Crowds

With 12 million people living in Tokyo, I knew that crowds would be something that I would have to get used to.  We are fortunate to live outside the city in a more rural area, so we do not have to fight crowds on a day to day basis.  But, as soon as we venture to the shopping areas in or around Tokyo, the crowds become inevitable.

I went out the other night with some ladies for a birthday.  It was a nice evening in a Thai restaurant that surprisingly was quiet.  But, as soon as we entered the train stations, the crowds became apparent.  When I got on the train, by friends had to pull me in for fear of me being squashed by the train doors.  The ironic thing was, as I was being pulled in, at least 6 people more people rammed themselves into the train behind me.  For the next 20 minutes we huddled amongst strangers, some men, who had a little too much to drink, and others, on their way home from work, whose eyelids fell heavy on their faces.  I cannot believe that people face these kinds of crowds everyday as they commute to and from work, some travelling for 2 hours at a time.  It sounds like hell to me!  Check out this video of people trying to get on the train.  Although it was not this bad the other night, I sure felt like cattle.

Our other experience with crowds was yesterday at Shibuya Crossing.  Shibuya station is the busiest station in Tokyo, and the road crossing becomes an automation of people.  As you watch this video, imagine the Bennett's in the thick of it, trying to maneuver a stroller.  Interesting!