The Tokyo Underground

TOKYO — Of all the things I was wondering about before my trip to Japan, one of my biggest questions was where I would live. When I received the address of the family that would be hosting me in Tokyo, I hastened to look up the area on a map and suddenly realized how big this place is. I am not a stranger to big cities and public transportation, but the map of the Tokyo subway system is intimidating to say the least.

It may have taken me a while to get my bearings, but once I did, I thoroughly began to enjoy the experience. It is during my daily commute that I feel most entrenched in Tokyo life, as commuting is an experience that all walks of life endure together. After a traditional breakfast of fish and salad, and a quick game or charades with my host family (in lieu of a conversation), I leave the house for the hour-long commute to Waseda University. While I am generally the most conspicuous rider, I find that I am the one who tends to stare at others, as the Tokyo metro is a central convergence of lifestyles.

The salarymen are those that I encounter most frequently during my morning commute. They tend to maintain stern expressions yet many have small charms on their cell phones, and read thick volumes of manga. Many a morning I find myself in the throng of school children, who travel en masse to school in their uniforms reminiscent of sailor suits. They are the most social of those riding the train as they excitedly discuss topics beyond my realm of comprehension.

With extremely limited facility in Japanese, I am also generally at a loss to understand advertisements. An occasional English word accompanied by a photo tends to indicate that cell phone providers and green tea producers frequent the walls of the Tokyo metro. Posters supporting the Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid have been a recent addition.

There are many practices unique to the Tokyo Metro. Trains are generally stuffed to bursting, yet at every stop people manage to push their way onto the train as those around them bang into each other like bowling pins with no space to tumble. Talking on a cell phone is strongly discouraged, however texting tends to be the favorite activity of most of the train riders. Tokyo commuters have also developed an uncanny ability to sleep standing up, somehow waking up just when the train reaches their station.

Perhaps the most amusing time to take the metro is very early on weekend mornings from Roppongi or Shibuya. These areas, generally known for their nightclubs, tend to produce an exhausted group of dressed up young people who close the clubs in the morning and then fall asleep on the platforms while waiting for the trains.

Occasionally I find stereotypes in action, as a middle-aged woman wearing a kimono is seated next to a young woman sporting blond hair, a short skirt, knee high socks and high heels. A pair of gentleman, who could only have been sumo wrestlers, also shared a train with me once. Judging from the amused reactions of those seated around me, I decided that this was an unusual sight.

Striking up conversations is not something I have observed to be a common practice on the Tokyo metro, but occasionally I find myself making friends. Sometimes kind people will stop to offer me directions when they notice me standing still and staring at signs. A college student woke me up one morning to make sure that I did not miss my stop. And a trendy man once inquired if I might be able to help him fix the buckle on his cowboy boot.

Although tourist attractions may have their merit, I have found commuting to be an indispensable experience. It is an activity that on the surface may seem mundane but continues to present new surprises. The Tokyo metro has given me an expansive look into the life of Tokyoites, and I never cease to be intrigued.

—Kerry A. Goodenow '11, a Crimson arts editor, is a resident of Winthrop House.