When you work in Japan you might be surprised with the commuter train. A train might arrive at the station packed, filled with people where people are crammed together, and you would wonder how am I going to get into this train…? You may decide to jump into the train, but then again you might not.
One way or the other, you might start to think whether there are other way around it or not? How are Japanese people dealing with this commuters train issue? Here’s how.
What you will learn
I feel that I am credible to write this article because I have 7 years experience at a typical midsize Japenese firm. I have been working from fresh graduate where I had etiquette training, and been working as international sales, and corporate strategist.
3 ways to deal with commuters train in Japan
Find a way to adapt to commuters train
This would be the hardest way, but there may be things you can do to make things better. From my experience, trying to adjust a few trains early may sometimes be the best solution. People want to stay at home as much as possible, and earlier you jump on the train, the more comfortable you would become.
If you really can’t do that, try to squeeze yourself to the inner space as possible. The further on you move away from the doors the more comfortable you will become.
In cities like Tokyo or Osaka, there may be other train lines available to your office. Although it nay take more time, those lines may be less crowded than the one you take now. It may make your life easier sacrificing a bit of your time than riding on a full packed train.
However, there are times you can never do anything to make the time in the train easier. So sometimes it is better to move away from trains.
Cycling to your office
Usually, the first best option and the one I would recommend would be trying a bike. In Japan, riding on a subway for 30 minutes is a distance you can easily reach on your bike. If you live in a city or a neighboring suburbs, a bicycle may be a realistic option. On my experience 5 km would be about 15 to 30 minutes and it is a distance you can easily manage everyday. In addition, when the weather is nice, it is good for a daily exercise. However, keep in mind that during the humid Japanese summer, you might want to carry extra clothes to change, for your shirts will be a mess by the time you reach the office.
Commuting on motorcycle or car
I have never tried commuting by motorcycle but if you usually ride a motorbike, it may be an option. I hear from people who commute on motorcycle that it is good since it is easy to change routes to move away from traffic jams. When you want to take a car however you may need to plan your route carefully because roads in Japan are narrow and crowded. And specific roads are are always stuck on traffic jams.
Summary
Change time or line of train where it is less crowded
Try using bicycle, if your office is a commutable distance
Try a motorcycle or car, but plan your route carefully on car
