Tokyo Survival Manual: Puking on Trains

[CountDify]

I went to Japan in 1999, and we stayed with a friend of the family (a mixed family). On our first day, we went out to lunch with the adult daughter of the family, who was practising an odd diet (no gluten, no meat). Because of this, we walked around for hours, trying to find a place she could eat at. By the time we did eat, I was starving, run down, tired and jet lagged. As a consequence, I started to get motion sickness on the train ride home.

[CountDify]

@CountDify I remember nausea building and desperately trying to hold it in. The thought of puking in the corner of the train completely mortified me, (luckily the train was fairly empty).

Thankfully my mother had a plastic bag. We got off at the next stop--like I was going to make those poor people ride with me and my puke. The Japanese on the train were so gracious. They offered me bags, tissues and water. So now I'm thinking maybe they were just grateful I didn't go on the floor. XD

[miiiikku]

In army I learned to sleep in every position, everywhere regardless of noise, temperature, stress, situation, weather I am standing or sitting and even when my eyes are open. Sleeping eyes open is scary, your eyes get cold and dry, so when you wake up its uncomfortable maybe even dangerous. Of course I didn't sleep long with my eyes open, probably couple of minutes.

[J0RDSKI]

I won't mention the London Underground lol.

[geenius3ab]

Haven't been to Japan before.. But jeez i guess that japanese people just try to understand that the one throwing up might have some issues and try to understand that, so that they wouldn't make an issue over it.. : )

[BlkUnk]

didnt know you Dj.... Kakoii...

[staticbb]

ROFL why would you make that gas chamber reference lol.

[speedycatz]

痴漢注意！

Be aware of chikans!

[tomboharmonica]

都内の電車マナー（化粧、優先席、痴漢）はよく話題になるし、確­かに日本人同士でも議論が尽きませんね。あと話題にあがった「山­手線ハロウィンパーティー」は見てて腹立たしいし、日本に住む外­国の方の印象が著しく悪くなってると思いますよ。もちろん、騒ぎ­を起こしているのは一部の外人だけというのは分かってますが。

[Hikosaemon]

山手線のHalloween Partyは結構在住外国人の世界の中で多く議論されますよ。基­本的に長く滞在するほど「Anti」になる傾向がありますね。外­人のほうにも迷惑をかけていると思います。ただ、マスコミの反応­も相変わらずヒステリーも入っていると思いますね。個人的に、電­車の中とホーム上で酒を禁じるべきだと思っていますね。

Peace

[BusanKevin]

Holy Crap...riding trains in Tokyo at night sounds just like riding on a night subway in Seoul. I used to live there and worked at a language school....went home each night at 10pm-ish...trains were always filled with drunk and angry Korean salarymen. Now I'm at an Int. School here in Japan so I commute home n the late afternoon....so....I luckily mis all of the bad things you've mentioned..the trains are half-filled and everyone's sober :)

[Hikosaemon]

Haha, one of the things I like about Japan is that the people are surprisingly restrained as drunks - even where they can't stand up, you don't often see fights or real antisocial behaviour from salarimen on their way home. Drunk and angry salarymen sounds a bit freaky.

I've been meaning to do a few more "survival manual" vids - your comment is a reminder that this was a good idea. Nice of you to pick it up.

Cheers mate!

Peace

[BusanKevin]

I totally think it's a great idea to do a series of "survival guides." I don't have enough experience or background knowledge to do something like that, but you certainly do!

Nice vid :)

[iluvwine13]

Great blog! i want to go to Tokyo someday. I see you like djing. I love European dance music (trance,house,ambiant,eurobeat­) and starting to get into j-pop. What music do you play?

[Trooper45]

also i was wondering, did you use a text software to type hirigana? or are there special html codes

[Trooper45]

i joined the air force, and im hoping if i cant stay here id want to go to japan. if im lucky enough to head your way, ill be watching these vids like a bible.

