Siliconchef by Brian Richardson
Friday, April 19, 2002. 11:52AM
Odawara Station, JR Line.
I look up from my laptop as the train makes a sudden shift to the left. I wasn’t expecting our train to move, considering we’re stopped at a station taking on passengers. The bullet train passing us on the right doesn’t have to stop. The sleek white train sails through the station, riding on the center track away from the platform.
Bullet trains displace a lot of air at top speed. The push I felt was the breeze generated by the high speed train. I’ve been standing in a station when one of “super express” trains flies by … my ears popped. I have to remember to plug my ears every time I hear the high pitched whine approaching.
This is my third train of the day … well, fourth if you count the monorail within the Disney Resort complex. This train isn’t a bullet train, but it’s not a standard commuter train either. Unlike this morning’s commute into Tokyo, this train has assigned seats. I spent most of my morning commute standing. Good thing it only took an hour.
I spent my morning commute talking with an Intel employee, one of the many that came to IDF Japan. Like me, he was heading into the city for business meetings. Like me, he was carefully navigating the JR train system. I’ve figured out the fare system, which is simplified by the English route map at the Maihama station. The tricky part is making sure you’re not on one of the “limited express” trains they run throughout the day … it runs on the same line, but stops in fewer places. I’m sure it’s properly labeled, just not in the language of my choice. The “limited express” is nice, assuming it stops where you need it to.
My temporary companion and I get stuffed into the packed train with the rest of locals. This is the stereotypical Japanese commuting scene, a non-decsript subway car packed with well dressed business commuters. I think the phrase “stacked like firewood” applies here. It’s a safe way to travel … there’s no way in hell I can fall over with this many people wedged in beside me. After a few stops, the Intel guy realizes he’s probably missed his stop (it’s hard to see the signs in the station through the people between you and the door).
“Don’t worry,” I said, “there’s always another train.”
That’s one of my Japanese travel discoveries concerning travel. For me, there’s always another train. After my meeting today, I have at least one train back to Tokyo. My vacation day tomorrow will probably be filled with trains. Sunday is a break from the train … I’m taking a bus to the airport. In general, I know two things about Japanese trains:
(1) There’s usually room for one more person on any train (this is usually reinforced by the presence of a man whose job it is to stuff people into the trains at peak travel hours).
(2) There’s always another train (in case rule #1 doesn’t hold for you).
I look up at the moving sign as the train pulls out of the station … Welcome to the Shinkansen. This is the KOMADA express, bound for Shin-Osaka. … I watch the people file on and take their seats. There is always another train.
