Riding the Tokyo train system requires three things:
Some of this...
...to load onto one of these...
..., and a good set of these!
...because the Tokyo train system is not for the feint hearted
Below is an image of what I believe is the inspiration for the Tokyo commuter rail system
Now here is an actual map of the system
See the resemblance?
I am currently on my fourth visit to Tokyo, but until now I have felt a bit cheated. I have never had time to do even a little sightseeing in this, the world's largest city. But this trip, I have an entire weekend free, and thanks to some advice and assistance from my coworkers here, I also have a plan, and this plan requires me to take the trains, because that is how one gets around in Tokyo.
First, a little stage-setting. Tokyo is huge. At 35 million people, it is by far the largest metropolitan area on earth (second place is a mere 20 million folks). Its like taking the entire state of California and compressing it into Connecticut. The population density is unreal. But for a city this size, the thing that struck me most on my first visit here was how few cars you see on the roads, and in fact, how small the highways are. The main expressways through the city are mostly 2 lanes in each direction. Hence, if everyone here tried to drive their own cars to work, I think you would see a pretty close approximation of what armageddon looks like. Most people commute around the city by train, and as the above map (and raman packet) suggests, the train system is quite capable, albeit a little intimidating
The intimidating part is twofold. First, it can be insanely crowded at peak times. Fortunately, today is a Saturday and it was only mildly insanely crowded in some stretches. And secondly, as the above map makes clear, it is very complex, and finding the right platform and train is not easy in some places. But it can be managed without speaking Japanese as many signs are in English too.
Anyhow, in the morning I hopped on the train at Tachikawa Station near my hotel and rode to Shinjuku Station, about 35 minutes away. It was a pleasant enough ride; apart from being packed at times so that you were firmly pressed against your neighbors, but that's Tokyo - buffers are not permitted.
Shinjuku Station, a major hub in the local transit system is listed in the Guinness Book as the world's busiest train station, and having seen it, I don't doubt this. 12 different train lines intersect here and 3.5 million passengers travel through this station every day across 36 platforms. I didn't dare try to stop and take a picture in the main walkways of the terminal for fear of being trampled to death, so I pulled this one off the web - clearly taken by someone braver than me
As I am on a lifelong quest to find a good Irish pub in every city on earth, and make no mistake - every city has at least one - I chose Shinjuku in part because there is a pub, The Dubliner not far from the station. I am pleased to report that it not only looked like the real thing, but they even had my favorite stout, Murphy's on tap, and it tasted just as smoky and rich as any I have had - properly poured.
After leaving the pub, I wandered the surrounding streets for a long while until it started to rain, after which I headed back to Tachikawa and the hotel. Here are some pictures of the Shinjuku area:
First, a little stage-setting. Tokyo is huge. At 35 million people, it is by far the largest metropolitan area on earth (second place is a mere 20 million folks). Its like taking the entire state of California and compressing it into Connecticut. The population density is unreal. But for a city this size, the thing that struck me most on my first visit here was how few cars you see on the roads, and in fact, how small the highways are. The main expressways through the city are mostly 2 lanes in each direction. Hence, if everyone here tried to drive their own cars to work, I think you would see a pretty close approximation of what armageddon looks like. Most people commute around the city by train, and as the above map (and raman packet) suggests, the train system is quite capable, albeit a little intimidating
 |
| Light Saturday traffic on the Chuo Line |
Anyhow, in the morning I hopped on the train at Tachikawa Station near my hotel and rode to Shinjuku Station, about 35 minutes away. It was a pleasant enough ride; apart from being packed at times so that you were firmly pressed against your neighbors, but that's Tokyo - buffers are not permitted.
Shinjuku Station, a major hub in the local transit system is listed in the Guinness Book as the world's busiest train station, and having seen it, I don't doubt this. 12 different train lines intersect here and 3.5 million passengers travel through this station every day across 36 platforms. I didn't dare try to stop and take a picture in the main walkways of the terminal for fear of being trampled to death, so I pulled this one off the web - clearly taken by someone braver than me
As I am on a lifelong quest to find a good Irish pub in every city on earth, and make no mistake - every city has at least one - I chose Shinjuku in part because there is a pub, The Dubliner not far from the station. I am pleased to report that it not only looked like the real thing, but they even had my favorite stout, Murphy's on tap, and it tasted just as smoky and rich as any I have had - properly poured.
After leaving the pub, I wandered the surrounding streets for a long while until it started to rain, after which I headed back to Tachikawa and the hotel. Here are some pictures of the Shinjuku area:
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