[sfmunilady]

munimannersdotcom

[alicenine33]

AH Thanks for these great vlogs,keep making em. I went to Japan last year and I've noticed in the train a sign that says,"No mobile phones near priority seats" I think thats what it said. Why is that?

[Hikosaemon]

Alicenine33, thanks for the comment! The rule is you can have your mobile on and use email and games and so on throughout the train, but you cannot talk on the train because this is annoying to other passengers.

If you are standing around the priority seat area, they ask that you turn the power off on your mobile, because the mobile phone signal (even for incoming email) can interfere with heart pacemakers. I have friends with pacemakers who had this happen.

Peace!

[kinushi]

Hey there! Pretty cool vlog.

What bothers me the most is that sometimes when it is really crowded on the train and humid outside as well, some people sweat a lot (esp fat businessmen) and press against people (of course, most use the small towels to wipe it off, but some don't). Also, when the train shakes, it is quite revolting to get showered by someone's sweat drops.

[Hikosaemon]

Oh tell me about it - and Tokyo in the summer, 35 degrees (100 farenheit), 95% humidity, and crusty sweaty old salarimen coming back from their grilled fish lunches! Fortunately, there aren't so many fat people here but that's the only consolation - instead, you are packed in pressed up against lots of skinny people. I'm glad you like the vids, and thanks for the comment

Peace

[cruxay]

Great blog. Very interesting to see the different perspectives on train life which is such a big issue in Japan, especially these days with all the false chikan issues and what not.

Coming from Toronto, which has a lousy transit system all round, I absolutely loved the technology & punctuality related to the trains all over the country. Of course I was only there for 2 months, so I suppose the excitement of it all wears off when you become more of a "local."

[Hikosaemon]

I've been here over 9 years, and while I don't get excited by the trains any more, I still appreciate how well it all works. And Tokyo still excites me - this place never stays still.

[koripockies]

i've been to tokyo for 10 days, yeah there are countless of train station points everywhere, very convenient to get to anywhere u want.i didnt try for the bus or taxi at all.. ahaha

[fireraider747]

Great video, Very helpful info...

[Hikosaemon]

Glad you liked it!

[the6thmonkey]

Hey, nice video I'm a kiwi as well. I hate taking public transport but not for any of the reasons these people have said. I guess it's much worse in Japan because there are so many people on the train. Well, my main problem is that I am 6'2 and train/bus seats are small and uncomfortable. I have to sit with my leg kind of up :( lol Also public transport in NZ at least seems kind of dirty and haphazard.

[Hikosaemon]

I hear you, dude. The crowds were too much for me at first too - in NZ, you tend to scan the faces in a crowd, because you always run into people, but I learned pretty fast here that you try "scanning the crowd" and after about 10 minutes, you need to sit down from exhaustion... I've hit my head so many times on train doors that I think I've gained height from the bone on top of my head thickening too...

Cheers for the comment, mate!

[89xirdneh]

hahahaha this was a good vlog im from australia and have always been interested in japan would like to go there one day - but till then vlogs keep me satisfied - keep them coming

[Hikosaemon]

Mate, I'll happily keep them coming, and appreciate the feedback.

By the way, any idea why the rating on this is so low? Only two I guess.... I'm still learning the ropes of all this so I'd be happy to get people's feedback and work it into making the next vids better.

Cheers mate!

Peace

[Hikosaemon]

Cheers mate! One of my first long train rides home I had a very cute young girl leaning against me and I was thinking "I think this train commuting thing is going to be just fine...." but I think every similar experience after that involved some exhausted geek or drunk salariman. And they are relentless. You shrug them off with your shoulder, or suddenly drop the shoulder to get them off but 30 seconds later they're back, still drooling on your shoulder...

Appreciate the feedback!

Peace

[Snowman20]

Lol, great video. I don't live in Japan, but I've been there for 2 entire summers, 2 years in arow.

I had the "sleeping on shoulder" incident happen twice. Once was in the earlier hours of the day, I had a cute Japanese school girl sleeping on my shoulder, lol, and I did the lean into her head and sleep as well. the 2nd time was with an older lady...not as pleasent