@KaleunMaender77 Basically, except they would turn on the seat heaters at the beginning of the line, before the train got crowded. By the time it got really crowded, it would sometimes get hot inside and someone would open a window a little to get more air in. - LHS
@1carrotcake Nearly everyone is going to Ikebukuro, the last stop on the line, so when it gets there, you can't not get off, since everyone flows out of the train like a river! - LHS
@gaskete Well - this was taken is 1991. Actually, the trains not being over-automated made them very reliable. The newer trains with more sensors and computer-controls sometimes have problems that never happened with the old rock-solid trains. - LHS
But remember this was taken in 1991. People are not as eager to cram onto the trains as they used to be and often a huge crowd just waits on the platform for the next train.... which wouldn't have helped on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line in 1991 of course - since *all* the trains were packed! They've improved the service since then and there is more flex-time now as well. - LHS
Thank you for a good animation. The vehicle of the company called Seibu Railway where this links Saitama to Tokyo. Because I work part-time at a station called Takadanobaba, I understand traffic conditions well.
Yes, this begins on the Yamanote Line and then shows the transfer to the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line at Ikebukuro. I think maybe the Seibu-Shinjuku Line that comes through Takadanobaba is less crowded than the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line, isn't it? But it must have been very crowded the morning of the typhoon a few days ago when the Chuo Line was stopped! Do you work for JR or Seibu Tetsudo? - LHS
How do people in wheelchairs get around Tokyo? Is it fairly well equipped or is it difficult enough such that there aren't many people in wheelchairs?
Tokyo used to be very difficult to get about in a wheelchair (and it was in 1991, when this video was taken), but since then they've been steadily building elevators, ramps, escalators (that can accommodate wheelchairs), etc. and I now see people going about on the system in wheelchairs from time-to-time. An issue in the peak rush times though is how people are all smashed together, but people in wheelchairs are allowed in the morning women-only cars. - LHS
The first train in this video (silver with green stripe on side) is the Yamanote Line, but one of the very early morning trains, before it gets crowded. There are a huge number of poeple who use the Yamanote Line, but there are trains every two or three minutes in the morning, so it wasn't as bad as the express trains on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line. Also it depends of the stations - some parts of the line are more crowded than others (Shinjuku to Shubuya). - LHS
Thanks! I'll go back for another look, but (for now) I just checked out one of your videos - it looks like you're also interested in documentary video recording. Thanks for watching mine! - LHS
no problem. i guess i'm not as avid as you. i'm still light on recording films. there's one thing i still wonder: why do the japanese passengers try to get on one train so desperately, either in 1991 or now? is it due to the insufficience of commuting trains? for japanese modus operandi, that seems unconceivable to me. Or, it is because those over crowded trains are express/rapid express that would save commuters a great deal of time?
On this particular line (the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line), the nearest part of the train to transfer to other lines from is the very front. Both the 1991 and 2008 videos at Hibarigaoka Station were of the very first car on the train. The people very determined to get on there are probably running late and need to save every second they can. They should have taken an earlier train, but were probably up late, so... they take the last possible one and - that's the result! - LHS
The problem wasn't so much how much time, but simply whether you could punch your time card before 9:00 a.m.! If you punched in at 8:59, you were okay, if you punched in at 9:01, you were late! So in a case of someone running from the last station and punching in at about 8:58, losing 3 minutes would mean that they were late! Also, in the morning crush, EVERY train was (still is on many lines) crowded, so waiting for the next train doesn't help! - LHS
Yeah - that's about it! But it *is* better now than in 1991 (when this one was taken), since (a lot of people, not everyone) can get to work anywhere from about 8:30 to 10:30, some people take local trains, which can take 15-20 minutes longer, but don't get so crowded etc. Still - since a pretty large percentage of the 30,000,000 in Tokyo pour into the central area every day, crowding is hard to avoid.... - LHS
I'm not exactly sure about the question, but if it's whether it's a surface train and whether everything in this video was taken in one day:
It begins on the Yamanote Line, but after transferring at Ikebukuro, all scenes are of the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line and everything in this video was taken on the same day in February of 1991. - LHS
Excellent question! This is the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line, and at Ikebukuro Station (where they are all going) the closest exit for transferring to other train lines (which most of them will do) is the front. So these people working so hard to be at the front will likely be getting to work just barely in time - so they are trying to save every second they can by being in front of everyone. (You can run at the front when you get off, but not at the back or middle!) - LHS
Thanks! It's not exactly as I wanted, but I did spend a bit of time on editing it.
