Expressways, trains, airports jammed as holiday return rush peaks

Sunday 16th August, 01:36 PM JST

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13 Comments

Disillusioned at 02:23 PM JST - 16th August

It feels good to be at home.
outofmydepth at 02:40 PM JST - 16th August

yes, sipping my coffee, reading the newspaper with only my small family around me. nice.
thepro at 04:47 PM JST - 16th August

Why do Japanese all take holidays at the same time?
wanderlust at 05:00 PM JST - 16th August

Back up only 8 kilometres? That's pretty good. Last time I came back from Kobe to Tokyo, the tail-back was around 120 km, and I ended up coming off the Tomei and taking the local roads.
tigerguy at 05:11 PM JST - 16th August

Because that's the only time their companies give them a long break off. It's a Japanese custom, only Japanese can understand. it looks so stressful for the parents of children...
noborito at 06:23 PM JST - 16th August

Wanderlust, I agree 8km is nothing. Last weekend it was 15km backup because of 1 accident. I expect they forgot a 0. 80km back up would be news worthy.
blvtzpk at 08:09 PM JST - 16th August

Why do Japanese all take holidays at the same time?

That would make an EXCELLENT question for Japan Today's 'Have You Say' corner - I imagine we'll see it asked in the coming year. ;)

Moderator: It was already asked last week.
blvtzpk at 08:11 PM JST - 16th August

Reserved seats on Tokyo-bound Shinkansen bullet trains were almost full, and the occupancy rate reached 120% for cars with unreserved seats on some of the Tokaido and Tohoku lines before noon.

You can basically cut and paste this for each holiday-rush period.
Badge213 at 09:11 PM JST - 16th August

Why do Japanese all take holidays at the same time?

Do you work on Christmas or New Years too?
UnagiDon at 11:26 PM JST - 16th August

The best time I visited Tokyo was during O-Bon, what a nice, relaxed place it was at that time...
herefornow at 05:39 AM JST - 17th August

Badge213 -- that's apples and oranges, and you know it. No, most foreigners don't work on Christmas or New Years, I know I don't. But I also know I take actual vacations other times during the year. Had one back in the spring, and I've got another one scheduled for right after the new "Silver Week" in September. The difference, as you know, is that most Japanese only take these holiday periods off, and almost never use their alloted vacation time.
Wakarimasen at 10:22 AM JST - 17th August

Tokyo was lovely this weekend. Roads quiet, shops not too packed. glad i wasn't out and about in the country....
flammenwerfer at 05:51 PM JST - 17th August

I took the back roads home, very scenic and much less crowded than the Kousoku. Plus got to truly see how much massive infrastructure ( dams, Tunnels, Massive Bridges, avalanche protection shutes etc) is built in the most out the way boondocky parts of Japan. Quite eye opening- better than a 5 kph crawl an a highway) Trains coming from the airport this afternoon were very packed with late returners