Japanese Train Stations

Trains play an integral part of Japanese life, much more so than in most countries. A matter of demographics, there is just simply too many people crammed into to small an area to make driving - except on weekends - remotely optional. To this, I offer some criteria that determines the worth of a train station.

1. Raised view from platform. View must be appropriately Japanese Blade Runner dystopian, concrete, bright commercial lights futuristic orgy of pleasure and loneliness; or, simple elegant, green, volcanic, Nippon beauty reaching back to simpler times. Concrete overload or sparse aestheticism. Almost any station on the Kansai Hanshin Line represents the former and Yamadera Station represents the latter. JR Kyoto Station is an interesting mix of both.






2. At least a single copy of the International Herald Tribune. The IHT is an international edition of the New York Times with some minor Japanese coverage. No offense to English translations of Jpn's newspapers, but you just can't compete with reading a NYT so far away from its original home. Really makes you feel international. Goes great with a cold convenience store beer on a warm slightly less crowded than usual train.


3. The right kind of people. Short-legged, overly made-up girls can be perfect; not too many as they are noisy and I'm easily intimidated. One classy, long-legged NHK type girl. Only one though because they are high-class and I'm easily intimidated. Also, some uber-curious big headed Japanese three year olds are a must. They look like little ridiculous grown-ups. The more of them, the merrier. Plus, they have a grand look of joy because they know not the System that will eat them up. Potentially, at this point they could have the sunny disposition of a Thai or Italian, though we know with time, this is not to be.








4. No crazy homeless guys inside the station. Though outside the station these same people if not obstructing the stairs add a bit of charm.





5. Though this is not essential, it is helpful if one can see the large glowing lights of an all-you-can-eat tabehodai restuarant from the platform or within a 10 second range of departing or arriving at a station. These signs flag an area as worthy of future exploration. Even if the town around the station sucks, an intense session at an all-you-can-eat place can be very satisfying.