The Trains
Whilst in Japan I spent a lot of time travelling around to clients which involved using the amazing train system. I’m not train spotter but you have to admire just how clean, efficient fast the trains are out here. Of course the most famous of all the Japanese trains is the bullet train or Shinkansen (which somewhat boringly just means “new trunk line”).



The bullet trains are very regular and spotlessly clean, most of the cars are reserved seating but there a few un-reserved as well. As well as the usual amenities they also have small smoking rooms every few cars so those with a proclivity for tobacco can crowd into them and puff to their hearts content. In general smokers seem well catered for in Japan, something not seen in Europe these days. I’m not a smoker (any more) but if I was I would feel pampered here.

Off to Tokyo


The bullet arrives


Onboard


More legroom than Y!


Now I have to say that I always considered us brits to be kings of the queue but I don’t think that even we would compete with the Japanese. While in the UK boarding a train is a complete scrum, here in Japan, neat queues form as you wait to get on. There is no barging or elbowing just quiet contemplation of the journey to come.



The train system, while being highly efficient, has a baffling ticketing system where if you are traveling on more than one train you get more than one ticket. The problem is that you have to use the tickets in the gates in what seems like completely random combinations, sometimes one ticket, sometimes two sometimes you get them back sometimes not. Again, without my Japanese colleagues I would have been lost.

One small ritual I loved on the trains was the rituals of the train staff. Whenever a member of staff, be they the many guards or the people pushing the food trolleys, entered or left the carriage they would greet everyone and bow. This was done whether they were checking tickets or just walking through to get to another carriage.