Yesterday was the last day for my friend in Tokyo, and we spent it heading into the centre of town to go shopping. Being in a big city for me has been a little overwhelming, and I’m already looking forward to going to my next destination which will be much quieter. However, it’s been a good experience. Obscurely enough, I learned a lot about the train lines in Japan, especially in Tokyo. At first it appears like a huge mess… colourful lines crossed all over each other like a child’s drawing on a freshly painted wall. But it’s a mess that works efficiently. When you come here and see how many people there are, how many different companies own different train lines and how many tracks operate during the day… you come to realise what an incredible achievement it is that this system runs every single day with minimal hiccups. The passengers follow the rules, the train companies work together to allow near seamless transitions between the lines and the drivers do their best to get to their destination safely and on time. Of course, the system is not perfect and it’s a high pressure environment, but I’ve seen much smaller cities do worse.
This occasion in Japan is very different to the previous times I’ve been here, because this time I organised everything on my own. I’ve learned the difference between JR lines and private railway lines, the booking systems for special trains and the best ways in which you can plan a journey. I am learning a lot everyday, and it’s giving me a bit of a headache… so that’s why I’d like to share my knowledge with you. If I could save you a bit of pain, then I’ll know that my effort hasn’t been only for myself. This is also almost a tribute to the successful implementation of such a complicated system, and of course it only includes what I know so far. If anything, it could help you understand and appreciate the scale of the rail system here, as well as how to use it a little better. If you’re not interested in travelling Japan by train… you may want to skip the next three paragraphs.
First of all, getting a JR pass in no way lets you use all the trains around Japan. The JR Pass is only useful if you plan to travel around the country and use regional lines. It can generally be used on the outer ring of Tokyo city, or any city in Japan including Osaka and Kyoto, but not always on the local metro lines within. If you plan to use the more expensive Shinkansen quite often, then a JR Pass could be for you… but take care to research the alternatives to the Nozomi and Mizuho lines (especially the former as it is a popular route of transport between the highly touristic cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Shizuoka, Kyoto and Osaka). There are luckily alternative lines like the Hikari and Kodama trains which take the same routes with only a few more stops.
For trains such as Shinkansen or Express trains like the Narita Express, you may be told that you need to reserve a ticket or a seat. This is not always true. On many Shinkansen lines, there are carriages for passengers without seat reservations and on some lines like the Narita Express or the Fuji Excursion, you can often just use your IC card (Pasmo or Suica), show your JR Pass or simply buy a ticket after getting on if there are vacant seats. So it’s a bit of a risk, but if you are in a hurry then a last minute ticket while on the train is possible.
With all the train companies in Japan, there are a number of possibilities available… it’s worth doing a little research before you make a trip somewhere, as multiple different train companies often take the same routes. It’s easy to be overwhelmed, but take a breath and do your research using JORUDAN which is one of the best route search applications for Japan out there. Tokyo is such a big city that there are multiple stations that service over 10 lines, and it takes over 30 minutes sometimes to get from one corner of the city centre to the other… and this doesn’t include the entire expanse of metropolis that is Tokyo city.
When you enter a big train station, such as Tokyo Main Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno… it’s easy to get lost within the signs, a mixture of English and Japanese, the sounds, the rushing people especially during peak hour and in summer, the suffocating heat. Beep, beep, beep… people enter and exit the gates in hoards, one wrong turn and you could find yourself facing a group of people all charging for the same train. Train stations are often linked with shopping centres as well, so on top of maps and directions leading you to train lines and exits, there is also signage to show you where certain shopping malls are located. To make it even more complicated JR machines and private rail company machines are different, so it’s also necessary to go to the correct machine if you need to buy a ticket.
Multiple voices try to speak to you at once in a Tokyo train station… don’t underestimate how much this can disorientate. But at the same time, know that it’s possible to remain calm and use it for your own purpose with ease. This last week, little me has had to navigate this massive network along with the other tourists and regular commuters. I’ve often gotten so consumed in finding my way, that I forget that sometimes locals have just as much difficulty navigating the large stations as I do. Sometimes I’ve freaked out, and worried too much about understanding how the system works… but that’s okay because these moments are part of learning as well. I’m not going to deprive myself of having a human moment, just because it may have been a little embarrassing. It is as a result of my entire experience that I’ve learned more on how to focus, how to harness concentration in a world full of distraction.
It starts with giving yourself permission to make a mistake, giving yourself time to explore and then following the clues while moving confidently ahead on the path you’ve chosen. Giving yourself time and space can help you to block out the voices of you don’t need to listen to, and look for the things which are going to help you get to where you need to go. Sometimes I wish that I was a little more like this in life. There are a number of different ways to achieve what you want, so you might as well choose the option which works for you the most and commit to it. For a number of years in my life I always had the habit of choosing the most difficult path. I thought that if I worked harder, it somehow made things better for me.
But that would be like choosing to walk for an hour in the torturous heat rather than take a short train journey. I end up at the same place, but in one version I’m very dehydrated and in pain… in the other version I’m energetic and still ready to take on the day. These days, I’ve changed my philosophy. It’s only worth taking on a challenge if you think it’s also going to be enjoyable in some way. Of course, life happens. Sometimes you may choose a train which has a sudden delay or perhaps it will be more crowded than you think… but the point is that you chose something you thought would be fun, so you have energy left to spare for moments unexpected.
Working the train systems in Japan has been more than just simply learning about the most economical way to travel around the country. It’s helped me answer questions about myself: what do I prioritise in life? How do I make choices? I’ve learned that I’m willing to take more time to get somewhere if the ride will be comfortable or the view will be beautiful along the way. I’m ready to pay a little extra if I know that the journey will give me more time to rest, help me breathe a little slower and get my thoughts together. I’m less willing to be stuck with only a little space or run between line transitions, although sometimes I accept that this is necessary and that the discomfort is temporary.
All that I have learned from train journeys inspires me to take a similar route in my life. I’m slowing down, seeking less thrills and finding more peace. And if I do go through a challenging period, I’m strong enough now to know that challenges have always been temporary and they always will be. Regardless of my level of worry, discomfort passes and I will finally welcome the arms of relief. Now, when anxiety arises, I know it’s not me – it’s just a passenger passing through, and all I need to do is wait for it to hop off at its destination.
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