This picture shows the inside of the typical train car in Tokyo. It looks rather spacious against any other small things in this country, doesn't it? Of course, there is a reason for this spaciousness which is very urgent and pitiful. This large floor and long seats set along the wall are designed so that it can carry passengers as many as possible at one time. It might be incredible but this car is filled with passengers more than its capacity every morning and evening. Especially during the rush hours, extra station staff appears to crowd passengers into the car and railroad crossings are closed by those frequent trains. I remember someone described this scene as a slave ship in the present world. The more miserable thing is that most of the passengers have to be packed for more than one hour by twice every day. As they have no room to spread a newspaper, various electronic gadgets were invented such as a Walkman or a cellphone with digital television, but I don't think it is an essential solution. We all have to change our life style and the Internet can be the help to some degree. Do they really have to go to company everyday?

Comments