I don't often use the subway (or Metro as it is also known here) at peak times. All those stories of men in white gloves shoving passengers into cars to get as many on as possible seemed rather unbelievable. I mean, the Japanese are so particular about their own personal space and anyway, they have pretty strict health and safety rules, don't they?
Well, yesterday saw me boarding a train on the Yamanote Line (the equivalent of the Cirlce Line in London) at just after 9.00 am. It isn't peak time as the Japanese start work late (and finish even later) but the station was busy which, given that the trains run every 3 minutes, was a bit of a shock to my system. I found THE spot to stand and waited. The train appeared. Hmm, I thought, this will be tricky - the carriages were already jammed with some faces pressed up against the window with their noses squashed against the glass.
Fortunately, Shibuya Station is a real hub for transport and some people got off the train, so that allowed a very few to get on. The aforementioned man in white gloves was hovering at the ready, but, as always here, there is a protocol. To get into an already packed train, you turn around, very much like getting into a lift. You then push yourself back against the people standing at the front - not needing to make eye contact (and this is the secret), they simply have to move backwards. This means the person at the very back - standing against the doors on the opposite side are then pressed against the glass but you have a space and you can begin your journey. If by any chance some of your belongings (or body parts) hang outside the door then this is the point at which the man in white gloves becomes your best friend and he will ensure you are all aboard before the train moves off!
I was staying on the train for five stops. This meant that by the time I needed to get off, I was the one at the back with my nose pressed against the glass. Of course, this is all very well if the train is absolutely packed because even though you cannot hold on to anything to keep you stable, your fellow travellers keep you upright. In fact at one point I got a fit of the giggles. As we rounded a bend the whole train shuffled first one way and then the other - very much like penguins on an iceflow. It really was a ridiculous sight as we all tried so hard to preserve the personal space rule. It's totally impossible, of course, and you do get to know everyone around you very well indeed. The real danger comes when the carriage has one or two spaces; THEN you are in trouble as you move so much further and there is nothing to stop your rolling except the next person upon whom you trample!
You learn a lot about physics. The safest way to stand on a moving train is across the middle, facing the direction in which you are travelling. You can balance much more efficiently in this position. More advice? Don't wear three inch heels and don't ,whatever you do, carry a backpack on your back - take it off and put it on the floor beween your feet. One final bit of advice - turn your phone off - if it rings there is absolutely no way you will be able to reach it and the Japanese do not take kindly to a mobile phone ringing out! There is a lot of sighing and sucking of teeth! (No, it wasn't my phone thank goodness and it belonged to a Japanese businessman!)
Nine o'clock is not a good time to be moving in Tokyo but it was an experience not to be forgotten. I'll stick to the bus or to moving around after 11 - you usually get a seat that way!
