By Elaine
I've been here for two weeks and am still learning my way around. Today's theme is the joys of Tokyo's trains & stations. I came here from London, which has a complex transport system, but I find Tokyo's even more perplexing. There are several different train operators in Tokyo, with different fares and tickets (you can get a full day pass that covers everything but unless you are going to do an awful lot of getting off and and and changing lines, it's not worth it, considering a single fare is often less than 200 yen).
The big department stores opened their own subway lines, with stations conveniently located in the basement of their stores (talk about bringing in the shoppers).
The fun started on Monday, a public holiday. My husband and I went out to Rainbow Town, a new development (on landfill!) in Tokyo Bay. They have a great elevated train, lots of futuristic buildings, and many interesting things to see and do (maritime museum, amusement park with the coolest ferris wheel I've ever seen, beaches, parks, sports facilities, and of course shops and restaurants). We got a day pass for this particular train line and kept hopping on and off to explore. Actually getting to the elevated train involved traveling through a maze of new construction to what looks like a warehouse (temporary ticket hall).
Tuesday I went to Shibuya to visit the language school where I will be studying. They said it would be a fifteen minute walk from the station. I allowed lots of time for getting lost. Good thing, because I think it took me about fifteen minutes to get out of the station at the right exit. It's one of several places where three or more lines intersect, and instead of combining the stations, they are three completely different stations, with department stores mixed in for good measure. While the basements of department stores are fascinating places (this is where the food halls are) when you're actually trying to get somewhere, it can be a bit of a distraction, not to mention that it slows things down a bit and makes it harder to find the exits. In reality, the walk (once I got out of the station) would only take fifteen minutes if one was wearing a kimono and geta (Japanese wooden sandals). Wearing trousers and sensible shoes and with my slightlyt longer legs, I made it in about half that time (propelled no doubt by fears of being late!). On the way back, I took a look around the transportation complex and concluded that my original route, as convoluted as it was, was indeed the correct one!
Wednesday was another adventure in train stations. This time Shinjuku. I'd been there with my husband only a week ago. I thought I had it all sussed out, but then I took a different route, on a different line and ended up in a completely different place! Thank heavens for the bilingual atlas. It has lots of helpful detail (such as the subway exits and the names of the department stores). In London, you navigate by pubs, but here it's department stores. Even so, it took some time to get to where I was going.
It took even longer to get back! I thought I'd be smart and take a different route - something that looked a bit more direct. Oops. It's not enough that the department stores built their own train lines. They also built connecting tunnels and passages (lined with shops and restaurants) to all the other nearby train stations. Then put helpful signs up that direct you to the other lines, via their shops! I think I spent an hour wandering around the Shinjuku area trying to find the right line (part of it was my fault, I got the lines mixed up). It was very hard work trying to ignore all the inticing displays. I'm sure I missed a few important signs while eyeballing the merchandise and food. By the time I got to the right place, it was rush hour and I was expecting to experience utter sardinehood. But I actually got a seat nearly all the way home! In fact it was less crowded than on the afternoon trip out!
All things considered, Tokyo' transportation system seems to be cleaner, more efiicient and certainly cheaper than London's. With a bit of practice and experience, it will become less confusing, I hope.