Incidentally, I just tried posting an answer in Japanese, but when I check back to see if it's been posted, it's just vaporized. For some reason YouTube is black-holing any Japanese text I post, so I can only respond in English. - LHS
That train was going *away* from central Tokyo. The crowded trains were all going towards central Tokyo (except for the very early morning ones before the crush-rush got into gear. - LHS
It's just before 8:00 a.m., and with transfers to other lines at Ikebukuro (where everyone is going on this line), as well as walking time, it takes most people an hour or more (one way) to get to work. In 1991, there was almost no flex-time, and companies were strict about people not being late, so people rushed so as not to be late. These same morning joggers tend to work late, making it hard to get up early. working hours have dropped some since then.... - LHS
Having to push to get on doesn't happen at all stations, or all the time, but referring to this video taken in 1991, there was certainly a lot of pushing at both Hibarigaoka Station and also Shakujikoen Station. After Shakujikoen, the express trains skipped all the stations between there and the terminal station, Ikebukuro. Recently, the station employees hardly ever have to push from the platform, but passengers often have to push a little to get themselves on. - LHS
I live near Toritsu-kasei Station (Sinjyuku line)in Nakano Ward from before 40 years.
It is moved deeply for Seibu Model１０１series train that cannot be seen to be seen in this movie now.
No.1128 and No.284 retired.I think No.284 will transfer it to other local railroad companies.(For instance Joushin-Dentetsu(Takasaki),Sangi-Railroad(Yokkaichi),Izu-Hakone Railroad(Mishima),Ohmi Railroad(Maibara･Hikone).)
Hi! Thanks for the information about the trains! I hadn't realized that the train carriages had been sold to other train lines. I did hear about the old Marunouchi Line trains being used in Argentina! (I have a video clip of one of those called "Old Marunouchi Line Train in Ginza - 1991").
Thanks also for the information about the train version numbers. I rode on the type of trains in the video for many years, but didn't know their proper names.
The signs in the station (Ikebukuro Station, where I changed from the Yamanote Line to the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line) indicate where other train lines are, etc. The sign over the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line ticket gates says "Iriguchi" ("Entrance"). If there's a really specific spot you're interested in, let me know the specific spot, like 0:16 (which says "Ticket Machines"); 0:14 has several things, like "Lockers", "Marunouchi Subway Line", etc. - LHS
And... I just thought of something - did you mean "Are they only in Japanese"? Most of them are! Recently there are many English-language signs in Japan, but in 1991, there weren't very many. - LHS
There has been a general trend towards having more English used (to be more friendly to foreign visitors). Many trains also have English language announcements as well. - LHS
About perverted men touching women - that's a problem somewhat with crowded trains everywhere. In India they deal with it by just having separate train cars for men and women (or so I hear - I haven't actually been there). In Tokyo, they now have a "Women Only" car on most morning trains. They also stiffened the laws about it, so I don't think it's much of a problem now, although it used to be. - LHS
I don't think so - but his posture is like that. Quite possibly it's someone who's been out all night and is taking the morning train back. You notice details! - LHS
I used to worry about that, but it hasn't happened yet. The thing is - while it's true that people are very close together, it's also true that no one can run away when it's crowded! So it would be a very dangerous situation for someone trying to pick another's pocket. If they noticed, there would be no place to run! Even when the train gets to stations, it's generally too crowded to actually run, so... no, it's probably safer! There have been problems on half-empty late night trains... - LHS
very good video though. I was just wondering how the atmosphere in japanese trains useually are, like everybody is talking with random people, or is it more like theyre minding their own business?
