoke" seats will only be around until the end of May, though, so if you’ve got your eye on someone but you’ve been dragging your feet about asking him or her out, you’d better get off your butt if you want to put it into one of these special seats.

Source: Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Japan Railways looking for love in all the weird places again with the Love Love Bench -- 42 reasons why we love riding the rails in Japan -- The trials and tribulations of giving your seat on a train to a Japanese senior citizen

© RocketNews24

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15 Comments
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You must be kidding! If passengers in the yellow priority seats already ignore those who really need them (the elderly, very pregnant, disabled, etc) what makes you think they'd give up their seats to a pair of young lovers?

In all fairness though, there have been many times when a person has changed their seat just so my wife and I could sit together on the train. Not always, but often enough.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

How do we prove a couple are lovers to each other?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Most ridiculous campaign ever.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The urusai obasans will just swoop in on them anyway, destroying all those in their path. Then we'll get a 30 min story of their trip to the supermarket for the entire train car to enjoy. Yeah, I live in Chiba. I know what it's like.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

@ sighclops - I feel your pain.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The tired father finding a seat for his tired daughter is going to make for an interesting picture.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I hope it applies to "all" couples.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I wonder:

Why this country has such tendency to segment people?

What kind of idiots come up with this crap?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Japan’s reliance on public transportation is a life-saver.

It certainly is.

So how come there is none in Okinawa?

No subways, no trains, an incomprehensible bus system that no one uses because it's quicker to walk and a pathetically short monorail.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Agree with CrazyJoe. My inflatable will be pleased.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Yech. I say, any two people or their inflatables or giant stuffed animals or pet lap dogs should sit on the throne of romance. Who is going to say no? Even ancient couple, as not only young people are in love, y'know. Not as picturesque, but no one is 19 forever.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Or better yet, why not teach people manners so no one "needs" a priority seat because people who were raised well will stand up and offer their seat to someone in need? A couple certainly doesn't "need" to sit together. The guy with the broke leg or the heavily pregnant woman, on the other hand, does.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

tmarie that's a great idea, the problem is that people always think they are better than someone. The other issue is with social responsibility which is forced upon Japanese society rather than encouraged. You must help clean the neighborhood because it's the rule, you must help clean up your child's school because it is the rule. If you don't you are looked down upon or fined.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Iso, I agree - which is why Japan drives me nuts with the "we're so polite, so friendly" when in fact, if its not in the rule book, it's not done. Serious issues with it if you ask me.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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