| A novel concept in Japan: soft drink cans have a twist | | | | Shinkansen is super punctual, When it stops, it does so |
| off top so that you can drink easily and not have to | | | | for about 3 minutes, and then continues. So you need |
| deal with not-so-clean holes on can tops. What a great | | | | to get off or on in a hurry. OK, so here I am watching |
| idea! | | | | the train depart, and suddenly realizing that my roll-on is |
| I'm on the Shinkansen from Mishima to Kyoto. The | | | | still on the train! Well folks, if you're going to lose a bag, |
| Shinkansen travels at 300kph, a speed we haven't yet | | | | do it in Japan. Here, no-one touches anything that |
| reached because this is the slow Hikari Shinkansen | | | | doesn't belong to them. I headed to the lost and found |
| (we're doing a mere 230kph) that stops at a number | | | | and reported my loss. The smiling clerk took my seat |
| of stations on the way. The only way it can reach | | | | information (my Shinkansen seats were all reserved), |
| those speeds is by switching from wheels to magnetic | | | | called the train, and then informed me that my case |
| power. So, while the train, at the station and before | | | | would be waiting for me at the next station. I heaved a |
| and after the station is on wheels, once it picks up | | | | sigh of relief and went off on my way. Later, at the |
| speed it powers itself magnetically and the wheels | | | | next station, I went to the Lost and Found and picked |
| detach from the rails. Cool! So it's a very smooth ride, | | | | up my case from a very polite clerk. Domo Arigato |
| except when two Shinkansens pass one another, and | | | | Gozaimass! |
| you get a wind bump, because you're passing at close | | | | Now, something about the road system. Japan drives |
| to 600kph! | | | | on the left so you need to look the opposite way |
| Other than that, it's an exceptionally quiet ride. It gets a | | | | (remember the sign painted on the street outside |
| little bumpy in the tunnels, and seeing as there are so | | | | Victoria Station in London?). The highways and |
| many mountains, there are very many tunnels too, long | | | | roadways in Tokyo are at all levels anywhere from |
| ones, even at 300kph. There's seat-side refreshment | | | | the ground to the 15th floor of buildings by the |
| and beverage service, provided by a uniformed | | | | windows of which you pass when you're on those |
| attendant who, upon entering the railway car, bows to | | | | roads. Sometimes the road suddenly dips 5 or 10 floors |
| all the passengers, goes about serving everyone, and | | | | which turns out to be an underpass or change of |
| then bows again before exiting. Very polite. | | | | highways or roads. Sometimes it drops all the way to |
| Another thing I noticed has to do with the way you | | | | the ground very steeply to achieve the same purpose |
| can pay for travel on the trains here. I bought paper | | | | or to come to an intersection. And there's a roadway |
| tickets, inserted them in the slots or swiped them and | | | | here in Tokyo that actually passes through a building! |
| passed through the turnstiles the way I'm used to doing | | | | There are many toll booths on the city roads, so you |
| in most places. However, I noticed some of the locals | | | | really need to have an electronic reader thing or your |
| passing their cell-phones over a scanner located by | | | | life will be very miserable making change for the toll |
| the turnstile. Turns out that in Japan you can load up | | | | machines - and at only very few places are there |
| your phone with virtual cash that is deducted every | | | | people to help. What's very noticeable here is that |
| time you make a purchase, which you do by passing | | | | things are extremely automated, and you have to be |
| your phone over a scanner at the required place. How | | | | able to fit in with the system. It's quick, efficient, clean |
| cool is that? | | | | and easy to use - if you can read the instructions. |
| The other day I boarded the Shinkansen carrying less | | | | Actually there's less English signage visible here than in |
| than my usual load of luggage. I placed my roll-on on | | | | China. However, instructions are usually also |
| the overhead shelf, put my backpack on the floor at | | | | accompanied by pictures, so you can generally figure |
| my feet, took out my computer and started working. I | | | | things out. |
| was deep into my work when the train arrived at | | | | I'm not really bothered by the lack of English signs. |
| Himeji, so I rushed, put the computer into my backpack, | | | | After all, the signs in Sweden aren't written in |
| flung it on and rushed out of the train. Now, the | | | | Portuguese! |