Glad you liked it. It depends on the time of day - on weekday mornings on the commuter lines, it's usually really quiet. Sometimes you'll hear a couple of friends quietly talking together, but usually there's no talking at all. (Occasionally you'll hear someone complain to someone about being poked in the back, etc.) On Friday evening trains, it can get pretty noisy, with a lot of people talking with each other, but even then, it's usually friends, and not very often strangers. - LHS
Thanks! "Sardine Run" comes from "packed in like sardines in a can"! The "run" part is because the rush of huge numbers of people into central Tokyo every morning is sort of like a run of a school of fish going somewhere. - LHS
wow thanks so much for loading this it very "truth" - it was just so weird to me how people just pushed and it was a normal thing, I wish I could ride one one day. :)
It is really weird the first time, but when you ride the sardine lines day after day, it becomes normal! Not fun, but not (usually not anyway) terrible. The dividing line is between what you can do nothing about, and what is unnecessary. So when it's really crowded, people don't usually complain or mind too much about people being against them - since they can't help it. But if there's space and someone is still against you, then people become irritated. - LHS
Thank you! Yes, that's Hibarigaoka Station, both the most crowded train in the video and the people rushing up the stairs to get to the station. Most of the trains are at Shakujikoen, and then I rode back to Hibarigaoka for that last train in the video. There's also a quick bit at Hibarigaoka between Tokorozawa and Shakujikoen. All this in 1991. See "Less Crowded in 2008" for a modern view. - LHS
Thanks for mentioning that - I'll look into it. I had noticed before that some people were labeled "director", but I didn't look into it. Thanks again! - LHS
Not as crowded as in 1991, but still crowded! See "Less Crowded in 2008" for a modern view of the same line during the peak morning rush to the center of Tokyo. - LHS
この時代は冬になるとスキー持った人が沢山居ましたね。
70station 3 months ago
@70station そうですね。 スキーは、結構人気だった。 スノーボードは、まだ人気無かったし...
lylehsaxon 2 months ago
Don't worry about a heater in winter: everybody's warming everyone else up in such a crowded car... right?
KaleunMaender77 7 months ago
@KaleunMaender77 Basically, except they would turn on the seat heaters at the beginning of the line, before the train got crowded. By the time it got really crowded, it would sometimes get hot inside and someone would open a window a little to get more air in. - LHS
lylehsaxon 7 months ago
3ドアばかり。いい時代だな。。。
1193F 9 months ago
@1193F うん、座る場所が多い...
lylehsaxon 9 months ago
I can relate to the sleeping past my station thing :P
themoaspecial 11 months ago
@themoaspecial Yeah - especially since I'd been up almost the whole night before. - LHS
lylehsaxon 11 months ago
池袋線だ・・・
Mr303F 11 months ago
@Mr303F そう - 山手線の渋谷駅から、池袋駅で西武池袋線を乗って...
lylehsaxon 11 months ago
When this video was recorded I would have been 4 years old. Time flies fast.
gof22 1 year ago
とにかく笑っちゃうよねｗｗｗｗ
1123sumi 1 year ago
How do they get off the train ?
1carrotcake 1 year ago
@1carrotcake Nearly everyone is going to Ikebukuro, the last stop on the line, so when it gets there, you can't not get off, since everyone flows out of the train like a river! - LHS
lylehsaxon 1 year ago
@lylehsaxon flows out of the train like a river hahahhahaha
1carrotcake 1 year ago
to walk better hahahahah
woxow 1 year ago
@woxow But this 20-minute train ride takes about three hours to walk...
lylehsaxon 1 year ago
@lylehsaxon but i will live hehehe
woxow 1 year ago
@gaskete Well - this was taken is 1991. Actually, the trains not being over-automated made them very reliable. The newer trains with more sensors and computer-controls sometimes have problems that never happened with the old rock-solid trains. - LHS
lylehsaxon 1 year ago
at 4:10 best
ixlikextoxdax 2 years ago
and i thaught that the tube was crowded
conzz97 2 years ago
But remember this was taken in 1991. People are not as eager to cram onto the trains as they used to be and often a huge crowd just waits on the platform for the next train.... which wouldn't have helped on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line in 1991 of course - since *all* the trains were packed! They've improved the service since then and there is more flex-time now as well. - LHS
lylehsaxon 2 years ago
Thank you for a good animation. The vehicle of the company called Seibu Railway where this links Saitama to Tokyo. Because I work part-time at a station called Takadanobaba, I understand traffic conditions well.
