06/02/2002   English German
  Edition # 40  
San Francisco, 06-02-2002

Train station in Tokyo
Figure [1]: S-Bahn station Shinjuku in Tokyo

Angelika Before we set off for Tokyo, we read horror stories about the crowds, especially in the subway and train stations and the trains themselves. Of course, with 12 million inhabitants, we weren't surprised to generally move in a throng of people.

But everything is running quite disciplined and orderly, so the many people don't really bother you, and we made sure to avoid rush hour. In the stations, arrows showed us which side to go up and down the stairs. The whole system is very cleverly designed, as there is a barrier in the middle of the stairs, but it's not exactly in the center, taking into account that largers crowds are rushing to the stairs when a train arrives. In Japan, by the way, people go up and down the stairs on the left side due to the prevailing left-hand traffic. It is advisable to follow the arrows during peak times. I once didn't, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't get back to the correct side.

Figure [2]: Marked areas for going up and down

The Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, a combination of a train and subway station, channels up to 2 million people daily, making the Munich Central Station seem tiny in comparison. There are 60 exits, a labyrinth of underground passages, department stores, and restaurants. It's completely crazy: like an anthill. There's hustle and bustle everywhere.

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