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Emergency drill “assailant” on Japanese train goes viral for being too good...
Stand-ins look genuinely scared when this man gets into character. One thing Japan excels at is preparedness training. Whether it’s using mascots to simulate an animal escape from a zoo, or setting...
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Please refrain from wearing Halloween costumes that may scare people, Tokyo...
Request follows shocking crime that took place onboard train last Halloween. In Japan, the biggest Halloween celebrations tend to take place on the weekend closest to October 31, as opposed to...
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Secret staff cafeteria at this Japanese train station is still open…for those...
Eat where the rail employees eat, at super cheap prices. With the price of everything going up these days, we’ve been looking at ways to tighten the purse strings and eat out on a budget, and one of...
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Real-life Spirited Away train line found in Japan?
Waterside train route in rural Japan looks like a scene from a Studio Ghibli film. There are many times in Japan when we have to stop and pinch ourselves to see if we’ve stepped into an anime film....
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Japan’s laziest, least motivated train station ticket gate charms the...
It’s not Kurashiki’s most famous attraction, but it might be its most unique. When most people think of the town of Kurashiki, in Okayama Prefecture, they think of its picturesque canals and preserved...
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Amazing time-lapse-style video shows 150-year history of the growth of train...
Points of light shine bright, and sometimes disappear, in this fascinating look at the last century and a half. It’s hard to imagine Japan without trains. Whether it’s the Shinkansen zooming past Mt....
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Secret staff cafeteria in Osaka is one of Japan’s best-kept secrets
This super cheap find is open to the public, so join us as we walk you through how to eat there. With so much being written about Japanese restaurants, we’ve decided to go a different route lately, by...
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Japanese train becomes a restaurant at this sleepy countryside station
A very unique place to eat. As the leaves begin to change colour in Japan, people around the country are setting out to explore the best fall foliage sightseeing areas, and over in Gunma Prefecture,...
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Ramen-based fuel now powers one of Japan’s most beautiful sightseeing railways
Leftover tonkotsu broth gets a new purpose in Kyushu. Ramen broth is undeniably delicious, responsible for the most pronounced flavors you experience while enjoying a ramen meal. On the other hand,...
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We visit Evangelion’s real-life Village-3, a hidden gem where time has...
A must-see for fans of Evangelion and trains in general! We recently took a trip to Hakone, the real-life location of Evangelion’s Tokyo-3. There were nods to the series dotted all around the town and...
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The 5 best Japanese bento to buy at Kyoto Station
These ekiben are a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Our Japanese-language reporter K. Masami loves train station bento, or “ekiben” as they’re known in Japan. Not only do these delightful...
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One of Tokyo’s busiest subway lines is adding women-only cars
Policy seeks to protect female passengers from gropers. There’s a lot to like about Tokyo’s trains and subways, which are clean, convenient, and reliable. That doesn’t mean they’re always a joy to...
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We travel to Gohoro Station, a tiny, remote station between tunnels in the...
A mystical, hidden place only serviced by two trains per day: secret gem, or portal to another world? If you’ve been on a countryside train in Japan, you’ve probably seen tiny wayside stations made...
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New Year’s Eve plans in Tokyo? Tokyo Metro won’t be running any extra...
You might need to pack it in early or be prepared to go all night. It’s pretty easy to spot the potential problem with this series of things about life in Japan. 1. The traditional way to spend New...
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Is it OK to play with Pokémon card on the Shinkansen? A bullet train manners...
Japanese comedian calls out “bad manners” of Pokémon-playing friends, but not everyone thinks his take is the very best. The Shinkansen bullet trains are the fastest trains in Japan, but ironically...
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Drunk Japanese politician in trouble for doing pullups inside moving...
Says he has no memory of why he thought that’d be a good idea. Trains in Japan tend to be both crowded and sturdily built, so should you find yourself standing and hanging onto a strap, you might find...
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Why do seats at some Japanese station platforms face away from the trains?
Unusual design in Kansai is a clever example of thoughtful customer service, designed specifically with the user in mind. Osaka, in the Kansai region, and Tokyo, in the Kanto region, pride themselves...
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Tokyo train operator begins issuing body cameras, but it’s not employee...
JR East implements new policy in time for New Year’s. There’s usually a lull in activities at most Japanese companies at this time of year. Things are winding down as most people get set to go on New...
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We travel across the city like royalty — Hiroshima streetcar turns into...
Our reporter travelled around Hiroshima City like a king in his own private tram. Our Japanese reporter Tasuku Egawa recently found himself in Hiroshima, and while Hiroshima has plenty of things to do...
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Japan’s random-destination roll-the-dice Shinkansen travel packages are back...
JR West’s Tabikoro random train/hotel packages are a gamble where you really can’t lose. It’s pretty hard to pick a bad destination when traveling in Japan. The specifics might vary, but pretty much...
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