PONSCH03 2 years ago
Yes, this begins on the Yamanote Line and then shows the transfer to the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line at Ikebukuro. I think maybe the Seibu-Shinjuku Line that comes through Takadanobaba is less crowded than the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line, isn't it? But it must have been very crowded the morning of the typhoon a few days ago when the Chuo Line was stopped! Do you work for JR or Seibu Tetsudo? - LHS
lylehsaxon 2 years ago
Thank god theres not many fat people in japan
ExpressionOfMe 3 years ago 18
How do people in wheelchairs get around Tokyo? Is it fairly well equipped or is it difficult enough such that there aren't many people in wheelchairs?
weissadam 3 years ago
Tokyo used to be very difficult to get about in a wheelchair (and it was in 1991, when this video was taken), but since then they've been steadily building elevators, ramps, escalators (that can accommodate wheelchairs), etc. and I now see people going about on the system in wheelchairs from time-to-time. An issue in the peak rush times though is how people are all smashed together, but people in wheelchairs are allowed in the morning women-only cars. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
I would commute by bicycle.
32ghzt54 3 years ago
Some people do, but some commutes would take something like five hours one-way by bicycle.... - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
What was is like on the Yamanote Line in 1991?
Biglele208 3 years ago
The first train in this video (silver with green stripe on side) is the Yamanote Line, but one of the very early morning trains, before it gets crowded. There are a huge number of poeple who use the Yamanote Line, but there are trains every two or three minutes in the morning, so it wasn't as bad as the express trains on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line. Also it depends of the stations - some parts of the line are more crowded than others (Shinjuku to Shubuya). - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
it is an artistic video with ardent audacity to glimpse at folks' routines. Good job saxon!
albertx46 3 years ago
Thanks! I'll go back for another look, but (for now) I just checked out one of your videos - it looks like you're also interested in documentary video recording. Thanks for watching mine! - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
no problem. i guess i'm not as avid as you. i'm still light on recording films. there's one thing i still wonder: why do the japanese passengers try to get on one train so desperately, either in 1991 or now? is it due to the insufficience of commuting trains? for japanese modus operandi, that seems unconceivable to me. Or, it is because those over crowded trains are express/rapid express that would save commuters a great deal of time?
albertx46 3 years ago
On this particular line (the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line), the nearest part of the train to transfer to other lines from is the very front. Both the 1991 and 2008 videos at Hibarigaoka Station were of the very first car on the train. The people very determined to get on there are probably running late and need to save every second they can. They should have taken an earlier train, but were probably up late, so... they take the last possible one and - that's the result! - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
from your observation how much time would those hasty passengers spend on waiting for the next available train?
albertx46 3 years ago
The problem wasn't so much how much time, but simply whether you could punch your time card before 9:00 a.m.! If you punched in at 8:59, you were okay, if you punched in at 9:01, you were late! So in a case of someone running from the last station and punching in at about 8:58, losing 3 minutes would mean that they were late! Also, in the morning crush, EVERY train was (still is on many lines) crowded, so waiting for the next train doesn't help! - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
thx this way i got it. it's a typical commuters' life.
albertx46 3 years ago
Yeah - that's about it! But it *is* better now than in 1991 (when this one was taken), since (a lot of people, not everyone) can get to work anywhere from about 8:30 to 10:30, some people take local trains, which can take 15-20 minutes longer, but don't get so crowded etc. Still - since a pretty large percentage of the 30,000,000 in Tokyo pour into the central area every day, crowding is hard to avoid.... - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
joer pos si esta lleno en 1991, y aora joer kuando estaba vacio el 1º dia k pusieron el metro, o kuando no estba?¿'
N198612 3 years ago
I'm not exactly sure about the question, but if it's whether it's a surface train and whether everything in this video was taken in one day:
It begins on the Yamanote Line, but after transferring at Ikebukuro, all scenes are of the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line and everything in this video was taken on the same day in February of 1991. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
In 4:08 why they are trying to ride in front of the train? I saw there is more room in back of the train.
Tc4051 3 years ago
Excellent question! This is the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line, and at Ikebukuro Station (where they are all going) the closest exit for transferring to other train lines (which most of them will do) is the front. So these people working so hard to be at the front will likely be getting to work just barely in time - so they are trying to save every second they can by being in front of everyone. (You can run at the front when you get off, but not at the back or middle!) - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
編集うまいね
ktr5721 3 years ago
Thanks! It's not exactly as I wanted, but I did spend a bit of time on editing it.
Incidentally, I just tried posting an answer in Japanese, but when I check back to see if it's been posted, it's just vaporized. For some reason YouTube is black-holing any Japanese text I post, so I can only respond in English. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
How come the train you were on at 3:52 wasnt very crowded?
Biglele208 3 years ago
That train was going *away* from central Tokyo. The crowded trains were all going towards central Tokyo (except for the very early morning ones before the crush-rush got into gear. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
From 4:53 why are they all runnning?
Biglele208 3 years ago
It's just before 8:00 a.m., and with transfers to other lines at Ikebukuro (where everyone is going on this line), as well as walking time, it takes most people an hour or more (one way) to get to work. In 1991, there was almost no flex-time, and companies were strict about people not being late, so people rushed so as not to be late. These same morning joggers tend to work late, making it hard to get up early. working hours have dropped some since then.... - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
Does part of that hour include pushing?
Biglele208 3 years ago
Having to push to get on doesn't happen at all stations, or all the time, but referring to this video taken in 1991, there was certainly a lot of pushing at both Hibarigaoka Station and also Shakujikoen Station. After Shakujikoen, the express trains skipped all the stations between there and the terminal station, Ikebukuro. Recently, the station employees hardly ever have to push from the platform, but passengers often have to push a little to get themselves on. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
Now or then (1991)? It sure did in 1991. Sometimes it still does in 2008, but not much. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
2色の101系電車懐かしい!
Good evening.
I live near Toritsu-kasei Station (Sinjyuku line)in Nakano Ward from before 40 years.
It is moved deeply for Seibu Model１０１series train that cannot be seen to be seen in this movie now.
No.1128 and No.284 retired.I think No.284 will transfer it to other local railroad companies.(For instance Joushin-Dentetsu(Takasaki),Sangi-Railroad(Yokkaichi),Izu-Hakone Railroad(Mishima),Ohmi Railroad(Maibara･Hikone).)
2009.9.21 23:45
maihamato 3 years ago
Hi! Thanks for the information about the trains! I hadn't realized that the train carriages had been sold to other train lines. I did hear about the old Marunouchi Line trains being used in Argentina! (I have a video clip of one of those called "Old Marunouchi Line Train in Ginza - 1991").
Thanks also for the information about the train version numbers. I rode on the type of trains in the video for many years, but didn't know their proper names.
Thanks! - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
Did the signs in the beginning just say japanese?
Biglele208 3 years ago
The signs in the station (Ikebukuro Station, where I changed from the Yamanote Line to the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line) indicate where other train lines are, etc. The sign over the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line ticket gates says "Iriguchi" ("Entrance"). If there's a really specific spot you're interested in, let me know the specific spot, like 0:16 (which says "Ticket Machines"); 0:14 has several things, like "Lockers", "Marunouchi Subway Line", etc. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
And... I just thought of something - did you mean "Are they only in Japanese"? Most of them are! Recently there are many English-language signs in Japan, but in 1991, there weren't very many. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
Are those english signs back to day?
Biglele208 3 years ago
There has been a general trend towards having more English used (to be more friendly to foreign visitors). Many trains also have English language announcements as well. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
but happens if one has to get out before the others? ooks like theres no chance! do they all have to get off on the same station?
and i've heared that when it is that crowded rude men start touching women...
vi2e 3 years ago
About perverted men touching women - that's a problem somewhat with crowded trains everywhere. In India they deal with it by just having separate train cars for men and women (or so I hear - I haven't actually been there). In Tokyo, they now have a "Women Only" car on most morning trains. They also stiffened the laws about it, so I don't think it's much of a problem now, although it used to be. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
eww
is someone puking at 3:53?
giantwarwock 3 years ago
I don't think so - but his posture is like that. Quite possibly it's someone who's been out all night and is taking the morning train back. You notice details! - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
and another thing that i had on my mind:
isnt there alot of pocketpocketers in these trains when its so crowded? should be an easy match for an pickpocketer?(!)
deidarajunior1508 3 years ago
I used to worry about that, but it hasn't happened yet. The thing is - while it's true that people are very close together, it's also true that no one can run away when it's crowded! So it would be a very dangerous situation for someone trying to pick another's pocket. If they noticed, there would be no place to run! Even when the train gets to stations, it's generally too crowded to actually run, so... no, it's probably safer! There have been problems on half-empty late night trains... - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
oh loved the girl with the manga magazine!
very good video though. I was just wondering how the atmosphere in japanese trains useually are, like everybody is talking with random people, or is it more like theyre minding their own business?
deidarajunior1508 3 years ago
Glad you liked it. It depends on the time of day - on weekday mornings on the commuter lines, it's usually really quiet. Sometimes you'll hear a couple of friends quietly talking together, but usually there's no talking at all. (Occasionally you'll hear someone complain to someone about being poked in the back, etc.) On Friday evening trains, it can get pretty noisy, with a lot of people talking with each other, but even then, it's usually friends, and not very often strangers. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
Wow, great video. I can't wait to visit let alone hopefully live there one day. Why do they call "sardine runs"?
dysthymia7 3 years ago
Thanks! "Sardine Run" comes from "packed in like sardines in a can"! The "run" part is because the rush of huge numbers of people into central Tokyo every morning is sort of like a run of a school of fish going somewhere. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
wow thanks so much for loading this it very "truth" - it was just so weird to me how people just pushed and it was a normal thing, I wish I could ride one one day. :)
Skittlez080808 3 years ago
It is really weird the first time, but when you ride the sardine lines day after day, it becomes normal! Not fun, but not (usually not anyway) terrible. The dividing line is between what you can do nothing about, and what is unnecessary. So when it's really crowded, people don't usually complain or mind too much about people being against them - since they can't help it. But if there's space and someone is still against you, then people become irritated. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
Great! Is that Hibarigaoka station at the end there?
jyamamo 3 years ago
Thank you! Yes, that's Hibarigaoka Station, both the most crowded train in the video and the people rushing up the stairs to get to the station. Most of the trains are at Shakujikoen, and then I rode back to Hibarigaoka for that last train in the video. There's also a quick bit at Hibarigaoka between Tokorozawa and Shakujikoen. All this in 1991. See "Less Crowded in 2008" for a modern view. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
I love this video.
Can you please upload full uncut version of this video?
john21345 3 years ago
Thanks! The full uncut version is about 30 minutes - I don't think I have that much space left at YouTube... - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
if you want to, you can upgrade your youtube account for free to director and then get up to hour uploads or something along those lines.
dysthymia7 3 years ago
Thanks for mentioning that - I'll look into it. I had noticed before that some people were labeled "director", but I didn't look into it. Thanks again! - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago
oh my god.
how is it in present day ?
paulytby 3 years ago
Not as crowded as in 1991, but still crowded! See "Less Crowded in 2008" for a modern view of the same line during the peak morning rush to the center of Tokyo. - LHS
lylehsaxon 3 years ago